Take the classic-curling up with a pint of ice cream. It's a total backfire. Why? Sweets are insidious: After the initial rush, the body's insulin response kicks in, causing a sudden blood sugar drop that triggers the release of stress hormones. Soon you're feeling more jangled than you were before you inhaled that whole container of Chunky Monkey. And alcohol, of course, is a wolfish stimulant in calm sheep's clothing.
But true comfort foods do exist.
1. Berries, any berries
Eat
them one by one instead of M&Ms when the pressure's on. For those
tough times when tension tightens your jaw, try rolling a frozen berry
around in your mouth. And then another, and another. Since the carbs in
berries turn to sugar very slowly, you won't have a blood sugar crash.
The bonus: They're a good source of vitamin C, which helps fight a jump
in the stress hormone cortisol
2. Guacamole
If you're
craving something creamy, look no further. Avocados are loaded with B
vitamins, which stress quickly depletes and which your body needs to
maintain nerves and brain cells. Plus their creaminess comes from
healthy fat. Scoop up the stuff with whole-grain baked chips-crunching
keeps you from gritting your teeth.
3. Mixed nuts
Just an
ounce will help replace those stress-depleted Bs (walnuts), give you a
whopping amount of zinc (Brazil nuts)-it's also drained by high
anxiety-and boost your E (almonds), which helps fight cellular damage
linked to chronic stress. Buy nuts in the shell and think of it as
multi-tasking: With every squeeze of the nutcracker, you're releasing a
little bit of tension.
4. Oranges
People who take a 1,000 mg
of C before giving a speech have lower levels of cortisol and lower
blood pressure than those who don't. So lean back, take a deep breath,
and concentrate on peeling a large orange. The 5-minute mindfulness
break will ease your mind and you'll get a bunch of C as well.
5. Asparagus
Each
tender stalk is a source of folic acid, a natural mood-lightener. Dip
the spears in fat-free yogurt or sour cream for a hit of calcium with
each bite.
6. Chai tea
A warm drink is a super soother, and
curling up with a cup of aromatic decaf chai tea (Tazo makes
ready-to-brew bags) can make the whole evil day go away.
Okay, there's nothing in it that relieves stress, but when only chocolate will do, reach for the dark, sultry kind that's at least 70% cocoa. You figure if the antioxidant flavonoids in it are potent enough to fight cancer and heart disease, they've got to be able to temper tension's effects.
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