Feeling lousy about an argument? A cookie, a danish or a slab of cake will surely make us feel better.
No time for lunch? We grab a coffee to go.
Long day at work? We need a drink.
We`re caught in a vicious circle that`s a nutritional double-whammy:
stress and poor eating habits.
Stress alone can drain the body`s reserves, leaving it weakened and susceptible to illness. But when stress is coupled with a nutritional nosedive, we`re headed for trouble.
Whether it`s a physical stress, an emotional or a psychological stress, the body prepares itself in the same manner.
That means, if a dog is chasing you or you`re getting ready to write an exam, the response is similar but the intensity may differ. It`s called the flight-or-fight syndrome when the body prepares itself for action (a matter of survival).
”The body breaks down glycogen which is the stored form of glucose so you have sugar ready to give you energy,” says registered dietitian Elaine Kielo, chairperson of public relations for the Alberta Registered Dietitians Association.
”There`s also a breakdown of fat so you have fatty acids ready as well. Also a breakdown of protein, and some will be converted to glucose again.”
If stress is severe, it can cause your muscles to tense, you`ll breathe heavier, your heart will start racing, blood vessels will expand, your stomach will constrict (to divert energy away from digestion) and you`ll retain more fluids.
”To conserve water, your body will naturally try to retain sodium, and in order to retain sodium, it loses potassium,” explains Kielo.
With prolonged stress, the level of magnesium in the blood also may be decreased. ”In times of stress, you`re most susceptible to depletion of those nutrients that are not stored in the body: B vitamins and vitamin C.”
Okay, it`s clear that our body is zapped of nutrients.
But often we don`t replenish the nutrients by eating a balanced, healthy diet. Instead we turn to comfort foods.
”There`s some research that indicates certain types of food can lead to a release of certain substances in the brain that we experience as a soothing effect,” Kielo says.
Affected by daily stress, we`re likely to eat too much and often we make poor food choices.
”Under stress, some people aren`t aware of how much the`re eating,”
adds nutrition educator Rita Walker. With an anxious appetite, we`re not actually hungry, but we delve into the sweets: cookies, candies, cakes, chocolates, ice cream, doughnuts, and yes, maybe even a Twinkie or two.
”You get a sharp increase in blood sugar, then your body works to reduce the blood sugar by drawing it into the cells. You get a quick sugar high, followed a little while later by a sugar low,” describes Kielo.
She advises consumption of a protein or a complex carbohydrate to avoid escalating blood sugar levels.
Eventually, bad habits that result from stress become another form of stress in themselves. If we gain weight, then we feel guilty about eating too much and we try to diet, which also stresses the body.
In an opposite scenario, we might miss a mealtime entirely.
”Skipping meals is worse,” says Kielo. ”In the absence of food, the body begins to break down muscle and convert the protein to glucose for energy.”
Appetites might actually be suppressed by extreme stress, such as the death of a loved one.
”Fasting places an additional stress on the body. The longer you go without eating the more difficult it is to start,” adds Kielo.
A gradual increase of food intake is recommended.
”Drink more water,” advises Walker. ”Drinking water enables your kidneys to excrete the sodium retained.” See a physician in a severe case.
Situations in life that add stress often are unavoidable, but we need to find nourishment in sources other than food.
– To cope during stressful times, replace eating with another activity: a walk or a jog.
”Exercise releases tension. It uses up the fuel that you`ve built up in reaction to stress. It gets you away from food,” says Kielo.
”If you do not physically use up that energy (from fight-or-flight), a lot of those substances will be stored back as fat.”
”Exercise has the effect of releasing endorphins to heighten the mood,” notes Walker. Also, weight-bearing exercise will strengthen muscles and bones. – Eat a balanced diet. That might sound easy, but Kielo warns it`s hard to break bad food habits.
– Kielo suggests keeping a food diary. List what you eat, when, how you feel, and rate your hunger (to determine if you`re really hungry or you`re eating just because you`re mad at your boss). When it`s written down, you can evaluate the food/mood relationship. But it still boils down to: ”You have to want to change.”
– Prepare in advance for a hectic week: do shopping and meal preparation on weekends. Keep fast, healthy foods readily available. Kielo lists: low-fat cheese, crackers, fruits and vegetables. ”Vitamin supplements are not usually necessary for a healthy individual when consuming a well-balanced diet,” says Kielo.
– Eat at regular intervals. To avoid skipping meals, carry snacks with you.
– Cut down on caffeine. It can double the effect of the fight-or-flight syndrome by increasing adrenaline even more. Moderation is the key for caffeine and alcohol.
– Don`t overeat. Feelings of guilt about overeating become another source of stress.
Finally, if you manage to create good eating habits during non-stressful times, then when you`re under stress you`ll more than likely adhere to those habits.
THE EASY EATER: KEEPING IT SIMPLE REDUCES THE STRESS If you`re trying to cope with a hectic schedule, ease your stress by keeping meal preparation and clean-up simple.
Here are some instant meals which are nutrient-dense but relatively low in calories.
The following recipes are from ”The Total Fibre Book” by Margaret Fraser and Helen Bishop MacDonald.
PASTA WITH SPINACH PESTO
Four servings
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
1/2 pound spaghettini
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1 or 2 cloves garlic
2 cups fresh spinach, packed
1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan or romano cheese
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
1. In large pot of rapidly boiling water, cook spaghettini according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, in food processor or blender, process nuts until finely ground. Add garlic and spinach; process until finely chopped. Add cheese, oil, salt and pepper to taste; process.
3. Drain spaghettini; toss with pesto and serve immediately.
Per serving: 359 calories; 46 gms. (64%) carbohydrates; 11 gms. (15%)
protein; 15 gms. (21%) fat (2.6 gms. saturated fat; 8 gms. monounsaturated fat; 4 gms. polyunsaturated fat); 5 mgs. cholesterol; 384 mgs. sodium.
WARM CHICKEN SALAD WITH MELON
Four servings
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
1 whole chicken breast, skinned, boned
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/3 cup white wine vinegar or rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons each of lime juice, light soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon grated lime rind
Dash hot pepper sauce
1 small cantaloupe, cut in balls
2 oranges, sectioned
4 cups torn mixed salad greens (romaine, spinach, endive)
1. Cut chicken across the grain into 1/4-inch strips. Heat large skillet or wok over high heat; add oil and heat until hot but not smoking. Add chicken and stir-fry until meat turns white, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove and set aside.
2. Mix together vinegar, sugar, lime juice, soy sauce, cornstarch, lime rind and hot pepper sauce. Add to skillet, stirring until mixture boils. Remove from heat.
3. Return chicken to skillet along with cantaloupe and orange sections;
toss lightly to coat with sauce. Spoon over greens.
Per serving: 224 calories, 32 gms. (53%) carbohydrates; 15 gms. (26%)
protein; 5.6 gms. (21%) fat (.9 gms. saturated fat, 1.3 gms. monounsaturated fat, 2.5 gms. polyunsaturated fat); 38 mgs. cholesterol; 353 mgs. sodium.
TOMATO-BEAN CHOWDER
10 servings
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
4 onions, finely chopped
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 green pepper, seeded, chopped
1 can (28 ounces) tomatoes, undrained
4 cups beef or vegetable stock
1 can (19 ounces) kidney beans, drained
1 can (19 ounces) chick-peas, drained
Salt, freshly ground pepper
1. In a large, heavy saucepan, combine onions, chili powder, green pepper, tomatoes and stock; heat to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Break up tomatoes with back of spoon. Add drained beans and peas;
simmer for 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish each serving with a sprinkling of parsley.
Per serving: 171 calories; 30 grms. (72%) carbohydrates; 7.8 grms. (19%)
protein; 1.5 grms. (9%) fat (.04 gms. saturated fat, .04 gms. monounsaturated fat, .13 gms. polyunsaturated fat); 0 mgs. cholesterol; 638 mgs. sodium.
