6 Foods that Exacerbate Stress and Anxiety

People are getting stressed way too easy these days. The pressure to perform at work and problems at home make modern living somewhat hellish. Okay, hellish can be a strong word but you get the idea, right? What if somebody tells you that aside from the natural stress you are getting it can get worse through the food that you eat. There are foods that can top-up the stress levels which could lead to disastrous consequences. Learn more about it and try to avoid consuming them to keep your stress levels at a manageable level.

 Coffee

Coffee or more specifically caffeine is an excellent example of bringing your stress levels to unprecedented heights. Research shows that caffeine makes stress levels elevated and maintains it for a long period of time. This may sound controversial, but when the caffeine hit dies down we feel depressed and stressed. If you find yourself having a hard time in coping with your stress and anxiety too often, better start reducing your coffee intake.  However, it would be a lot better if you try to indulge in some other healthy beverages such as calming tea and fresh fruit juices.  This way, whenever you feel the urge to grab again another cup of coffee you have your cup of tea or glass of juice as a replacement. This may seem difficult to do at first especially when you are used to drinking several cups of coffee in a day for many years. But, rest assured that reducing, if not eliminating your coffee intake will bring you plenty of health benefits aside from being relieved from the debilitating effects of anxiety and stress.

Salty food

Sodium has a nasty effect on the body that causes high blood pressure. When there is high blood pressure; probably there is something that causes it to rise—we bet it is stress doing it. The adrenal glands take a hit from high blood pressure that makes people erratic and a bit emotional. Since salt can retain water, it may drain energy and increase stress levels as a result. Bring down your intake of processed foods and preserved foods since it contains insane levels of sodium that could hurt you. Eat more of vegetables and fruits. Stick to lean unprocessed meat and fish cooked with less salt.

 Alcohol

Alcohol is a mind-altering substance that you should avoid if you don’t want to suffer a downward spiral. Alcohol can make you depressed and exacerbate stress levels. Cortisol levels and anxiety have been extensively studied in relation to alcohol consumption. Research found out that more alcohol means that it can prolong the feeling of anxiety and make you even crave for more. The funny thing is that people turn to alcohol when they feel too stressed or sad; when alcohol can make them sadder and will leave them right where they started.

 Refined Sugar

Not only can make your insulin levels go haywire, refined sugar is totally useless when you are after for nutrients.  Being stripped down through refining the nutrients that you should be getting from sugar is no longer present. Worse, it can short circuit your pancreas and give you a nasty case of type 2 diabetes. The insane blood sugar levels could give you unpleasant and uncomfortable situations that may trigger stress.

 Fast food

Fast-food can be a tricky customer. While you can have it cheap and fast; it is also a dietary nightmare. The amount of preservatives, MSG and other ingredients could lead you to serious disease. Too much oil can increase your triglycerides and do strange things to the chemistry of your body. Avoid eating fast-food when you are stressed and anxious because it will just make things worse.

 Fats

Foods that contain too many fats such as those from meat can be stressful. It brings your cholesterol level to new heights and so goes your blood pressure rising. If your blood pressure is elevated so does your stress levels.

Eating the right food can eliminate stress. It is important that we keep eating healthy. Watching the food that you consume will go a long way in beating stress and anxiety.

Ryan Rivera used to suffer from anxiety attacks for seven years.  He now dedicates his life helping those who suffer from stress, anxiety and panic attacks through his writings.  You can read more of his articles at Calm Clinic.