Fight Stress with Good Nutrition!
Stress is the "wear and tear" our bodies experience as we try to maintain some sense of equilibrium, whether it be physical or mental. Clearly, what we put in our bodies can directly impact how well we handle stress! If you don’t believe me, try drinking a half-dozen Red Bulls! If that doesn’t change how you feel, and how you handle stress, then you’re clearly not human. Nonetheless, there are foods and supplements that can impact how we deal with stress and therefore improve our daily life. Here’s a few of the tried and true.
In general, there are certain dietary ‘rules’ that we all
should follow to minimize our stress. These include:
- Eat 5-6 small meals daily.
- Drink copious amounts of water
- Consume unprocessed carbohydrates, lean proteins, and unsaturated
fats for the most part.
- Eat fish
- Take a multivitamin
- Never skip breakfast
Follow the above rules and you’re well on your way to minimizing the stessors of life. But also, there are single ingredients, supplements and foods that might be of value. Here ya go!
Blueberries
Not to be confused with blueberry muffins which are full of stuff that’ll
make a metabolic mess of you, raw blueberries are actually amongst the
healthiest foods you can eat. For instance, we know that dietary supplementation
with antioxidant rich foods can decrease the level of oxidative stress
in brain regions and can lessen age-related deficits in neuronal and
behavioral functions. For instance, one animal study showed that short-term
blueberry (BB) intervention may result in improved protection against
a number of neurodegenerative processes in the brain. Or in English,
blueberries can protect your brain from stresses that can mess up how
your noggin’ functions.(1)
DMAE
One study looked at 6 and 12 weeks of daily intake of a vitamin-mineral
drug combination containing dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE). Subjects taking
subjects taking the drug combination were more active and felt better;
and to top it off, they were in better moods.
Glutamine and Arginine
Both of these amino acids are beneficial to immune function. Numerous
scientific studies support the dietary "essentiality" of these
two nutrients for improving immune responses in most immunosuppressive
states associated with high rates of infection.(2) In fact, taking 5-10
grams of glutamine after intensive exercise has been show to reduce
the rate of upper respiratory tract infection. So if you’re looking
for an ‘anti-stress’ amino acid, glutamine is it!
Omega-3 fatty acids
Yes, those slimy cold-blooded creatures of the see are chockfull of
healthy nutrients. In fact, a diet rich in n-3 (aka omega-3) fatty acids
(fish oils) reduces the risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.
One study looked at seven human volunteers who were studied before and
after 3 weeks of supplementation with 7.2 g/day fish oil. After 3 weeks
of a diet supplemented with n-3 fatty acids, the stimulation by mental
stress of plasma epinephrine, cortisol, energy expenditure, and plasma
non esterified fatty acids concentrations, were all significantly blunted.
Meaning, if you eat plenty of fish fat, your stress level actually drops
in a measurable fashion.(3)
Phosphatidylserine
As you may know, supplementation with phosphatidylserine (PS) can blunt
the release of cortisol (also known as the ‘stress’ hormone).
In fact, in young adults, taking 300mg PS each day for a month was associated
with feeling less stressed and having a better mood. The study is the
first to report an improvement in mood following PS supplementation
in a sub-group of young healthy adults.(4)
Red Wine
Don’t laugh. Red wine does relax you! In fact, a small amount
of red wine not only helps you chill, but is damn good for your health.
Did you know that if you give red wine to genetically obese rats, it
can prevent the increase of body weight by decreasing energy intake.(5)
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is one of the more important fat-soluble vitamins need to
maintain the health of our cells. Research has shown that vitamin E
supplementation enhances the recovery after the stress in young animals.
(6) Of course, it is a good idea for us two-legged types to take vitamin
E because of its tremendous health benefits.
Whey protein
Not only is protein needed to build muscle and satiate your hunger,
but whey has many bioactive components that offer specific health benefits.
The capacity of whey to modulate adiposity, enhance immune function,
and increase anti-oxidant activity is important for everyone. Also,
the response to this stress can be positive, since gaining more muscle
can improve functionality and greater strength. However, overall benefits
may be compromised if immune function or general health is challenged
in response to the stress. Thus, whey protein is another functional
food that goes beyond making your muscle look bigger and prettier.(7)
Soy protein
Soy isoflavones (IF), have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties.
Studies suggest that IF may attenuate the negative effects of chronic
inflammation on bone and cardiovascular health. Additional research
is warranted to examine the anti-inflammatory properties of the soy
isoflavones and the mechanisms underlying their prevention of chronic
inflammation-induced bone loss.(8)
Zinc and Magnesium
Magnesium and zinc play significant roles in promoting strength and
cardiorespiratory function in healthy persons and athletes. Zinc is
an essential part of nearly 300 different biochemical pathways, structure/function
claims can be made for the nutrient’s role in a wide variety of
processes including digestion, wound healing, energy production, growth,
cellular repair, collagen synthesis, bone strength, cognitive function,
and carbohydrate metabolism. Not a shabby list! Certainly, for general
health and well-being, both of these minerals are a must!
Bedtime reading
1. Galli RL, Bielinski DF, Szprengiel A, Shukitt-Hale B, Joseph JA.
Blueberry supplemented diet reverses age-related decline in hippocampal
HSP70 neuroprotection. Neurobiol Aging 2005.
2. Field CJ, Johnson I, Pratt VC. Glutamine and arginine: immunonutrients
for improved health. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2000;32:S377-88.
3. Delarue J, Matzinger O, Binnert C, Schneiter P, Chiolero R, Tappy
L. Fish oil prevents the adrenal activation elicited by mental stress
in healthy men. Diabetes Metab 2003;29:289-95.
4. Benton D, Donohoe RT, Sillance B, Nabb S. The influence of phosphatidylserine
supplementation on mood and heart rate when faced with an acute stressor.
Nutr Neurosci 2001;4:169-78.
5. Bargallo MV, Grau AA, Fernandez-Larrea JD, et al. Moderate red-wine
consumption partially prevents body weight gain in rats fed a hyperlipidic
diet. J Nutr Biochem 2005.
6. Wakikawa A, Utsuyama M, Wakabayashi A, Kitagawa M, Hirokawa K. Vitamin
E enhances the immune functions of young but not old mice under restraint
stress. Exp Gerontol 1999;34:853-62.
7. Ha E, Zemel MB. Functional properties of whey, whey components, and
essential amino acids: mechanisms underlying health benefits for active
people (review). J Nutr Biochem 2003;14:251-8.
8. Droke EA, Hager KA, Lerner MR, et al. Soy isoflavones avert chronic
inflammation-induced bone loss and vascular disease. J Inflamm (Lond)
2007;4:17.