Stress Busting Foods to tame Anxiety & Depression

The post-pandemic world has affected the physical and mental wellbeing of people across the globe.

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The stress and strain of reduced social interactions, finding motivation and purpose for each day , financial insecurity, family upheaval, trauma are triggering and worsening the symptoms of depression and anxiety around.

According to Ayurveda, our mind is regulated by three energies – Satva, Rajah and Tamas. Out of these, the Satva is pure and positive energy which never becomes a cause of any disease. But Rajah and Tamas are very sensitive energies – if their quantum is disturbed or deviated, it can create a condition called ‘Altered Nervous Function’ – which can lead to deviated mental functions like Anxiety, Stress, Nervous Dysfunction, Anger, Depression, Fear, Palpitation, Phobia, Lack of Confidence, Irritability, Intolerance, Sleeplessness etc.

So, it is important to make sure that you understand how to best deal with your emotions and strengthen the body’s adapting capacity to the stress.

Many researches have documented an association between anxiety and intake of specific foods and answered how a satvik lifestyle and diet can make us more positive and constructive in our approach to get away with depression or anxiety.

Stress Busting Foods: How they work

Foods can help tame stress and anxiety in several ways by:

boosting levels of serotonin, a calming brain chemical.
cutting levels of cortisol and adrenaline, stress hormones that take a toll on the body over time.
shoring up the immune system and lowering blood pressure.

Do you know which foods are stress busters?

Serotonin boosting

All carbs prompt the brain to form more serotonin. For a gentle supply of this feel-good chemical, it is best to eat complex carbs, which take longer to digest. You can choose whole-grain breads, pastas, porridge, and breakfast cereals like oatmeal. As complex carbs also stabilize blood sugar levels they can also help you feel balanced .

Immunity boosting, cortisol curbing

Taking Vitamin C rich foods like Oranges before a stressful task has helped people with high blood pressure, and high levels of cortisol (a stress hormone) return to normal more quickly. Studies have reported that Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is efficient in curbing levels of stress hormones while boosting the immune system

Magnesium rich

Intake of too little magnesium may trigger headaches and fatigue, compounding the consequences of stress. You can stock back up on magnesium with one cup of spinach . Don’t like spinach? Other green, leafy vegetables are also good magnesium sources. You may try some cooked soybeans too that are also high in magnesium

Omega-3 fatty acid rich

Omega-3 fatty acids, can prevent rises in cortisol/ adrenaline hormones and may help protect against heart disease, depression, and premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Three main types of omega-3 fatty acid, are ALA, DHA, and EPA. Plant sources, such as nuts and seeds, are rich in ALA, while fish, seaweed, and algae can provide DHA and EPA fatty acids.

To keep stress in check, make friends with naturally fatty fish such as salmon and tuna. You should aim to eat at least 100 gm of fatty fish( at least twice a week) for a healthy supply of feel-good omega-3. If you are a vegetarian, you may opt for seaweeds and alga, chia seeds, hemp seeds, walnuts, kidney beans.

Herbal /Black Tea

Replacing other beverages with herbal/ black tea may help you recover from stressful events more quickly. One of the recent studies compared two groups of people: one who drank tea daily for 6 weeks with people who drank another beverage during same duration. On observation, the tea drinkers were reported to feel calmer and had reduced levels of the stress hormone cortisol after stressful

Healthy fats

Nuts and seeds, specially Pistachio are good sources of healthy fats. Every day intake of a handful of pistachios, walnuts, or almonds may help lower your cholesterol, ease inflammation in your heart’s arteries, prevent diabetes, and protect you against the effects of depression or anxiety. Keep a track not to overdo: Nuts are rich in calories.

Potassium Rich

One of the best ways to control high blood pressure is to add enough potassium to your diet. A medium-sized banana or half an avocado, might be a good choice when stress has you craving a high-fat treat. Watch your portion size as Avocados are high in fat and calories too.

Vitamin rich

Soaked Almonds are packed up with helpful vitamins that strengthen the immune system- vitamin E as well as to vitamin B, which may make you more resilient during bouts of stress or depression. Snacking on a quarter of a cup every day will be of great benefit.

Raw Veggies

Crunchy raw vegetables when chewed , can help release stress in a purely mechanical way. Munching cabbage/celery or carrot / cucumber sticks helps release a gritted jaw, and that can hold off tension and worry.

Calcium Rich

A glass of lukewarm milk is another bedtime stress buster. Research shows that calcium eases anxiety and mood swings linked to PMS. Use of Skim or low-fat/ toned milk will keep a check on fat intake.

Herbal Supplements

Fortunately, Ayurveda has recommended the use of herbs containing medhya-rasaayan like– Brahmi, Ashwagandha, Shankhpushpi, Jatamaansi etc. to fight stress. Their use has been proven beneficial from a long time in Indian traditional medicinal system. Catch up with an expert/ doctor before using them, so that they can keep a check on any possible interactions.

Maintain routine and De-Stress With Exercise

Besides changing your diet, one of the best stress-busting strategies is to start exercising. Aerobic exercise boosts oxygen circulation and spurs your body to make feel-good chemicals called endorphins. Aim for 30 minutes of aerobic exercise three to four times a week.

Additionally, the best way to keep the stolen normalcy alive within yourself, is to maintain a routine. It can be anything from starting a new project, working out and or even taking part in a hobby such as art journaling, gardening, music, cooking etc.

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