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Fighting foods
Did you know you could combat stress, enhance your sex drive and improve your sleep patterns by making small changes to your diet? Here's how to eat your way to better health
Coping with stress
Scoffing chocolate and cake is a common reaction to stress and bad moods. Yet sugary comfort foods can actually leave you feeling worse. Research has found that healthy foods such as fruit, oily fish and vegetables help your body cope with stress and therefore have a better effect on your mood.
Next time you're stressed, bypass the cake and reach for a healthier snack. Boost your mood by eating foods that release the happy, calming hormone, serotonin, into the body. Carbohydrates, like mashed potato and bananas are good picks, but be warned, too large a portion of carbohydrate can leave you feeling groggy.
High levels of stress take its toll on your immune system and your general health. 'Sadness, anger, worry, fear and shock release hormones into the body which tax the liver,' says nutritionist Dr Gillian McKeith. Stress also depletes stores of vitamin C. Not only is vitamin C essential for your immune system, but it aids the absorption of iron and magnesium - the minerals that control activity of all muscles, including the heart.
Stress-busting action plan
Essential foods for beating stress include, oily fish - tinned tuna and mackerel, nuts and seeds, especially walnuts. Avocado, bananas, dates, aubergine and carbohydrate-rich foods such as wholegrains, fruit, bread, potato and pasta are also good examples.
If you have been under stress for an extended period of time, top up your body's stores of vitamin C and magnesium by eating loads of pineapple, fresh berries, sweet potatoes, oranges, peppers, dark green vegetables, wholegrains, nuts and seeds, pulses and dairy produce.
Give your liver a helping hand by cutting out junk foods and eating raw, fresh and unprocessed foods instead. Top up your daily intake of vegetables with a green salad. You could also take a milk thistle supplement, known to aid liver function.
Coping with stress
Scoffing chocolate and cake is a common reaction to stress and bad moods. Yet sugary comfort foods can actually leave you feeling worse. Research has found that healthy foods such as fruit, oily fish and vegetables help your body cope with stress and therefore have a better effect on your mood.
Next time you're stressed, bypass the cake and reach for a healthier snack. Boost your mood by eating foods that release the happy, calming hormone, serotonin, into the body. Carbohydrates, like mashed potato and bananas are good picks, but be warned, too large a portion of carbohydrate can leave you feeling groggy.
High levels of stress take its toll on your immune system and your general health. 'Sadness, anger, worry, fear and shock release hormones into the body which tax the liver,' says nutritionist Dr Gillian McKeith. Stress also depletes stores of vitamin C. Not only is vitamin C essential for your immune system, but it aids the absorption of iron and magnesium - the minerals that control activity of all muscles, including the heart.
Stress-busting action plan
Essential foods for beating stress include, oily fish - tinned tuna and mackerel, nuts and seeds, especially walnuts. Avocado, bananas, dates, aubergine and carbohydrate-rich foods such as wholegrains, fruit, bread, potato and pasta are also good examples.
If you have been under stress for an extended period of time, top up your body's stores of vitamin C and magnesium by eating loads of pineapple, fresh berries, sweet potatoes, oranges, peppers, dark green vegetables, wholegrains, nuts and seeds, pulses and dairy produce.
Give your liver a helping hand by cutting out junk foods and eating raw, fresh and unprocessed foods instead. Top up your daily intake of vegetables with a green salad. You could also take a milk thistle supplement, known to aid liver function.
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