Did you know the health survey conducted by Cigna TTK Health Insurance in 2014 has identified that 95% of Indian millennials (people of age group 18-34) working in corporate offices in Mumbai, Bengaluru and New Delhi suffer from stress? And the common reasons for their stress are:
1. Difficulty in balancing their personal and professional life due to long working hours.
2. Millennials prefer jobs that can boost their personal and professional skills but when their existing work doesn’t allow that, they get dissatisfied, frustrated and gradually start to get stressed.
3. Financial worries like low income, student loans pressure, monthly EMI’s.
This is an alarming finding because ‘stress’ may not sound like a big deal, but it slowly and silently destroys a person’s physical and mental well being. It may cause diabetes, high blood pressure, heart issues, poor immune system, depression, mood disorder and it can even develop suicidal tendencies. There are many methods to reduce stress like yoga, meditation, or even medication.
However, a lot of people don’t know that stress can also be controlled with good nutrition and in this article India’s renowned Nutritionist and Wellness Coach Avni Kaul shares some important tips on how to reduce stress with nutrition and lifestyle modification.
1. A shift from Simple to Complex Carbohydrates: The first thing that stress does to our body and mind – it creates a craving for carbohydrates. This is because carbs create serotonin chemicals in the brain that improve our mood. Unfortunately, most people go for simple carbohydrate foods like soft drinks, burgers, bakery, pizzas etc to meet craving for carbs to feel good. With the intake of the simple carbohydrate, there is a spike in serotonin and blood sugar levels in the body. Hence in short time when the serotonin drops, it again starts to make the person feel sad.
When you shift your diet from taking simple carbohydrate to complex carbohydrates, the food will take a longer time to digest and hence it will slowly produce serotonin and hence will keep the mood elevated for longer period of time without causing a spike in the blood sugar levels. Good choice for complex carbohydrates would be whole wheat atta, brown rice, quinoa, Indian millets like Ragi, Bajra, Jowar, Amaranth and cereals like Oats.
2. Eat more oranges: Oranges are known for being a rich source of vitamin C and it reduces the levels of stress hormones while strengthening the immune system.
3. The secret of Spinach: Deficiency of magnesium in the body triggers headaches and fatigue that compounds the effects of stress. Hence a cup of spinach soup which is rich in magnesium can help the body to stock up on magnesium and reduce stress level. If you do not like spinach you can opt for other leafy vegetables.
4. Take a handful of Nuts: Eating a handful of pistachios, almonds, and walnuts every day can help reduce your cholesterol, ease inflammation of arteries and protect you against the effects of stress. However, do not overindulge, nuts are rich in calories.
5. Exercise and Physical Activity: One of the best ways to relieve the stress is to simply walk them away. Yes, walking has multiple benefits including reducing stress and anxiety.
Walking triggers the release of endorphins (a chemical within us that soothes brain) and immediately helps us relieve anxiety and pain. The higher your level of endorphins, the greater our sense of calm and well-being! The best part of walking is that we can walk anytime, anywhere.
About the author: Avni Kaul is one of Delhi’s most trusted nutritionist and wellness coach. She is also a Diabetes Educator and specializes in weight management, child nutrition, skin and beauty health, thyroid disorder, cardiovascular health, diabetic management, wedding nutrition, sports nutrition, and corporate wellness.
