Copyright (c) 2009 Beyond the Garden

Unfortunately, stress, a chemical response to certain triggers and events in life, impacts almost all of us one way or another. There are some individuals who have discovered ways to manage and even eliminate stress from their existence. You too can learn how to take control of your life and regain your footing in this chaotic world. It is not as hard or tedious as you may think. I knew there had to be way to relieve stress without unhealthy drug treatments and therapy sessions. I started being more aware of what I was putting in my food and the reactions and emotional responses that certain foods triggered for me. You know what I discovered? I found out that by making a couple of changes to the food I consumed, I could help manage and reduce my stress levels.

Just think about it for a second. Ponder upon some of the foods you have eaten over the past month and why you may have chosen to consume those foods. There is a psychological cycle attached to stress and bad, low down rotten food. Typically, when people are overwhelmed, depressed, or stressed, their first instinct is to grab something to eat, and a majority of the time, the preferred food is "junk." You may tend to consume foods that are high in sugar such as sodas, candy, cake, etc. and foods that are high in carbohydrates and fats such as french fries, macaroni and cheese, fried chicken, and burgers (for those meat eaters) to help you get through a rough patch in your day.

Why do we gravitate to these unhealthy foods? Well, in a sense we are justified for selecting those "bad" foods. Consuming bad for you foods or unhealthy foods tend to give us the illusion of feeling better or happier temporarily. The extra sugar and carbs that we get from the unhealthy foods gives the body a "spike" in the hormone serotonin, that makes us feel a little happier (for the time being) and brings us that comfort we need (hence the word "comfort food"). Once your seretonin levels start to drop, your blood sugar levels starts crashing and that is when you start second guessing what you ate and why. You start to mentally beat yourself up about the ½ dozen cupcakes you inhaled and now you are feeling depressed, stressed and hungry all over again (because there was little to no protein in the "junk" that was just consumed) and the vicious cycle has a new beginning.

Now you wish you would have eaten some almonds, walnuts, or a salad loaded with fresh veggies, nuts, and marinated tofu to get you through your "rough patch." Eating and adopting a vegetable and fruit based diet eliminates and puts an end to the unhealthy food relationship that has been created by our poor food choices. Vegetarian diets or plant based diets are nutrient and vitamin rich and are lower in bad fats and cholesterol. As a vegetarian, if you are eating a healthy, well-rounded realm of protein, fruits, plants, and vegetables, your body will no longer crave those so-called stress relieving (and in return stress inducing) unhealthy foods. Just check out how easy it is to make healthier food choices:

Foods You May Tend To Eat When You Are Stressed:

Burgers and Fries

Drink a coffee, caffeine, or sugar based beverage

A big bag of potato chips

Fried chicken

Foods You Should Eat To Relieve Stress:

Fresh green salad with nuts, asparagus, dried cranberries, and balsamic vinegar dressing

Fresh squeezed orange or grapefruit juice or a fruit smoothie

A handful of nuts or blue corn tortillas chips with salsa and guacamole

Lightly toasted Tempeh with a peanut sauce

If you notice, all the alternatives you could eat to battle stress are grain, vegetable or fruit based. Adopting new eating habits is easy and can be accomplished by taking small steps and making small changes to your food choices. Once you start feeding your body fresh vegetables, fruits, and other whole foods, your body will have the ammunition it needs to grow stronger emotionally and help you keep your stress levels low. Vegetables, fruits, and meatless proteins are processed by your body to give it continuous and consistent levels of sugar, carbohydrates, and energy, without the "spike" or sugar rush you may experience by eating burgers and fried foods (which are loaded with hidden trans fats and sugar).

When ever you start to feel depressed, stressed, or overwhelmed, become mindful of the foods you eat and don let your food selections add to your stress levels." Instead, select foods that are going to provide your "temple" with the ammunition it needs to fight stress and end the "food stress" cycle. Opt for nourishing your mind and mood with a vegetable based meal or snack that will not attack your body chemistry or cause regret, but will give your body what it needs to regroup emotionally and physically.