Dietary Changes Part 3: What Not to Eat

So now that we have touched on what foods will reduce stress-responses and how we can eat to lower our stress levels, we should think about what foods it would be best to avoid when stressed. These foods fall into one of two groups.

Goodies: Simple Sugars and Fats

Eat these as a treat, not as a method for stress relief!

One group to avoid is anything with a lot of sugar and simple carbohydrates; think Twinkie, donut, ice cream, etc. When our bodies become stressed and cortisol floods our bloodstreams, our brains signal the production of catecholamine, a chemical that alters our metabolism to desire more simple sugars and fats. This is because our stress response is also our age-old fight-or-flight response, and our bodies believe that we need fast energy in order to either fight or run. While this might have been necessary on the African savannah, sitting at our desks it is nothing more than a detriment to our health. Over time, it can lead to weight gain amongst many other health problems. It’s best to keep a small and healthy snack nearby in case those cravings hit, such as a small container of mixed nuts.

Stimulants: Caffeine and Psuedoephedrine

Caffeine and psuedoephedrine are some of the most common non-prescription "uppers" taken by the population of the Western World, and Americans in particular. Both of them are taken by many people on a daily basis, and both of them can cause vicious cycles of increased stress response, especially in people who are already stressed out or anxious.

Coffee, the most common source of caffeine in our diets.

Caffeine, as most of us know, is a stimulant that is found in coffee, some teas, and many sodas. It acts on the body like a shot of epinephrine or adrenaline, causing an increase in blood pressure and heart rate. Some studies have found that caffeine-drinkers exhibit higher levels of stress hormones, possibly due to the body interpreting the higher heart rate and blood pressure as a signal to kick off a stress response. Because of this effect, drinking caffeine can actually cause a cycle of increased stress response, leading to anxiety and panic attacks - even when the initial stressor was not all that serious. Take a look at all of the common side effects of caffeine!

Thanks to WikiCommons

In addition, caffeine tends to give a very short “boost” to your alertness, followed by a period of relative sedation, where your alertness actually drops below the pre-caffeinated level. This means that an hour or two after that first cup of coffee, you feel the “need” for more, causing a repeat in the cycle of stress response. This can turn into high levels of stress hormones over a long period of time, leading to long-term stress-induced diseases such as colitis, heart disease, and peptic ulcers.

Psuedoephedrine in a "blister" pack.

Psuedoephedrine, commonly sold as "Sudafed," is an over-the-counter drug for nasal decongestion, and is also a component of many "stay awake" medications and is also (unfortunately) used to make methylamphetamine or meth. It causes the body to release norepinephrine, leading to vasoconstriction (reduced swelling) in nasal and sinus passages. It is also known to increase heart rate, and cause hypertension and even heart palpitations and heart attacks in people who are predisposed to these conditions. If you are already under stress, the use of psuedoephedrine can exacerbate the problem, causing the body to release increasing amount of stress hormones into the blood stream.

And just like caffeine, when the psuedoephedrine wears off, you will often find that you feel worse than before. This leads to taking dose after dose all day long, keeping your body in a hypertensive state that triggers stress reactions. As stress hormones, especially cortisol, build up in your blood, they can cause weakening of the blood vessels. This factor in combination with a tendency for psuedoephedrine to cause heart problems is a really bad combination. 

Unfortunately, many people start taking psuedoephedrine due to stress headaches that they mistakenly believe are sinus headaches, caused by congestion in the sinus passages. Although these headaches may feel similar, they have very different causes. Stress headaches are often caused by elevated blood pressure, leading to the pounding sensation that many people describe as a symptom of their headache. The best way to get rid of these? It's not a medication. Rather than popping a pill and trying to work, take about five minutes to de-stress. 

So How Do You De-Stress?

The simplest way to relax? Take 5 deep breaths.

How can you de-stress during the day  without cramming your face with goodies or ingesting stimulants? There are lots of ways, many of which take five minutes or less. Go for a brief walk, get a (non-caffeinated) drink and sip it slowly, close your eyes and visualize something peaceful, or even just take some slow, deep breaths. If you can, try Donna Eden's Five-Minute routine, easily accessible as a YouTube video. Any of these activities will do more to alleviate your stress or headaches than junk food, caffeine or medication. This is because they go to the root of the issue rather than just masking symptoms - plus, there are no detrimental side effects to worry about. After all, the last thing you need when you are already stressed is to worry that the solution will cause more problems!