Grains Growing in the Field
In a previous post, Choose a Stress Free Diet, I discussed the importance of your choice of foods and its impact on managing the stress in your life.
Here, I will focus on specific elements in specific foods that produce the desired impact. While some amount of stress is expected and, indeed, desirable, ( it means that you are living an active, and hopefully a productive life) excessive and unmanaged stress can lead to many types of physical problems such as high blood pressure, migraine, stomach disorders, anxiety, depression, and panic. Even certain research indicates that the possibility exists that certain disorders of the immune system can be triggered by stress.
Although there no single best way to manage stress, what foods you eat and its relationship to stress is often overlooked in favor of meditating and exercising. While I am not minimizing the beneficial effects of exercising and controlling how and what dominates your thinking, I believe that what you eat is equally if not more important.
In the midst of this emphasis on the so-called obesity epidemic, it’s important to realize that nutritional deficiencies are making you more vulnerable to stress. Specifically, the diets that are deficient in several nutrients, including zinc, vitamin D, and magnesium contribute to the elevation of stress in your life.
Let’s consider foods that have these three nutrients, beginning with zinc. In addition to countering the effects of stress, zinc is the component of several enzymes and the hormone, insulin. It maintains immune function and is necessary for sexual maturation and reproduction. Whole grains such as brown rice, whole wheat flour, oats, whole grain cereals, corn, and beans are common sources of zinc.
Vitamin D, while also important in encountering the effects of stress, is also important for bone density, maintaining a good appetite, and for some forms of cancer, Alzheimer’s, and other maladies. Vitamin D is found in such common foods as fortified milk, eggs, cheese, and yogurt.
Magnesium, in addition to countering the effects of stress, regulates enzyme activity which is necessary for nerve function. Foods that are rich in magnesium include green leafy vegetables, nuts, whole grains, and even chocolates.
As you notice, I don’t mention flesh foods anywhere in this article. I am a vegetarian so flesh foods are not in my consideration, although I do eat eggs and dairy foods occasionally. Other writers on this topic may include flesh foods in their food group. I don’t.
To summarize, eating more vegetables is essential in counteracting the effects of stress in your life. Vegetables are the most neglected, but the most beneficial food available to you. Choose at least three or four different vegetables and eat them regularly. They will not only counter the effects of stress in your life, but will stimulate your immune system, keep cholesterol metabolism in a healthy range, and keep your blood pressure in check.
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