When you feel stressed and anxious, you want to do everything you can to calm down. Fortunately, there are many strategies you can use to reduce anxiety and bring a sense of calm to your day. You can work up a sweat, take a few deep breaths or meditate for a few minutes. Or you can proactively channel your inner calm from within - before stress hits - by incorporating naturally calming foods into your day.
There are a number of different foods you can include in your diet that have a naturally calming effect.We have five naturally calming foods for every situation for you.
Salmon
Salmon is delicious and there's a reason it's high on most healthy food lists. Aside from its heart health benefits, salmon is also packed with a variety of nutrients that can help fight anxiety - starting with potassium. "Potassium ensures that the brain can use serotonin properly. Without the electrical charges triggered by potassium, [the brain] would not be able to efficiently use neurotransmitters like serotonin, which is associated with positive thoughts and feelings.
In addition, the high levels of omega-3 fatty acids in salmon regulate the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin, which have calming and relaxing properties. Salmon also contains vitamin B6, which helps the body synthesise GABA, a neurotransmitter that plays an important role in how the body responds to stress.
Red peppers
Vitamin C may have a reputation for warding off colds - but did you know that the highest concentration of vitamin C is found in the brain? The vitamin helps make various brain chemicals, or neurotransmitters, and can also play a role in your mood.
If you're looking for a big dose of vitamin C, there's not much better than red peppers. A medium red pepper contains 152 milligrams of vitamin C - that's 54 milligrams more vitamin C than a large orange (which contains 68 milligrams) and a whopping 169 per cent of the daily percentage value.
Spinach
As mentioned earlier, potassium and vitamin C are both nutrients that play a role in calming the brain. And one food that is rich in both potassium and vitamin C? Spinach.
If you want to get the most out of it, eat your spinach raw so you don't lose the heat sensitive vitamin C. You can use spinach leaves as a base for your salad or mix a handful into your smoothie.
If you prefer your spinach cooked - and want to retain as many nutrients as possible - try the saute method. Sautéing is the best way to cook spinach to avoid losing nutrients.
Oats
Oats may be associated with breakfast, but they are also packed with nutrients that make them the perfect way to channel your inner peace. Oats are a good source of the amino acid tryptophan, an amino acid the body needs to produce serotonin. Serotonin helps regulate sleep and mood and can help reduce anxiety.
Sour cherries
You can maximise the calming effect of your bowl of oatmeal? Use sour cherries as a topping. Sour cherries are rich in four different sleep-regulating substances: Melatonin, tryptophan, potassium and an antioxidant called procynadin - all of which are responsible for making us feel more relaxed and calm.
We all struggle with some level of stress and anxiety. But when we eat healthy and fill our plates with plenty of fruit and vegetables, we not only give our bodies the nutrients they need to deal with the inevitable daily stress, but research has also shown that feelings of life satisfaction and well-being improve.
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When you're feeling stressed and anxious, you want to do everything you can to calm down. Fortunately, there are many strategies you can use to reduce anxiety and bring a sense of calm to your day. You can work up a sweat, take a few deep breaths, or meditate for a few minutes. Or you can proactively channel your inner calm from within - before stress strikes - by incorporating naturally calming foods into your day.
There are a number of different foods you can incorporate into your diet that have a naturally calming effect.How have five naturally calming foods for every situation for you.
Salmon
Salmon is delicious, and there's a reason it's at the top of most healthy food lists. Aside from its heart health benefits, salmon is also packed with a variety of nutrients that can help fight anxiety - starting with potassium. "Potassium ensures that the brain can properly use serotonin. Without the electrical charges triggered by potassium, [the brain] would not be able to efficiently use neurotransmitters like serotonin, which is associated with positive thoughts and feelings.
In addition, the high levels of omega-3 fatty acids in salmon regulate the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin, which have calming and relaxing properties. Salmon also contains vitamin B6, which helps the body synthesize GABA, a neurotransmitter that plays an important role in how the body responds to stress.
Red peppers
Vitamin C may have a reputation for warding off colds - but did you know that the highest concentration of vitamin C is found in the brain? The vitamin helps make several brain chemicals, or neurotransmitters, and may also play a role in your mood.
If you're looking for a big dose of vitamin C, there's not much better than red bell peppers. A medium red bell pepper contains 152 milligrams of vitamin C - that's 54 milligrams more vitamin C than a large orange (which contains 68 milligrams) and a whopping 169 percent of the daily percentage value.
Spinach
As mentioned earlier, potassium and vitamin C are both nutrients that play a role in calming the brain. And one food that's rich in both potassium and vitamin C? Spinach.
If you want to get the most benefit from it, eat your spinach raw so you don't lose the heat-sensitive vitamin C. You can use spinach leaves as a base for your salad or mix a handful into your smoothie.
If you prefer your spinach cooked - and want to preserve as many nutrients as possible - try the saute method. Sautéing is the best way to cook spinach to avoid nutrient loss.
Oats
Oats may be associated with breakfast, but they're also packed with nutrients that make them the perfect way to channel your inner peace. Oats are a good source of the amino acid tryptophan, an amino acid that the body needs to produce serotonin. Serotonin helps regulate sleep and mood and can help reduce anxiety.
Sour cherries
Can you maximize the calming effects of your bowl of oatmeal? Use sour cherries as a topping. Sour cherries are rich in four different sleep-regulating substances: melatonin, tryptophan, potassium, and an antioxidant called procynadin - all of which are responsible for making us feel more relaxed and calm.
We all deal with some level of stress and anxiety. But when we eat healthy and fill our plates with plenty of fruits and vegetables, we not only give our bodies the nutrients they need to deal with the inevitable daily stress, but research has shown that feelings of life satisfaction and well-being improve.
