Top 5 Foods That Fight Stress.
Your brain & body are amazing.
They come with a 24 hour, all
natural, highly efficient pharmacy that dispenses the right drugs in the right
amounts at the right times.
During stressful times, the brain
& body produces bio-chemicals and hormones from this pharmacy that help you
stay calm, alert, focused and elevate your mood.
One of these bio-chemicals is
serotonin - a natural antidepressant and sleep aid.
We also have a supply of chemicals
needed for focus and vitality. These little guys keep us alert, upbeat and give
us an overall sense of well-being - they are called catecholamines.
Serotonin, catecholamines and
other bio-chemicals are made from the food we eat, specifically, from amino
acids which are the building blocks of protein.
Different protein foods have
different amino acid profiles. Two aminos in particular - tryptophan and
tyrosine - are involved in the production of serotonin and catecholamines.
Our body's natural pharmacy can
also become depleted by recreational drugs, stimulants (caffeine), dieting
& skipping meals, processed foods that have crappy flours, bad fats, sugars
and artificial sweeteners.
Our all-natural pharmacy can
either be fully stocked, totally depleted or anywhere in between - depending on
our diet & lifestyle.
When we are stressed, we naturally
use up these bio-chemicals. So it makes sense then to choose foods that are
higher in these aminos to support us in times like these.
Unfortunately, most people tend to
do the opposite. Many Americans do things that deplete these bio-chemicals,
like reach for coffee, alcohol or junk food. Excuses like 'it takes the edge
off' or 'it calms my nerves' or delusional concepts like 'comfort foods' often
accompany this approach. Before you know it, your overwhelmed, overweight,
exhausted, underslept, underfed, have bags under your eyes, blood pressure is
off the charts! Welcome to Burnout.
A much more intelligent,
sustainable and profitable approach to reducing stress, improving health and
vitality and preventing burnout, would be the exact opposite of what's most
popular. Eat specific foods that enhance health, give us energy and keep our
body's pharmacy stocked up, simultaneously avoiding the stimulants & habits
that deplete them.
These 5 foods are high in
tryptophan and tyrosine which support your body's production of serotonin and
catecholamines. These foods can alter your mood and offer many other benefits
that are essential for reducing stress and improving health & wellness.
Best of all, there are no side effects, nervousness and no risk of addiction.
One of the primary reasons for
choosing organic and grass fed foods is the fact that pesticides are potent
neurotoxins and endocrine disruptors. These man made chemicals are poisonous to
the brain and alter hormonal levels. Do your best to eat grass fed and organic
foods whenever possible.
Eggs - Make sure you get truly
free range, pastured chickens that run around outside eating the insects &
foods they are supposed to eat which allows them to lay healthy eggs. Eggs are
high in tyrosine and tryptophan. They also contain cholesterol and saturated
fat which are essential for the production of all your hormones and helps
sustain good energy levels throughout the day.
You can eat them raw, fried, hard
boiled or baked. Keep the yolk intact when eating eggs. You can eat eggs often,
but only have scrambled eggs and omelets occasionally.
My favorite sources are:
grazinangusacres.com
Pumpkin, Sesame, Sunflower &
Chia Seeds - Mineral dense and packed with energy and essential fatty acids
which support brain health. These seeds are also highest in tryptophan. You can
easily make your own trail mix by adding some figs (and other fruits) which is
another good mood food.
Coconut oil - this is my favorite
oil to cook eggs with. Although it doesn't have any amino acids, it is required
for overall brain health and hormonal balance. The cholesterol is needed for
proper function of serotonin receptors in the brain. Low cholesterol levels are
linked to aggressive and violent behavior, depression and suicidal tendencies.
Cholesterol is also a primary ingredient for our 'repair & recovery'
hormones that allow us to recover after a day of hard work and other hormones
that maintain steady blood sugar levels (energy levels), proper mineral balance
and blood pressure. Coconut oil also supports healthy thyroid function.
My favorite source for coconut oil
and trail mix: wildernessfamilynaturals.com
Stress Reducing Fruits - the
fruits that are highest in tryptophan & tyrosine include avocado, kiwi,
cranberries, raisins, guava, plantains, figs and last but certainly not least,
starfruit. If some of these fruits are not part of your normal routine, then
when would be the perfect time to get more variety into your diet while eating
good mood foods that are also juicy and delicious.
My favorite source is the local
green market: localharvest.org
Wild Game - Wild game, especially
duck and goose, are much higher in these powerful amino acids than chicken or
turkey. Elk, caribou and rabbit are the highest game meats with tryptophan.
Lamb, rabbit and bison (buffalo) are game meats that are highest in tyrosine.
Wild game meats are mineral rich and supply fat-soluble vitamins A and D which
are catalysts for the assimilation of protein (aminos) and minerals. Vitamin D,
whose only food source is animal fat, can fight fatigue, depression and SAD
(seasonal affective disorder). Venison is also a high performance, nutrient
dense protein that is also mineral rich and loaded with B vitamins which are
necessary for energy production.
My favorite source is:
grasslandbeef.com & brokenarrowranch.com
Healthy Native Americans who ate a
100% organic, grass fed diet. They had no air conditioning, no central heating
systems, no Advil, no Prozac, no Tums with Calcium, no Muscle Milk and hunted
wild animals. Cabeza de Vaca wrote "The men could run after a deer for an
entire day without resting and without apparent fatigue. . . one man near seven
feet in stature. . . runs down a buffalo on foot and slays it with his knife or
lance, as he runs by its side'
Their diet was high in saturated
animal fats & protein, nuts, seeds, seasonal fruits & vegetables they
were a strong and robust culture that lived virtually free from modern diseases
like depression, obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
So I gave you more than 5 foods. I
gave you a bunch of whole foods that will enhance your overall health,
wellness, vitality, energy levels and even help you get more variety into your
daily routine - all of which support you while dealing with stress. Because
these foods are high specific aminos that help supply our natural pharmacy with
serotonin and catecholamines, a comprehensive stress management program means
not only avoiding foods & habits that are stressful, but also choosing
smart foods that are supportive.
Antonio Valladares is a New York City
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Antonio_Valladares
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