Is your mind always busy with thoughts - juggling hectic work tasks and meeting deadlines, along with household chores and a billion other things? With constantly pinging messages, notifications, and endless social media scrolling, our minds are bound to feel overwhelmed by consuming too much information in a very short time. While there are some unhealthy lifestyle choices you can consciously avoid, in our modern-day lifestyle, it can be difficult to "keep calm" and still "carry on." In such a scenario, the food we eat and how we eat it can play a tremendous positive role in keeping anxiety at bay and helping you feel calmer. How? Read on.
1. Mindful Eating Keeps Stress at Bay
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Eating mindfully means you are using all your physical and emotional senses to experience the process of eating your food. You are not checking your messages while eating or watching TV. According to a research paper published in Integrative Medicine: A Clinician's Journal, mindful eating is an opportunity to non-judgmentally become aware of internal and external cues, sensations, and emotions. Mindful eating nurtures PSNS dominance - the condition of the nervous system associated with reduced stress.
2. Avoid Foods with Sugar and Caffeine
Avoid unhealthy foods, such as those high in sugar (candy, cookies) and caffeine. When feeling stressed, you may feel low in energy and are likely to reach for sugary or high-caffeine food or drinks. However, Children's Hospital Colorado explains that simple sugars and caffeine boost our energy quickly but only for a short time. After the effects of sugar and caffeine have subsided, you might feel more depleted than before.
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3. Zinc, Magnesium, and Omega-3
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Harvard Health encourages consuming foods rich in zinc, magnesium, and omega-3s to feel calmer and lower anxiety naturally. Foods rich in zinc include oysters, cashews, liver, beef, and egg yolks. Foods naturally rich in magnesium include leafy greens such as spinach, along with legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. A study completed on medical students in 2011 was one of the first to show that omega-3s may help reduce anxiety. These include fatty fish like wild Alaskan salmon, along with seeds and nuts like flaxseeds and walnuts.
4. Eat Slowly and Feel at Peace
Alena Winter, a naturopath and nutritionist, constantly shares simple and informative content on her Instagram handle for nervous system regulation. One of her viral videos highlights the importance of slowing down, including while you eat. She notes, "Rushing through your day (no matter what you're doing) is one of the best ways to contribute to dysregulation, stress, and overwhelm. Conversely, slowing down can really help combat this and create more of a sense of calm."
5. Enjoy Your Meal by Loving What You Eat
Lastly, enjoying what you eat and focusing on your meal helps. According to Kims-Sunshine Hospitals, Hyderabad, by truly tasting and appreciating our food, we're less likely to mindlessly overeat in response to stress. Furthermore, being present and focused during meals has a naturally calming effect that can help reduce stress levels.
Also Read:5 Warning Signs Your Body May Have High Cortisol And 5 Simple Ways to Manage It
Follow these simple and effective tips in choosing your food and how you eat it to promote mindfulness and a calm nervous system.
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.