STRESS MANAGEMENT: Healthy Eating Plan For Stress Management and Longevity

Stress is an unavoidable reality of modern life.

We all encounter varying degrees of stress and stressors in our lives. However, when the intensity or duration of the stress we face exceeds our ability to manage that stress, something is going to break down.

In the middle of the 20th century physiologist Hans Selye, labeled our reaction to life's challenges with a simple word: stress. Now, 50 years later, there's a conversation you hear so often, it's almost a chorus: You ask a friend, "How are you?" and she replies, "I'm OK, but I'm feeling a little stressed." Stress is the principal contributor to life that is out of balance; but the opposite is right as well.

Whenever you perceive stress, an inbuilt alarm-system in your brain triggers the adrenal glands to release complex hormonal cascade of over 30 stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol. Those stress hormones give you the extra strength and speed you need to deal with the threatening stressful situation. This reaction is known as the "fight-or-flight" reaction, or the stress response.

The bodies balance is destroyed, which leads to multiple health related problems and premature aging to name just few.

Stress affects all body systems and digestive system in particular.

As we get stressed, we tend to make poor nutritional choices that can actually increase our stress levels and cause other problems, such as obesity.

Good News!

Your body is a great self-repairing machine and is able to heal itself. For self-repairing you need special fuel – one that provides you with all necessary macro and micro nutrients: healthy food.

Follow the healthy eating plan and get your stress and your health under control.

1. Start your day with a balanced healthy breakfast. (need some ideas Click HERE)

2. Increase your water intake until you reach minimum 8 glasses of water (not cola, coffee or tea) daily.

3. Slowly begin to increase the intake of raw foods- different colored fruit and vegetables. Your goal is to consume 7 to 10 servings per day. They are rich in fiber, complex carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals.

4. Start to replace simple carbohydrates in your diet with complex carbohydrates.

5. Protein is generally a challenging food type and you need to provide the digestive system and liver with a diet which challenges as little as possible, so that it allows the body to concentrate its energies on healing itself. Keep protein intake within moderation. Avoid red meat completely. Eat more beans and pulses, grains, seeds and nuts. Fish, and poultry are also acceptable. Add soy protein products to your diet.

6. Start to drink kefir - natural, living probiotic drink.

7. Gradually increase the intake of high fiber foods. Fiber eliminates toxins, extra fats and cholesterol, helps to slow down the release of sugars from your foods into the blood stream, so keep our blood sugar levels stable.

8. Start eating oily fish once a week or take Omega 3 essential fatty acids supplements. Omega 3 EFA is not only a vital component of all cell structures but also improves emotional well-being: combat anxiety, stress, insomnia and depression.

9. Start taking a multivitamin/mineral supplements daily.

About the Author

Dr.Inese Millere is Holistic Stress Management coach and consultant who assist women in leadership in creating stress management and work life balance strategies, and healthy lifestyle routines.

If you'd like to talk about coaching with me, please contact me directly at info@action4balance.com with a brief description of your situation.