Don’t blame your boss or hassles at home. The problem could be what (and when and why) you’re eating. Pamela Allardice has 10 feel-good food tips.
1 Skip sugar Lollies, sweet biscuits and cakes trigger spikes in insulin levels, briefly revving up energy levels, before causing them to nosedive. Sugar also creates chemical fluctuations in the brain that cause mood swings and poor concentration.
2 Go low GI The glycaemic index (GI) scales foods according to their impact on blood sugar. Your body quickly metabolises high-GI foods like white bread and turns them into sugar, which increases insulin and makes you jittery. Unprocessed foods like brown rice and oats have a lower GI.
3 Choose healthy fats Trans fats – found in margarine and some processed foods, including snack bars – ramp up inflammation and interfere with circulation, which may make you feel sluggish. The omega-3 fatty acids in cold-water fish and flaxseed are associated with reduced levels of depression.
4 Make happy meals Eat foods containing vitamin B6 (avocadoes, bananas, chickpeas), folic acid (asparagus, lentils, orange juice) and magnesium (almonds, spinach, tofu). Deficiencies in these nutrients are all linked to anxiety.
5 Practise safe snacks Skipping meals makes blood sugar levels crash, which is a recipe for making poor food choices. Counter the 3 o’clock slump by keeping a packet of trail mix or unsalted almonds in your desk drawer or glovebox, or make time for a five-minute power snack, such as a yoghurt or carrot sticks with hummus.
6 Exercise coffee caution Your regular morning cappuccino might be why you feel so crabby, because caffeine ups the output of adrenaline, the stress hormone. If you can’t face the day without a heart-starter, swap to green tea: it contains caffeine, but also l-theanine, an amino acid that counters stress.
7 Stop, look, smell Stop altogether before you eat anything. Sit quietly, slow your breathing and say to yourself, “I feel calm and relaxed and I am looking forward to eating this delicious food.” Take a moment to look at the food and inhale its aroma. Being fully aware of the food you are about to eat stops mindless munching.
8 Give it a number Before you eat, ask yourself: Am I really hungry? You may, in fact, be upset or bored. If you are hungry, eat – but just half of your food. Then rank your hunger, one being ravenous, 10 being full. If you’re seven or more, stop eating. This helps you tune in to what real hunger and satisfaction feel like.
9 Go with the slow It takes 15 minutes for your brain to realise that your stomach is full, so if you eat fast, you’ll eat too much. Count 10 chews each mouthful so you stay conscious of how much you are eating.
10 Eat sensuously Focus on things that enhance your mealtime – music, conversation, sunshine or candlelight, or people-watching. Truly feeding your body means nourishing it with the experience of eating, not just filling it.
YOUR SAY: Do you think your eating habits affect your stress-levels? Tell us below…
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