Stress-Reducing Diet with Microgreens
When you’re stressed out, the foods you’re turning to are most likely going to be traditional ‘comfort’ foods – think big meals, take-out, fatty foods, sweet foods, and alcohol. Let’s face it – we’ve all found some comfort in a tasty meal and a bottle of beer or glass of wine when we’ve been stressed out or upset about something. However, this isn’t the right permanent solution. Maybe a stress-reducing diet with microgreens is in order.
When you’re turning to unhealthy foods, you can feel better temporarily, but in the long run, you will feel worse. When your body isn’t getting the right nutrition, you can begin to feel less energetic, and in some cases, less able to concentrate and focus. All of this can lead to even more stress. As we begin the first few holidays, let this guide help you as stressful times will be pop up.
Foods that Fight Stress
If you’ve been feeling more stressed out than usual lately, it’s essential to know which foods are best to choose and which to avoid when it comes to combating stress and helping you to deal with feelings of stress and anxiety. The best way to fIght stress is to have a healthy, balanced diet, including a moderate amount of each of the different food groups.
Filling up on whole grains, leafy vegetables, and lean proteins as the basic staples of the diet is the best way to ensure that your body gets the optimum amounts of nutrients to fight physical and mental health problems. When it comes to choosing the foods to eat, some have a range of extraordinary properties that help the body combat stress. Choosing these stress-busting foods will help to heal and calm your mind permanently, rather than providing temporary relief. Isnt it time that you tried a Stress-Reducing Diet with Microgreens.
Stress-Reducing Diet with Microgreens to the resuce
Avocado – Avocados are a creamy and versatile fruit that can be eaten in a range of different ways, whether you enjoy it raw, made into sauces, dressings, and dips, or in a smoothie. These nutrient-dense fruits have the properties to stress-proof your body, thanks to their high glutathione content, which specifically blocks the intestinal absorption of certain fats, which cause oxidative damage. Avocados also contain higher vitamin E levels, folate, and beta-carotene than any other fruit, which boosts their stress-busting properties.
Blueberries –One of the best superfoods is a great way to help you deal with your stress levels and achieve a higher level of calm. Blueberries have some of the highest levels of antioxidants, especially anthocyanin, which means that this berry has a wide range of health benefits, including sharper cognition, better focus, and a clearer mind – all of which can help you to better deal with stress.
Chamomile – Of course, everyone thinks of the tea mostly because Chamomile tea has been a natural bedtime soother. It is also used in clinical trials, which determined that chamomile tea effectively reduces the symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder. Did you know the one that we Vitality Farms Company sell Chamomile in our grow kits but that you can eat chamomile in lots of different ways? Here are some suggestions for using edible chamomile:
- Most people use the blooms, as the bright yellow centers have a mild, apple-like flavor.
- Brown a few crushed or dried chamomile flowers in hot butter, then stir them into oatmeal or other hot cereal.
- Make chamomile cordial with apple brandy, a small amount of honey, and a few fresh or dried chamomile flowers. You can also add orange, lemon, overripe berries, cinnamon sticks, or even peppercorns. Allow the mixture to sit overnight to let the flavor develop, then strain. Place the cordial in a clean glass bottle or jar and store it in the refrigerator. Pour the cordial over ice cream or use it as a glazed on desserts.
- Add a small number of chamomile flowers to the crunchy topping next time you make apple, peach, or berry crisp. Create a chamomile liqueur by mixing dried chamomile flowers with vodka and small amounts of honey and lemon zest. Let the liqueur infuse for two to four weeks, then strain well. Infuse chamomile flowers in almond oil.
- Use the chamomile oil for salads or fish dishes, or mix it in mayonnaise to add flavor to sandwiches.
- Add a few blooms to add color and flavor to a fresh green salad. You can also use leaves, although they may have a somewhat bitter taste.
Oatmeal – Oatmeal is great in that it can be filling comfort food, but also has a large number of healthy properties to actually make you feel better from the inside out. A complex carbohydrate, eating oatmeal causes your brain to produce higher levels of the feel-good chemical serotonin, helping you to feel calmer and less stressed. Studies have shown that kids who choose oatmeal for breakfast tend to be much sharper throughout the morning in school compared to kids who had alternative morning meals.
Microgreens/ Green Leafy Vegetables – leafy, green vegetables should be a pivotal part of anyone’s diet. Along with helping to combat stress, microgreens are full of nutrients and antioxidants which help to fight off disease and leave your body feeling healthier and more energized. Spinach is especially useful for you since they are rich in folate, which allows your body to produce more mood-regulating neurotransmitters such as serotonin, which is a ‘feel-good’ chemical. Making leafy greens a part of your diet will help you to feel happier and less stressed out overall. The USDA recommends 2 cups of leafy greens a day. With microgreens, you only need ¼ teaspoon to met that recommended allowance.
Stress-Reducing Diet with Microgreens meal plan
Planning your meals wisely is key to not only staying physically fit and healthy but also to staying mentally strong and being able to best manage your levels of stress. Knowing which foods to avoid and which are the best to reach for to snack on when you’re feeling worried and anxious is important to helping you get control over your emotions and fears.
When you’re feeling stressed, you may be tempted to reach for classic ‘comfort foods’ – usually foods which are laden with sugar, very starchy, or greasy. However, although these foods can make you feel momentarily better, they will actually make you feel worse in the long run.
Having stress-busting snacks such as fresh berries, dark chocolate, yogurt, walnuts or pistachios, or even a fruit smoothie with avocado and leafy greens in it can help you to feel better in both the short and long term when it comes to stress. When it comes to combating and dealing with stress in the long run, it’s essential to make sure that, for the most part, you are eating a diet that is healthy and balanced.
To stay on track, it’s a good idea to make a meal plan for your week and plan to make sure that you have a good selection of these stress-busting foods in your kitchen to make meals and snacks from when you’re feeling like stress-eating. Making sure that the majority of your meals include foods such as lean proteins and leafy green vegetables will not only make you feel healthier overall but can improve your mental health and stress levels, too.
An excellent example of a healthy, stress-busting menu would be:
Breakfast: Oatmeal with berries or a fruit smoothie with avocado and berries
Mid-morning snack: Natural yogurt with fruit or a handful of pistachio nuts
Lunch: A whole-grain pasta salad filled with plenty of microgreens
Afternoon snack: Dark chocolate
Dinner: Grass-fed beef with vegetables
Before bed: Chamomile tea
Of course, you don’t need to stick to this menu – but it gives you a good idea! Remember to exercise reasonable portion control when eating nuts, chocolate, yogurt, or avocado! As the saying goes, you are what you eat – so make sure that first and foremost, you’re filling yourself up with foods that are good for your mental health.
Hopefully, this list has inspired you to try making some small changes. As a quick reminder – you don’t have to completely revolutionize your life to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, reduce cholesterol, or control blood sugar. You certainly don’t have to suffer in order to lead a heart-healthier life. Simple and small changes build up!Focus on satisfying your soul and really feeling like you are getting something out of what you’re eating. Of course, moderation in quantities/calories is also important, but you know your body best and now you know what is best for your body! So how do you know if this is all working? How do you know if the small changes that you make now actually add up to reduce stress and benefit your health?
