We are living through some very stressful times because of the coronavirus pandemic. Perhaps now, more than ever, it’s critical you do everything you can to combat stress levels and stay healthy and happy. The things you eat affect that significantly.
Some foods help relieve tension more than others, while the lack of some stress-fighting foods can make you feel worse (like anxiety, depression, and panic attacks). So maybe you think the COVID-19 situation is why you’ve got anxiety; but if you ate the right foods, you wouldn’t feel as bad.
Of course, occasional bouts of stress are usual. But chronic stress isn’t, and it can lead to severe health problems not only mentally but physically too (like heart disease). So, to help, here’s a list of some of the best things to eat that will keep your stress levels to a minimum.
Green Leafy Vegetables
pinach and other leafy vegetables that contain a vitamin called folate (also known as folic acid or Vitamin B9) that reduces the risk of depression symptoms.
An Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics spokesperson, Heather Mangieri, RDN, told Health: “Green leafy vegetables like spinach contain folate, which produces dopamine, a pleasure-inducing brain chemical, helping you keep calm.”
Another great leafy vegetable is swiss chard. It’s loaded with the stress-fighting mineral magnesium. One cup (175 grams) of the green (cooked) contains 36% of magnesium’s recommended daily intake.
If your body’s magnesium levels get too low, it can cause conditions like panic attacks and anxiety. And it’s extra essential to consume enough of this mineral when you’re stressed continuously because chronic stress may deplete your body’s magnesium stores.
Beets / Beetroot
Beets also contain a generous amount of folate. Just one cup supplies over 30% of the folate needed daily.
Folate is one of the vitamins you need to get your daily share of because of its link with the nervous system. Too little folate in the system can trigger forgetfulness, confusion, fatigue, and insomnia.
And suppose you’re taking anti-inflammatory drugs, cholesterol-lowering drugs, birth control pills, or diabetes drugs. In that case, you have to eat even more folate because those medications can deplete the body’s supply of the vitamin. Read more…
