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Help Fight Stress with Proper Nutrition
In a poll conducted by the American Psychological
Association, 32% of Americans report that they
regularly experience extreme levels of stress and 48%
say their stress levels have increased over the past 5
years. This poll also found that the top two stressors
were work and money, respectively. Chronic stress
can have many negative implications on our health,
which are diet related.
Discussed below are some of the unhealthy eating
behaviors caused by stress that can have negative
implications, one of which being weight gain. If a
person’s gradual weight gain leads to overweightness
or obesity, they are at increased risk for diabetes, heart
disease, and certain types of cancers, high blood
pressure, gallstones, and breathing problems, such as
sleep apnea. This newsletter will discuss not only
ways stress can negatively impact diet and your
health, but also how diet can potentially improve
stress levels.
Stress Can Lead to Unhealthy Behaviors:
Drinking too much caffeine:
When “burning the candle at both ends”, people often
find themselves using caffeinated beverages, such as
coffee or sodas, to jump-start themselves in the
morning. What may start off as a tasty latte-on the gomay end up causing a pattern of all day coffee
consumption. Caffeine, in coffee and other products,
is a stimulant. Although when you drink coffee you
feel more awake, too much can give you the jitters
which can lead to even more stress.
For many, caffeine is the perfect solution for a burst of
energy throughout the day. In an effort to combat
feeling tired, caffeine gives people increased energy
that they wouldn’t otherwise have. Caffeine affects
everyone differently, but in moderate amounts (200300 milligrams (mg) per day); it isn’t likely to cause
very much harm for the average person. When
caffeine intake exceeds 500 mg per day, people may
start to experience problems sleeping, which in-turn
may cause stress or a weakened immune system. One
cup of coffee can contain anywhere from 95-200 mg
of caffeine. So anywhere from 2 ½ to 5 cups of coffee
per day could exceed 500 mg of caffeine.
Tip: Cut in half, or back off
on your coffee or cola
consumption by choosing
water or decaf, especially by
noon. Because of the way
caffeine works in your body,
the effects may kick in
unexpectedly while still at
work, or interfere with your sleep at night if you
continue to ingest it through the evening hours and
during dinner time.
Eating Unhealthy Foods, Especially High Calorie
Fast Foods:
Eating is a common response to stress. When we feel
stressed, we are more likely to grab for our favorite
high calorie comfort foods. Think about it, how often
have you turned to your favorite gallon of ice cream
or bag of potato chips after a long stressful day? These
days people eat less meals at home than in generations
past. It is easier to go to a fast food drive- thru, food
court in a shopping mall, or restaurant. Unfortunately
this is often unhealthy and gets expensive.
Tip: Focus on getting healthier foods in the home.
Try planning a menu of healthy meals and snacks for
the week. Make a list and shop for everything once a
week. This way you won’t have to stress over what to
eat each night. This also helps you to eat at home
more often while having a balanced diet.
December 2012/January-February 2013
Skipping Meals:
Overly stressed people
tend to skip meals. Have
you ever found yourself
rushing out of the house
without a healthy
breakfast to get to school
or work on time? Have hunger pains grabbed you in
the late afternoon because you didn’t eat enough in the
morning?
Tip: Avoid skipping meals by grabbing a hard-boiled
egg, yogurt, fiber bar, or instant breakfast drinks on
your way out- the- door. This will help you maintain
stable blood sugar levels and effective functioning
during your busy morning.
Mindless Munching:
Stress makes us prone to emotional eating. We eat
when we aren’t hungry or reach for foods that are
“bad” for us. When was the last time you found
yourself mindlessly snacking on junk food, or eating
when you weren’t hungry, because you were stressed?
Tip: Eliminate most of the “bad” foods around you.
It’s easier to avoid unhealthy (fatty, sugary) foods if
you don’t have them in your home or on your desk.
Go through your kitchen and eliminate anything your
body can’t use in a healthy way. Then you’ll be forced
to munch on healthier foods.
Not Staying Hydrated:
With our busy schedules
and lives, it’s easy to put
off or maybe even forget to
drink your water. In fact, a
good portion of Americans
drink no water, but rely on
getting it from soda or
coffee. Did you get a full
eight glasses today, or even
half this amount?
Fad/Crash Diets:
Due to weight gain from stress eating, some people
intentionally restrict their intake, eating less than they
need, or try dangerous fad diets to lose excess weight
rapidly. A red flag should arise if diets aren’t balanced
with fruits, vegetables, proteins, and carbohydrates.
Even if they look attractive for a short term fix, they
can often be very unhealthy in the long run.
Tip: Think twice about fad and/or crash diets. Popular
diets offer quick fixes but at what cost? Common
sense approaches such as portion control, healthier
food choices, and regular physical activity as timetested standards for long term weight management
success. Somehow, getting back–to-basics doesn’t
sound so bad.
Effects of Unhealthy Behaviors caused by
Stress:
Decreased Immune Function
A decline in one’s immune function can either be
caused by stress itself, a poorly balanced diet, or a
combination of both. Eating an unbalanced diet may
result in a lack of vitamins A, E and C, along with
zinc, copper, iron and selenium. All of these vitamins
and minerals help to keep our immune system strong
and functioning properly.
Loss of Sleep
Stress can also cause people to lose sleep and feel
tired. As discussed earlier, it is strongly encouraged
not to drink too much caffeine to help keep you alert
and awake during the day. This may lead to an unending circle of lack of sleep and more caffeine
intake.
The Bottom Line
Tip: Tote a water bottle for an easy hydration
resolution. You’ll be adding water to your system,
rather than taking water away from it. Did you know
that when drinking caffeinated beverages such as
coffee or cola, it drains your system of water? So
think of this as un-drinking water!
Whether one or all of these factors are an issue for
you, even changing just one or two of these habits
could have a significant impact on your stress level
and/or nutritional status. We invite you to take a
moment and figure out how to not let stress take its
toll on your life and make a few simple changes.
Need a Dietitian?
Registered Dietitians are here to help you with your
nutrition questions. To make an appointment call
412.692.4497 (Oakland location) or 412.623.2421
(Shadyside location).
December 2012/January, February 2013