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5 Foods That Fight Stress

FitSugar — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 07:00:04 -0800

With the holiday season in full swing - presents to buy, meals to prepare, hardly a moment to hit the gym - it's easy to quickly become stressed out. And stress can trigger a load of other health issues, so it's best to keep our stress levels in check. While we're inclined to choose a not-so-healthy snack to put our stress at ease, there's a better solution in the way of food. Just read on to find out which healthy foods Self magazine suggests can help conquer stress and boost your mood.

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It's True! We Really Do Crave Fatty Foods When We're Stressed

FitSugar — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:00:42 -0800

If your chocolate cravings are any indication, you may have already suspected that high-fat foods are a woman's go-to snack when stressed. Now there's evidence to confirm your suspicions - UCSF recently conducted a study to examine the relationship between eating habits and chronic stress.

Researchers surveyed 600 overweight or obese women regarding their diet and stress. Issues classified as chronic stressors included job dissatisfaction, financial worries (like inability to pay rent or mortgage), or dealing with an ailing loved one. The women dealing with these taxing personal issues reported a higher likelihood of being unable to control what they ate, and a tendency to eat more fattening foods. Chronically stressed women were also more likely to force themselves to keep a regimented, strict diet to control weight gain, even skipping meals. The downside is that it's hard to keep up a regimented program, and being stressed means a plan like this is bound to backfire - ultimately there's a breaking point, and we're more likely to overeat.

To learn more about stressed-out eating, just read more.

While this study may not offer any groundbreaking info, it does serve as a healthy reminder: Be conscious of when you're actually hungry, and remember, there is such a thing as emotional eating. Be more mindful of your mental health and how it affects your food choices, and make healthy eating a priority. If you need some creative, healthy snack alternatives, visit our Snack Attack group for ideas.

Does the Holiday Season Stress You Out or Make You Happy?

FitSugar — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 03:47:57 -0800

I am hosting Thanksgiving this year, and while I am truly excited to have a house full of family and friends I am already a little stressed. The things causing me grief are minor (do I have enough wine glasses and bedding, etc.) but they are starting to stack up. I could really work myself up into a tizzy if I allow my lack of preparation for Christmas to enter into my mental mix. Combine the facts that stress weakens the immune system and it is cold and flu season, I am working hard to manage my holiday stress. So tell me . . .

Overworked and Underpaid: 7 of the Most Stressful Jobs

SavvySugar — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:00:31 -0800

I quizzed you a couple weeks ago on Money magazine’s list of the least stressful jobs. Now CNN Money has compiled another list - this time of the most stressful and most underpaid jobs out there, according to their survey.

The results are based on median salary and the percentage of respondents that rated their jobs as stressful. Unfortunately, these positions sound a lot more like the jobs most of my friends and family have than the ones on the least stressful list did! To see a sampling of the most overworked and underpaid positions, read more.

Why We Overeat: Stress

FitSugar — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:00:31 -0700

If you find that you overeat throughout your day, but have ruled out excessive tiredness as the cause, then you may be reaching for fattening foods because you're stressed out. According to Health magazine, chronic stress causes your body to create cortisol and insulin. These hormones increase your appetite for comfort foods which tend to be high in fat, sugar, and salt. Eating these types of foods can make you lethargic and also lead to weight gain. If you're already overweight, fat cells produce cortisol as well, so you produce even more of this appetite-raising hormone.

To help break the stress cycle that has you reaching for a pint of Ben and Jerry's, you need to figure out the causes of your stress and work on decreasing them. Talk to your boss about your workload if it's too much, or if money issues are plaguing your brain make an appointment with a financial consultant. You can also micromanage your daily stress by exercising to clear your mind, taking a break from work to sip a hot cup of tea, or getting a tension-relieving massage. Make these stress-busters a part of your daily schedule and you'll not only feel calmer, but your urge to overindulge will wane too.

Relax Already: Try Reiki

FitSugar — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:30:36 -0700

After being laid off and collecting unemployment for a few weeks, an amazing career opportunity has just fallen into your lap, and you have a job interview tomorrow. Needless to say, you're anxious and stressed, and it's nothing a hot bath or cup of tea can handle. A Reiki session could be just the thing to calm your nerves and release tension from your tight muscles. Reiki is a type of Japanese healing therapy. The word Reiki translates to "spiritually guided life force energy." It's based on the idea that life force energy flows through us and around us (our aura), and it's what nourishes our organs and cells. When the flow of energy is disrupted, that's when emotional and physical issues arise.

A Reiki treatment feels somewhat like getting a massage, although there is minimal touching if any at all. As you lie on a comfy table, the practitioner will place her hands on various areas of your body, but often holds the hands a few centimeters above the body. The hands are kept still for a few minutes before moving to the next position, usually involving the head, front and back of the torso, knees and feet. A session usually lasts about an hour or an hour and a half.

I know it doesn't seem like much is going on, but Reiki practitioners are believed to have the ability and intuition to balance a person's life force energy. Not only does a Reiki session completely relax you (like you've just slept for 12 hours straight), but it can also be used to heal the body. I've experienced Reiki when I broke my thumb, and I swear, it helped relieve my pain.

Have any of you ever tried Reiki?

Wikipedia

Does Your City Stress You Out?

TresSugar — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 11:30:00 -0700

Your city's plummeting property values, high unemployment rate, extreme weather, or chronic traffic could potentially stress you out. Some metropolises have a perfect storm of frustrating factors that landed them on Forbes's list of America's Most Stressful Cities.

Coming in at number one is Chicago, thanks to the city's poor air quality, 11 percent unemployment rate, and falling home prices. Los Angeles comes next, then New York, Cleveland, and Providence, RI.

My current place of residence, San Francisco, ranks number six, but I beg to differ with its stressful status. Besides worrying about the next big earthquake, I find that my city's passable public transportation, moderate climate, and breathtaking views make me feel more relaxed.

What about you - does your city stress you out?

Money Tip: Hit the Spa For a Half-Session

SavvySugar — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:15:32 -0700

There's nothing like stepping out of a stress-relieving, 60-minute massage that makes you wonder if your feet are touching the floor. Whether it's worrying about losing the job you have or feeling concerned about finding work, most of us could use some spa love right about now. The benefits are appealing, but the price tags, not so much.

Find a compromise between your budget and your bodily needs by booking an appointment for half the time. Thirty-minute treatments will still make you feel pampered and lighter on your feet, but they won't stretch your budget so far that you end up more stressed about the money you spent. It's all about finding balance in your life and learning how to spend in moderation.

Minutes to a Healthier You: Sing Your Heart Out

FitSugar — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 14:30:00 -0700

Sometimes, we don't give enough credit to the little pleasures that can lower our stress levels and improve our quality of life. But if you like to sing, sing out. It's good for your overall health.

Throughout history and cultures, singing has been used as a way to express emotion and help people heal, and the same principles can be applied to our daily lives. Singing can help you relax, boost your mood, and open up your breathing passages. Other studies have linked singing to lowered blood pressure, while other research has shown that it can help people manage chronic pain.

So don't be afraid to sing in the shower, or wail along with your favorite song on the radio. At the very least, it will probably put you in a happier state of mind.

Study Measures Health Risks of Stress From Potential Job Loss

SavvySugar — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 04:30:06 -0700

Stress is the cause of so many illnesses, and new research shows you're more likely to have health issues because of worrying about losing your job than someone who's unemployed and stressing about finding a job. Sociologist Sarah Burgard commented, "It may seem surprising that chronically high job insecurity is more strongly linked with health declines than actual job loss or unemployment."

Researchers analyzed data on 1,700 adults and studies conducted between 1986 and 1989 and from 1995 and 2005. In one exceptional finding, the study suggested "chronic job insecurity was a stronger predictor of poor health than either smoking or high blood pressure." If it's true the stress of job uncertainty is just as bad for us as picking up a health vice, like cigarettes or fatty foods, that's pretty amazing news. Burgard explained, "Persistent stress is a strain on people. It is the unrelenting nature of the uncertainty that really gets you."

If you're someone who's constantly stressed about your uncertain future at your job, it's important to try your best to contain it and make stress-relieving exercise a regular part of your life. Most of all focus on staying in the moment, instead of worrying about what's to come. The future is going to happen no matter how much you worry about it.