Foods That Will be Able To Fight Stress

THERE is no dietary "magic bullet," but you can help curb the effects of stress by getting the nutrients your body needs for optimal health. Pay special attention to these foods:

Whole-grain breads help speed the amino acid tryptophan to the brain. There, tryptophan increases levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin, thought to act as a sedative.

Oranges are full of potassium, an electrolyte that conducts nerve impulses and helps keep the brain's neurotransmitters working properly. Other good sources of potassium include poultry, milk, cheese, apricots, whole grains, nuts and legumes.

Fish is rich in B vitamins, as are avocados, potatoes, and beef. Anxiety, irritability, and mood swings have been associated with insufficient quantities of these vitamins.

Rice is rich in thiamine (vitamin B-1). Some researchers have linked deficiency in thiamine to mental illness, including depression. You can also find the thiamine you need in pork, fish, beans, sunflower seeds, enriched breads and cereals.

Artichokes and other green vegetables such as spinach are loaded with magnesium, crucial to the body's general defence against stress. Wheat germ is another excellent source of magnesium, along with soybeans, bananas and peanuts.

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How to Handle Stress Just Like An Expert (PART 2)

The Strong Survive

Salvatore Maddi, professor of psychology and social behaviour at the University of California, Irvine, and president of the Hardiness Institute

According to Maddi's theory of stress management, it's the hardiest who survive. He defines hardiness as a conglomeration of characterictis that make people try to solve stressful problems rather than fall victim to them.

Maddi's theory originated from a 12-year study of American telephone-company employess between 1975 and 1987. During that period, the telecommunication industry was deregulated and the company was dramatically reduced in size. "Stress was rampant, but a third of the employess actually thrived," Maddi says. "We called these workers the 'hardy' ones."

Maddi himself exemplifies the model. "I struggle, like everyone, against the inclination to allow stressors to direct my life," he says.

"But I know in the long run, the best life isn't earned that way. Trying to remain comfortable by avoiding stress is not only unrealistic, but will also force you to shrink your life to the size of a postage stamp. What is important is to solve stressful problems, turning them from potential disasters into opportunities."

Maddie tries to keep what he calls the three Cs foremost in his mind during pressure-cooker times: commitment (being actively involved in life rather than hanging back and feeling alienated); control (trying to influence outcomes instead of being passively influenced by them); and challenge (continuing to learn from positive and negative experiences).

The Gender Influence

Harriet Braiker, pyschologist and author of "The Type of Woman: How to Overcome the stress of Being Everything to Everybody"

The type E woman is the female counterpart of the type A man, the guy most vulnerable to stress-related illness. But while destination -- burnout -- might the same for both personality types, the paths they take to get there are often different. "Type E women are continually anticipating the needs of others at their own expense," Braiker says. "The classic Type E is a woman with multiple roles; she's a career woman, or a dedicated volunteer. You don't have to be married to be a Type E, but if you are, there's typically an intrinsic conflict between what it takes to be a good mother or wife and what it takes to succeed in the other things you do.

"I used to be a Type E," Braiker admits. "But, now I'd characterise myself as very high-achieving. I still have multiple roles --- wife, mother and psychologist -- but I've learned to practise what I preach: I don't say yes to everybody. I delegate tasks. And it's very clear to me what my priorities are."

Those would be Braiker's husband and her nine-year old daughter --- not a spotless kitchen floor.

The Relaxation Response

Dr Herbert Benson, president the Mind/Body Medical Institute, affiliate with Harvard Medical School.

Despite highly respected research showing that what he calls the relaxation response help treat stress-related disorders, Benson avoided using his own therapy for some 20 years. "I was fearful I wouldn't be viewed as objective if I practised it myself," he says. "But when I got older, more established -- and more stressed -- I began to think, This is silly."

Here's how to do it: Choose a word or phrase (ocean or peace, for instance). Sit quietly in a comfortable position, close your eyes and relax your muscles. Breathe slowly, repeating your focus word or words in your mind exhale. If everyday thoughts intrude, let them go, and return to the repetition. Continue for ten to 20 minutes.

Essentially a physiological antidote to the flight-or-flight syndrome, the relaxation response downshifts all the bodily systems that gear up in stressful situations.

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How to Handle Stress Just Like An Expert (PART 1)

How the pross take the heat 

ACCORDING TO the American Institute of Stress, as many as 90 percent of visits to general practitioners are stress-related. Adults, children and apparantely even pets are susceptible. No one is immune to the ill effects of stress - not even scientiests schooled in how to prevent it.

Stress results when our bodies react to a challenge - mental or physical - by increasing metabolism, elevating blood pressure, boosting heart and breathing rates, and pumping three to four times more blood to the muscles than normal. This fight-or-flight response works fine when we do just that - fight or flee. 

But, most often, we do neither. And that's what gets us into trouble. A surplus of unused adrenaline coursing through our bodies can lead to a host psychological and physical problems.

Unless, that is, we learn to handle pressure like a pro. Here, leading stress authorities tell us how they do just that.

The EAT (Energy-Action Team) Plan

Susan Mitchell, a registered dietitian and co-author of "I'd Kill for a Cookie: A Simple Six-Week Plan to Conquer Stress Eating"

"My No, 1 stress-less strategy is to graze," says Mitchell. "When I'm anxious, I can't stomach big meals. But when I eat small snacks, I feel better, my energy level improves, and I can better deal with any stress."

Several years ago the stress of a divorce and the death of several family members left Mitchell with no appetite. But, using her experience as a nutritionist, she and colleague Catherine Christie ultimately devised positive ways to deal with situation. The result is their EAT (Energy-Action Team) Plan, a multi step approach to minimising stress that includes eating health-fully (to boost energy, immunity and mood) and exercising regularly (to burn kilojoules and increase endorphins).

Ironically, Mitchell notes, the grazing approach works equally well for those of us who overeat when we stressed. "If you eat small portions throughout the day, you're not as hungry as you would be otherwise," she says. "So, you're less vulnerable to your cravings."

The Immunity Connection

Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, director of the health psychology division of The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus

It isn't just the traumatic that taxes our immune systems and can make us sick, but also the mundane - say, a bad workday or a minor tiff with your mate. Thankfully, though, Kiecolt-Glaser has uncovered strategies to help you protect yourself from the negative effects of stress --- one of which is to surround yourself with good friends. "Across our studies, close personal relationships are strongly associated with better immune function," she says. "They provide a buffer in times of stress. So, if I've had a bad day, the first thing I do is talk to my husband."

Besides finding a confidant, you can counteract stress's influence on your resistance to illness by getting ample sleep, exercising and eating well. "People under stress tend to have poor diets---they consume more junk food, caffeine and alcohol --- at the very time when good nutrition is more important," she says.

The Sollitude Solution

Peter Suedfield, psychology professor at the university of British Columbia in Vancouver

"When you're alone and quiet," says Suedfeld, "negative decreases while alertness increases. As a result, you might find that solitude and reduced stimulation restore your ability to think clearly, be creative and maintain an emotional calm."

Some people seek solitude behind closed doors, while others take solitary walks. Suedfield prefers to read, he sometimes takes a quirkier route: relaxing in a flotation tank in total darkness. "For me, it's a good method of decompressing," he says.

Suedfield believes social support can help ward off some kinds of stress. "But overlead requires solitude," he says.

to be continued

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