5 Healthy Stress Fighting Foods

When feeling stressed, depressed, or dejected, a common way most of us tend to cope with things is with erratic sleeping and/or eating. Now this could be the lack of sleeping/eating, over sleeping/eating, or even more common, the occasional binge eating. Today, we are going to focus closely on eating. The majority of people who deal with their problems by turning to foods are typically looking for the quick fix. The problem is these foods usually don't end up being the healthiest.

We tend to crave the foods that aren't very good for us. This includes fast food, junk food, and those delicious addicting sweets we all love. Everyone has watched that love movie where after a unexpected breakup, the character stays in the house for days on in eating candy and ice cream. Some of us may even be guilty of this ourselves. The end result typically ends up being regret.

What causes the cravings?

The everyday challenges that we face that cause tension, pressure, or stress can also cause for the body's cortisol levels to rise. During times where cortisol levels are high, these bad food cravings occur. Unfortunately, for women these cravings tend to mostly be for carbs and sweets which can actually worsen your moods rather than offer that quick fix we all search for. These foods often lead to weight gain (typically the stubborn belly fat we all hate) which holds the ability to lead to more serious health risks later on such as diabetes and even heart disease.

Below is a list of 5 healthy foods with stress fight properties:

1. Avocados: The Creamy fruit that seems to appear on just about every health food list. High in Vitamin E and Folate, the fruit also contains Glutathione. Glutathione is specifically known for it's ability to block absorption of certain farts in the intestinal area. Eat them plain or use them as a healthy dip.
2. Berries: All berries are rich in Vitamin C, proven to help fight stress. Not only does it help fight stress, but also has the ability to lower both levels of cortisol and blood pressure. A small bowl of strawberries and blueberries is always refreshing.
3. Nuts: The crunchy snack packed with protein! All nuts are great for anyone attempting to lose weight. Apart from protein, nuts, especially cashews, are also high in zinc. Depression and anxiety have both been linked to low levels of zinc. Create your own trail mix with both nuts and berries.
4.  Green Tea: We all know that most teas contains a bit of caffeine which is in fact a stimulate capable of temporarily elevating moods. Green tea contains an amino acid called L-Theanine which helps fight symptoms of depression. L-Theanine works by stimulating the brain's alpha waves which are most often shown in one's most relaxed state.
5. Chocolate: Here's your excuse to satisfy that sweet tooth of yours. Dark chocolate specifically is high in antioxidants and is known for it's ability to lower blood pressure, promoting feelings of relaxation. Chocolate, berries, and nuts all go good together!

Apart from food, there are also a number of natural supplements to help put your stress to ease!