Feeling Stressed? We’re Here to Help!

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Today’s society is fast-paced: We go, go, go! It’s exhausting, and it can seem impossible to juggle work, home life, and everyday stressors. Stress can impact every aspect of our lives and be detrimental to our health, so it’s important to find ways to alleviate it — like exercise, meditation, getting 8 hours of sleep, and eating “smart.” Exercise is the best form of stress relief because it causes the brain to release more endorphins, which cause you to feel happier and more relaxed. If you prefer something more mellow, try meditation or yoga; they allow the body and mind to experience deep relaxation.

Foods that can help relieve stress:

  • Avocado: Packed with potassium, avocados help regulate blood pressure.
  • Swiss Chard: Swiss chard and other green leafy veggies contain magnesium which helps balance cortisol levels and reduce the activity of neurons in the brain.
  • Fatty Fish: Tuna, salmon and other fatty fish high in omega-3 fatty acids can help regulate adrenaline levels, reducing anxiety symptoms.
  • Whole Grains: Whole grains contain fiber that helps you feel full. They also contain complex carbohydrates that help regulate blood sugar and trigger the brain to release serotonin.
  • Nuts: Almonds, pecans, walnuts, and pistachios contain Vitamin B which helps replenish energy levels. Nuts also contain antioxidants, other vitamins, and zinc, which help reduce symptoms of anxiety.
  • Dark Chocolate: 70% cocoa or higher reduces cortisol and other stress hormones. 

Combining these foods with regular physical activity and adequate sleep will be your best bet for keeping stress to a minimum. Finally, don’t skip meals or go too long without eating. This can cause a drop in blood sugar which can worsen stress and anxiety symptoms. Movement + Smart Foods + Sleep = A Mellower You!

KR

“I Just Want to Eat Normally”

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I want to quit worrying about what I eat. I want to quit worrying about my weight. I want to quit worrying about what my stomach looks like. I want to quit worrying about what I look like. I want to quit staying home because I know I don’t look good in my clothes. I want to quit feeling guilty about what I do eat. I want to quit feeling guilty about what I don’t eat. I really just want to quit feeling, especially about my food and my body. I want to start living …… living FREE of all of this food and body stuff!

OK …..We Get You!
The dietitians at Banister and Associates LLC are focused on setting you FREE!
Does the preceding paragraph describe those of you dealing with a restrictive eating disorder such as anorexia, binge eating disorder (BED), bulimia or the usual overweight struggles that can’t seem to be resolved? The answer is “all of the preceding.”

In my 32 years of counseling, the agonizing struggles and pain of underweight/overweight, under eating/overeating all have the same, dismal melody. I have frequently been asked ‘how do you help someone who is 20% overweight (obese) followed by someone who is 20% underweight (anorexic)?’ It’s actually easy — quite often there are very similar, underlying emotional issues which affect food and activity choices resulting in different physical appearances. An additional major common denominator is that everyone has the same goal in mind…. peace with food and self. FREEDOM from the constant mental anguish which steals your time, produces great disharmony in your life and disguises your body as something it is not!

A place of relaxed eating is a place of serenity. Relaxed eating is the ability to be at ease with the social, emotional and physical components of food and eating. It is being able to recognize gut hunger and respond appropriately by providing yourself with nourishment, until you reach a feeling of satiety(appropriate fullness). Relaxed eating encourages pleasurable, whimsical eating with flexibility and freedom from guilt or remorse. It is loving who you are and eating what you love. It is enjoying the fresh baked bread or cookies right as they come out of the oven, even when you are not hungry because we all know that is when it tastes the best! It allows you to eat based on your intuitive hunger in the moment, which can be more or less depending on the instance. Relaxed eating IS NOT following a meal plan or diet rules . It is trusting your mind and your body through self-care and self-love. Relaxed eating stems from a strong connection between mind, body and self-awareness.
How many years or decades have you been unhappy, stressed, frustrated, depressed about your relationship with food and your body? Consider a different approach rather than another diet plan, diet pill, or diet gimmick.

Consider ‘Rules and Rigidity generally = Rebellion, not Relaxation!’ cb