Food For Stress

Forget everything you've heard about stress-eating being a bad thing. If you put the right foods in your pie hole (ie, not pie), noshing when your nerves are more frenetic than your colleague's crazy ring tone can actually calm you down. And that's great news, because the last thing you need is more stress, which over time can increase your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and obesity - and the odds that you'll go ballistic on Mum when she asks, for the third time, what your unemployed fiancé does for a living. These yummy, easy-to-find foods soothe stress and can counteract the damage that chronic pressure does to your bod. Stock up on all of them so when the tension rises along with the temperature in Grandma's kitchen, you can eat instead of freak.

Almonds, Pistachios & Walnuts
When all hell breaks loose, reach for a handful of almonds. They're bursting with vitamin E, an antioxidant that bolsters the immune system. Almonds also contain B vitamins, which may help your body hold up during seriously unpleasant events (like getting a year's RSVP.com membership as a present). About a quarter of a cup every day is all you need. Another easy way to get a fix is to switch from traditional peanut butter to almond butter on high-tension days. (We like Melrose 100% Almond Spread, $10.29, melrosehealth.com.au)

Sick of almonds? Shell pistachios or crack walnuts. Both will help keep your heart from racing when things heat up. "We experience immediate cardiovascular responses to stress because of the 'fight or flight' response," says Sheila G West, associate professor of biobehavioral health at Pennsylvania State University. When stress strikes, adrenaline increases your blood pressure to boost energy - so you're prepared to run like hell if you need to. But because we seldom need to fight or flee (dodging your annoying workmate doesn't count), it's better to blunt the strain on your heart. A recent study led by West found that eating 40g (about a handful) of pistachios a day lowers blood pressure so your heart doesn't have to work overtime. Walnuts have also been found to lower blood pressure, both at rest and under stress, West says. Add about a handful to salads, cereal or muesli.

Avocados
The next time stress has you hanging for a high-fat, creamy treat, skip the ice-cream and try some homemade guacamole - the thick, rich texture will satisfy your craving and reduce those frantic feelings. Plus, the green wonder's double whammy of monounsaturated fat and potassium can lower blood pressure. One of the best ways to reduce high blood pressure, according to the US National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, is to get enough potassium - and half an avocado offers 487 milligrams, more than you'll get from a medium-sized banana. To whip up your own avocado salad dressing, purée a medium avocado with two tablespoons of lemon juice and a dash of cayenne pepper.

Skim milk
Science backs up the old warm-milk remedy for insomnia and restlessness. Turns out calcium can reduce muscle spasms and soothe tension, says Mary Dallman, professor of physiology at the University of California, San Francisco. A glass of moo juice (preferably skim or low-fat) may also reduce stressful PMS symptoms like mood swings, anxiety and irritability. According to a 2005 study from the Archives of Internal Medicine, women who drank four or more servings of low-fat or skim milk per day had a 46 per cent lower risk of pre-period misery than women who had no more than one serving per week.

Oats
Carbohydrates make the brain produce more serotonin, the same relaxing brain chemical released when you eat dark chocolate. The more slowly your body absorbs carbs, the more steadily serotonin flows, according to Judith Wurtman, co-author of The Serotonin Power Diet ($36.99, Rodale Press). The result: a less-likely-to-snap you. Because thick, hearty oats are high in fibre, few things take longer for your stomach to digest, says Elizabeth Somer, author of Food & Mood ($27.99, Henry Holt & Company). Wurtman also recommends topping it with a swirl of jam for a quicker release of serotonin. When you know it's going to be a bastard of a day, avoid heavily processed varieties (eg, the sugary kind that come in packets meant for the microwave), which are digested more quickly, and take the time to cook old-fashioned oats, like Lotus Steel Cut Oats ($3.15 for 500g, allwellbeing.com.au). But if two minutes for breakfast is all you have, you can still do your mood a favour by opting for instant oats over Coco Pops.

Oranges
Fretting over a job interview or presentation at work? Pour yourself a glass of Berri Australian Fresh juice or peel yourself an orange. The magic nutrient here is vitamin C. In a study in The Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, German researchers subjected 120 people to a public-speaking task plus a series of maths problems. Those who took 1000 milligrams of vitamin C reported that they felt less stressed, and their blood pressure and levels of cortisol (a stress hormone) returned to normal faster. "Vitamin C is also a well-known immune system booster," says Amy Jamieson-Petonic, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. So don't be bummed when you win a fruit tray at the raffle instead of the iPod nano - you're going to need all those oranges and grapefruits.

Salmon
Stress hormones have an archenemy: omega-3 fatty acids. A 2003 study from Diabetes & Metabolism found that a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids kept cortisol and adrenaline from geysering. Omega-3 fatty acids also protect against heart disease, according to a 2002 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. "Eat an 85g serving of fish, especially fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, herring and light tuna, at least twice a week," Jamieson-Petonic says. Not a fish eater? For another omega-3 punch, buy foods fortified with DHA (you'll find this particular fatty acid in eggs, yoghurt, milk and soy products); but don't go out of your way for products that boast booming levels of ALA, another fatty acid, which may not work as well.

Spinach
Magnesium was made to calm our episodes of insanity. First, the mineral can help lower your stress levels, keeping your body in a state of relative ease as you kick off yet another round of PMT-induced crankiness. Not getting enough magnesium may trigger migraine headaches and make you feel fatigued. (And almost seven out of 10 of us don't get enough of the stuff. No wonder we're cranky.) Just one cup of spinach provides 40 per cent of your daily needs - so try subbing it for lettuce on sandwiches and salads. (And now you have an excuse to indulge in as much spinach dip as you like when the monthly munchies take hold.)