Facebook Pixel

Antioxidants are Stress-Busting Foods: Do You Have Them in Your Diet?

By Expert HERWriter
 
Rate This
include stress-busting antioxidants in the food you eat Auremar/PhotoSpin

Are you on the go, go go and don't have time to take a break? Are you too busy and stressed to do stress-relieving activities? I have good news for you.

The foods that you eat every day can help you manage your stress! Many of your favorite foods are packed with stress-relieving vitamins, minerals and nutrients that can support your body's ability to deal with stress.

Since this is Stress Awareness Month, I have decided to devote a few articles to foods that support the body's ability to manage stress. This article will focus on foods that are high in antioxidants.

Foods high in antioxidants protect the cells from free radical damage. Free radicals are atoms that have unpaired electrons that damage cells. This accelerates the progression of chronic diseases like cancer, heart disease or age-related diseases.

Eat oranges, grapefruit, strawberries and other foods that are high in vitamin C. Vitamin C is needed by your adrenal glands to produce your stress hormones. So it is important to eat foods that contain vitamin C so you will have the building blocks during stressful times.

Vitamin C can help your blood pressure and your stress hormone, cortisol, return to normal more quickly. Vitamin C is also an important component for boosting your immune system, which can be compromised by constant and chronic stress.

Go nuts! Almonds, pistachios or walnuts are good choices. These nuts are all high in antioxidants, protecting our cells from the damaging effects of stress. Nuts are loaded with Vitamin E, an antioxidant that protects our cells from free radicals produced during stress.

They also contain B vitamins that relax the nervous system. Pistachios and walnuts have been shown to lower blood pressure. A serving size is only a quarter of a cup, which is about a handful.

Eat the colors of the rainbow! The phytonutrients that create the lovely greens, yellows, oranges, reds, blues and purples support our bodies in managing stress. These antioxidants protect our cells from damage and boost our immune systems at the same time.

So eat more fruits and vegetables! Eat more black beans or pumpkin seeds. Just get more colors on your plate. It reduces your stress.

In the next article we will continue to look at foods that help relieve stress. If you want some recipes that utilize these foods check out Dr. Dae’s Stress Busting Recipes at http://healthydaes.org/stress-busting-recipes/

Live Vibrantly,
Dr. Dae
Dr. Daemon Jones

Dr. Dae's website: www.HealthyDaes.org

Download of Dr. Dae's books: Dr. Dae’s Stress Busting Recipes @ http://healthydaes.org/stress-busting-recipes

Dr. Dae's Bio:
Dr. Daemon Jones is a Naturopathic Physician who treats patients all over the country using Skype and phone visits. She helps her patients cultivate health and feel great, using a combination of safe and effective naturopathic and conventional methods.

Sources:

"Free radicals - definition of Free radicals by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.." Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Apr. 2013.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Free+radicals

Mateljan, George. The world's healthiest foods: essential guide for the healthiest way of eating. Seattle, Wash.: George Mateljan Foundation, 2006. Print.

"Stress-Busting Foods | Women's Health Magazine." Women's Health: Health, Fitness, Weight Loss, Healthy Recipes & Beauty. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2013.
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/nutrition/beat-stress

Reviewed April 2, 2013
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith

Add a Comment1 Comments

EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

This is an excellent article and it underscores the importance of diet in fight illness. Stress is increasing, I am a Professor at a mid sized University and in my 30 years I have not seen as much pressure and anxiety in the young people as I see today. I highly recommend carrying oranges and other fruit(citric). I eat them through out the day to fight stress. On the University campuses there are been a rise in suicide and depression. Middle aged women have also seen a rise in depression.

I am depressed suicidal thoughts
what can help depression

May 5, 2013 - 2:34pm

This Comment

Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.
By submitting this form, you agree to EmpowHER's terms of service and privacy policy
Add a Comment
Dr. Daemon Jones
Expert HERWriter View Profile Send Message

We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.