April 5 – Stress Awareness Month - Friday Food for Thought
Feeling anxious or stressed? Some of it could be related to your diet. Next week on Friday we'll take a look at some of the foods you can eat that will help you relieve stress, but for now, let's look at foods that may be adding to your stress.
- Sugar – When you're already feeling the effects of stress and anxiety, refined sugar can increase your bad mood. It gives you an energy high when you first eat it, but the crash will leave you feeling even worse.
- Carbs – Certain carbs are rich in starch and give you a blood sugar spike just like refined sugar (because your body rapidly converts them into sugar), leading to the same low after your body processes them. Avoid things made with wheat flour, potatoes, etc when you're already feeling stressed.
- Caffeine – In moderation, caffeine can be a good mood lifter. However, if you drink (or eat) too much, it will add to your anxiety and increase your feelings of stress. It can also cause heart palpitations because of its stimulating nature.
