photo cred - Liz Simmons
Keeping up with life's demands can cause havoc on your health. Poor diet, sleep, and exercise can greatly impact your stress levels. You may have heard that there is bad stress and good stress. An example of good stress would be when you are first getting up in the morning. Your body uses cortisol (stress hormone) to wake you up. If you have difficulties waking up in the morning this would signal that your cortisol is out of whack. Another symptom would be falling asleep in the afternoon.
Lucky for you, here are some foods you can eat often that will help relieve negative stress and get your cortisol hormone balanced.
photocred - loveablefoods
1. Avocados
Enriched source of B6 vitamins and folate which are known to naturally reduce stress levels. Avocados also contain gluathione, lutein, and beta-carotene.
2. Cashews
Cashews are loaded with zinc, magnesium, tryptophan, and omega-3-essential fatty acids all which have proven to boost mental health.
3. Chocolate
Excellent source of antioxidants, polyphenols and flavanols, which helps reduce hormones known as catecholamines in highly stressed people.
4. Garlic
Garlic is a source of allicin, which is believed to have antibacterial and anti fungal properties.
5. Oatmeal
Oats contain fibre and take longer to digest which cause a relaxing feeling to the body.
photo cred - do-not-touch-my-food
6. Salmon
Because of its source of fatty acids, salmon helps keep your stress and anxiety down when you are feeling overwhelmed.
7. Turkey
Enriched with an amino acid called tryptophan which releases serotonin from the brain which is a feel-good chemical.
8. Asparagus
Excellent source of folate which helps relieve anxiety and depression.
9. Blueberries
Also known to relieve anxiety due to its source of anthocyanin and vitamin C.
10. Chamomile Tea
Chamomile is effective as a natural sedative, making you feel at ease.
photo cred - cafeinevitable
11. Green Tea
Deeply enriched with many antioxidants including ones known as catechins, they reduce oxidative stress in the body-- primarily the kidneys.
12. Oranges
Vitamin C is proven to bring down cortisol levels and help reduce blood pressure. Have a vitamin C supplement after an intense workout to bring down the stress you just put on your body.
13. Spinach
Spinach is jammed pack with magnesium which help even out your cortisol levels.
