Eat Right. Stress Less Online women magazine Go Jane News ...

?What is stress doing to your dietary health?

?By: Nancy Adler, certified nutritionist

Stress is a problem all by itself. Stress depletes the body of energy, loss of sleep, feelings of agitation or depression. The development of poor eating habits is side effects of stress.

The body under stress will experience a reduction of vital nutrients, such as vitamins, especially Vitamin B, which are our nervous system helpers. Magnesium helps with muscles and calcium for our bones. The overstressed system may benefit from vitamin and mineral supplements. Seek a nutritionist knowledgeable in supplements and vitamins.?

When stressed, most people go for ?comfort foods,? like coffee, colas and chocolate. Dehydration is a common nutritional problem that stems from caffeine and too much salt. Caffeine also causes poor concentration and increased levels of cortisol to the blood.

When we don?t eat enough food, or don?t eat healthy food (too little protein, or too many carbs), we experience blood sugar fluctuations and an imbalance. These fluctuations can lead to mood swings, fatigue, poor concentration and other negative consequences in the short term, and greater health problems like hyperglycemia in the long run.

Poor nutrition can lower your immunities, making you more susceptible to illness.

The Fix

Here are a few tips to reduce the impact of stress:

• Are you skipping meals during stressful times? Blood sugar drops and causes major mood swings and depression when you skip meals.
• Are you forgetting to drink your water? Do you drink eight full glasses a day? Maybe you?re drinking coffee or soda in place. Stay hydrated. Drink your H2O!
• Too much fast food? People these days are eating out more than ever before. It?s easier to just drive through than food shop and go home and prepare. Too much salt and fat leads to feeling bloated and full causing more stress.
• Mindless munching anyone? The almighty stress also makes us prone to emotional eating. We eat when were not even hungry. Instead of mindless eating, grab something with protein to ward off that hunger.
• Are you eating the wrong foods? The stress hormone, cortisol tends to make people crave more foods high in fat, sugar and salt. Think about it. Have you ever turned to your good friends Ben and Jerry after a long stressful day?

?

• Enough Fiber? Fiber helps the body move food through the digestive system, enhances the full feeling and improves digestion by helping eliminate waste from the system. Constipation can increase stress in the body both physically and emotionally. A balanced system eliminates waste at the proper intervals, allowing the individual to feel comfortable physically, leading to emotional comfort as well as physical.

?

Let?s face it. Stress is a part of life. We all experience it at some level. It?s up to you how you choose to handle that stress. Eating right and daily exercise makes stress more manageable. Putting fresh fruits and vegetables in our body is what fights off the bad effects of stress. We eat badly because of stress. Then we feel worse after we did.

Think ahead. Take time to plan your healthy meals each and everyday. You?ll be surprised how the link between nutrition and stress is the answer to a lifetime of quality of your life.

?

?

About the Author:?

Nancy Adler is a certified nutritionist specializing in one-on-one customized nutrition and weight control. She owns a nutrition consulting business in Linwood, NJ where she counsels women, men & children of all ages assisting them in making permanent, healthier lifestyle changes.

Nancy has been practicing nutrition and wellness for 10 years. She currently holds three of the highest recognizable accreditations in Fitness and Nutrition with CFT (Certified Fitness Trainer), S.S.N. (Specialist in Sports Nutrition) and S.S.C. (Specific Sports Conditioning.

You can learn more about Nancy and her services by visiting her website at www.nancyadlernutrition.com , on her Facebook Page, Nancy Adler Nutrition. Or you can call her at 609-653-4900.

Source: http://gojanenews.com/main/?p=3216&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=eat-right-stress-less

the notebook duke basketball miranda july joe paterno near death joepa sc primary bill moyers