“The doctor of the future will give no medication but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, diet and in the cause and prevention of disease. ” ~ Thomas A Edison
At the speed, things are moving in today’s world, in a society that demands perfection, more and more people become the victims of stress, anxiety, and depression.
Healthy Ways to Reduce Stress
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Most likely, if stress, anxiety or depression is present in your life, your serotonin stores are low and the acid levels in your body are high. It is when serotonin is low that things can get worse. Most people use medications to help with this. Medications will alter your serotonin, a hormone that affects mood, but so does diet and lifestyle.
The more stress you have, the more you will need nutrient dense food to buffer the acidity and low energy levels you are creating.
5 Healthy Ways to Reduce Stress and Improve Quality of Life
1. Reduce stress by eating complex carbohydrates
Eat complex carbohydrates at each meal and eat enough of them. By doing this, you are stimulating the pancreas to evenly let out insulin. Make sure these carbs are unrefined.
Think salad rather than a sandwich.
Fruits vegetables and even beans are more effective than crackers.
“Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.” ~Albert Einstein
2. Reduce stress by watching your oils
Make sure you get them from a healthy source. While you might crave fatty, fried foods when you are really stressed or depressed, go for unaltered, untreated fats like avocado, raw nuts, raw seeds or unheated oils. The brain needs these essential fatty acids to function optimally.
“Let food be thy medicine, thy medicine shall be thy food.”. ~Hippocrates
3. Reduce stress by limiting the gluten, dairy, corn, and sugar
Other things to limit are gluten, dairy, corn, and sugar. They are mood changers. When you eat foods that are denatured and irritate the intestine, you compromise your digestion and absorption levels. That means that you have lowered your ability to absorb nutrients that would make you feel better like folic acid, tryptophan, and D.
“Those who have no time for healthy eating will sooner or later have to find time for illness.” ~ Edward Stanley
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4. Reduce stress by making sure you get enough:
Nuts
Oils in nuts and seeds help the body make prostaglandins, which are actually hormones. These hormones are the ones that help with your responses to the brain, stimuli, and other hormones. Essential fatty acids in nuts and seeds also help build neurotransmitters.
Limit nuts to 10 or fewer per day, as there is a tipping point where too much is too much. Too many nuts will sludge up your system.
Greens
Contain tons of B6 and vitamin C. Is a great source of folic acid.
Greens help the body create tryptophan. They stimulate more serotonin production (antidepressant neurotransmitter). Contain phytonutrients that help the brain’s electro-chemical signals.
Sodium and potassium are high in greens and actually carry electrical signals down each neuron.
Greens give neurons amino acids, which build neurotransmitters.
“It is my view that the vegetarian manner of living by its purely physical effect on the human temperament would most beneficially influence a lot of mankind.” ~Albert Einstein
Hard vigorous workouts help relieve depression. It releases endorphins, which are mood boosters.
5. For an extra Boost
Try a microalgae supplement with DHA and EPA or cold-water fish. If you have SAD (seasonal affected disorder) use a light box.
Play with eating more starches, fat or protein. Supplement with Tryptophan, 5-HTP, D, B6.
And these are the 5 healthy ways to reduce stress and improve the quality of life. I would love to know what is the one thing that helps you reduce the stress in your life, You can share your comment in the comment section below 🙂
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Comments
Ana Goldseker
Ana Goldseker - Mindful Nutrition. If you want to find out more about Ana, you can visit www.mindfulnutrition.net or connect with her on Facebook.
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jacinta asco
at 3:50 pm
It’s really a good point , i’ve been very conscious on my diet ever since i started having my hormonal imbalance and it works because im at risk to develope cardiovascular disease and goes to depression..so this are additiinal know how for me thanks Ana!
zanade mann
at 1:42 pm
Great points. A healthy lifestyle provides so many benefits. I remember working for hours without eating and it made me feel terrible by the end of the day. Now I incorporate many of the things you listed above.
Zanade
Shannon Winakur
at 1:17 pm
Ana – awesome article! I will be sharing it with friends and patients! You rock!! xoxo
Scott Graham
at 11:47 am
Way to go Ana! but 10 nuts? that is one handful… I probably eat 100 nuts in a sitting.. OK time to make another change…
Scott
josi
at 11:43 am
Excellent article! I liked it! I became vegetarian two years ago and it was the best thing ever for my health and for my mind…
Regards from Brazil!
Charmaine McDonald
at 6:18 am
Thanks for the great article, Blessings.
Pamela
at 4:36 pm
Excellent article! Thank you. Posting this on the frig 🙂