How to make your stressful life, stress free

We all suffer from stress from time to time and some more than others – especially when you’ve got a business to run. Stress can cause havoc in the work place, it can make you less productive, lose focus, forget important information and make you tired, irritable and angry. It causes toxins to be released into the bloodstream and can deplete the body of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. But did you know that the right food choices could dramatically assist the body in handling stress better? A well-balanced diet is crucial in preserving health to reduce stress. Here is a list of foods that stress and foods that help de-stress:

Stress Foods

Caffeine, found in coffee, tea and chocolate causes the release of adrenaline, increasing the level of stress and affecting the metabolism, which can lead to weight gain.

Alcohol is a major cause of stress, stimulating the adrenaline glands resulting in problems such as tension, insomnia and irritability. It limits the liver’s ability to remove toxins from the body.

Salt increases the blood pressure and too much can cause emotional instability.

Refined and processed foods, found in white bread and flour, stress the body as they are low in nutrients and use your body’s own vitamins and minerals to digest it.

Spicy food contains volatile oils, which can physically irritate the lining of your stomach.

De-stress Foods

Celery can help lower blood pressure as it contains nutrients that calm the body.

Cabbage, full of antioxidant vitamins A,C and E, beta-carotene and selenium, fight the damaging effect of free radicals in the body released in response to stress and is known to boost your mood.

Almonds, which are rich in magnesium, help your adrenal glands to function well. Low levels of magnesium are associated with anxiety, irritability, insomnia and nervous tension.

Garlic has a huge impact on lowering blood pressure, therefore lowering stress levels. As it’s a powerful detoxifying antibiotic, it can help get rid of circulating toxins.

Cucumbers can literally cool the blood and the liver and so helps the liver to balance hormones, beat stress and boost your mood.