Eat Well to Reduce Stress

We now know that a variety of daily nutrients help to regulate our stress levels and our moods. For example, tryptophan, which is found in milk and other dairy products, helps our bodies to build neurotransmitters, such as serotonin. The B vitamins are also important for mental health. Vitamin B12 is crucial for good general health, while other B-complex vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine, pantothenic acid, and biotin) are essential for brain function, enabling you to be cognizant and alert. When you don’t have enough “brain foods,” you can become more prone to stress, anxiety, or depression.

The following list identifies various essential nutrients and their natural sources:

Vitamin A/beta-carotene is found in liver, fish oils, egg yolks, whole milk, and butter, beta-carotene in leafy greens and in yellow and orange vegetables and fruits. This nutrient is depleted by coffee, alcohol, cortisone, mineral oil, fluorescent lights, liver cleansing, excessive intake of iron, or a lack of protein.

Vitamin B6 is found in meats, poultry, fish, nuts, liver, bananas, avocados, grapes, pears, egg yolk, whole grains, and legumes.

Vitamin B12 is found in meats, dairy products, eggs, liver, and fish. Both B12 and B6 are depleted by coffee, alcohol, tobacco, sugar, raw oysters, and birth-control pills.

Vitamin C is found in citrus fruits, broccoli, green peppers, strawberries, cabbage, tomatoes, cantaloupe, potatoes, and leafy greens. Herbal sources are rose hips, yellow dock root, raspberry leaf, red clover, hops, nettles, pine needles, dandelion greens, alfalfa, echinacea, skullcap, parsley, cayenne, and paprika. Vitamin C is depleted by antibiotics, aspirin and other pain relievers, coffee, stress, aging, smoking, baking soda, and high fever.

Vitamin D is found in fortified milk, butter, leafy green vegetables, egg yolk, fish oils, butter, liver, skin exposure to sunlight, and shrimp. There are no herbal sources, as this vitamin is not found in plants. It is depleted by mineral oil used on the skin, frequent baths, and sunscreens with SPF 8 or higher.

Vitamin E is found in nuts, seeds, whole grains, fish-liver oils, fresh leafy greens, kale, cabbage, and asparagus. Herbal sources include alfalfa, rose hips, nettles, dang gui, watercress, dandelions, seaweeds, and wild seeds. Vitamin E is depleted by mineral oil and sulfates.

Vitamin K is found in leafy greens, corn and soybean oils, liver, cereals, dairy products, meats, fruits, egg yolk, and blackstrap molasses. Herbal sources are nettles, alfalfa, kelp, and green tea. Vitamin K is depleted by x-rays and other forms of radiation, air pollution, enemas, frozen foods, antibiotics, rancid fats, and aspirin.

Thiamine (vitamin B1 ) is found in asparagus, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, spirulina, seaweeds, and citrus. Herbal sources are peppermint, burdock, sage, yellow dock, alfalfa, red clover, fenugreek, raspberry leaves, nettles, catnip, watercress, yarrow, briar rose buds, and rose hips.

Riboflavin (vitamin B2 ) is found in beans, greens, onions, seaweeds, spirulina, dairy products, and mushrooms. Herbal sources are peppermint, alfalfa, parsley, echinacea, yellow dock, hops, dandelion, ginseng, dulse, kelp, and fenugreek. Pyridoxine (vitamin B6 ) is found in baked potato with skin, broccoli, prunes, bananas, dried beans and lentils, as well as in all meats, poultry, and fish.

Folic acid (B factor) is found in liver, eggs, leafy greens, yeast, legumes, whole grains, nuts, fruits (bananas, orange juice, and grapefruit juice), and vegetables (broccoli, spinach, asparagus, and brussels sprouts). Herbal sources include nettles, alfalfa, parsley, sage, catnip, peppermint, plantain, comfrey leaves, and chickweed.

Niacin (B factor) is found in a variety of grains, meats, and nuts, but especially in asparagus, spirulina, cabbage, and bee pollen. Herbal sources are hops, raspberry leaf, red clover, slippery elm, echinacea, licorice, rose hips, nettles, alfalfa, and parsley.

Bioflavonoids are found in citrus pulp and rind. Herbal sources are buckwheat greens, blue-green algae, elderberries, hawthorn fruits, rose hips, horsetail, and shepherd’s purse.

Carotenes are found in carrots, cabbage, winter squash, sweet potatoes, dark leafy greens, apricots, spirulina, and seaweeds. Herbal sources include peppermint, yellow dock, uva ursi, parsley, alfalfa, raspberry leaves, nettles, dandelion greens, kelp, green onions, violet leaves, cayenne, paprika, lamb’s-quarters, sage, peppermint, chickweed, horsetail, black cohosh, and rose hips.

Essential fatty acids, including GLA, omega-6, and omega-3, are found in safflower oil, wheat germ oil, and fatty fish. Herbal sources include all wild plants. Commercial sources are flaxseed oil, evening primrose, black currant, and borage.

Boron is found in organic fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Herbal sources are all organic weeds, including chickweed, purslane, nettles, dandelion, and yellow dock.

Calcium is found in milk and dairy products, leafy greens, broccoli, clams, oysters, almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds (including tahini), legumes, tofu, softened bones of canned fish (sardines, mackerel, and salmon), seaweed vegetables, whole grain, whey, and shellfish. Herbal sources are valerian, kelp, nettles, horsetail, peppermint, sage, uva ursi, yellow dock, chickweed, red clover, oatstraw, parsley, black currant leaf, raspberry leaf, plantain leaf and seed, borage, dandelion leaf, amaranth leaves, and lamb’squarters. This mineral is depleted by coffee, sugar, salt, alcohol, cortisone, enemas, and too much phosphorus. Calcium and magnesium help your brain to properly transmit nerve impulses.

Chromium is found in barley grass, bee pollen, prunes, nuts, mushrooms, liver, beets, and whole wheat. Herbal sources are oatstraw, nettles, red clover, catnip, dulse, wild yam, yarrow, horsetail, black cohosh, licorice, echinacea, valerian, and sarsaparilla. Chromium is depleted by white sugar.

Copper is found in liver, shellfish, nuts, legumes, water, organically grown grains, leafy greens, seaweeds, and bittersweet chocolate. Herbal sources are skullcap, sage, horsetail, and chickweed.

Iron occurs in two forms. Heme iron is easily absorbed by the body; nonheme iron not as easily absorbed, so should be taken with Vitamin C. Heme iron is found in liver, meat, and poultry. Nonheme iron is found in dried fruit, seeds, almonds, cashews, enriched and whole grains, legumes, and green leafy vegetables. Herbal sources of iron include chickweed, kelp, burdock, catnip, horsetail, althaea root, milk thistle seed, uva ursi, dandelion leaf and root, yellow dock root, dang gui, black cohosh, echinacea, plantain leaves, sarsaparilla, nettles, peppermint, licorice, valerian, and fenugreek. Iron is depleted by coffee, black tea, enemas, alcohol, aspirin, carbonated drinks, lack of protein, and excess dairy.

Magnesium is found in leafy greens, seaweeds, nuts, whole grains, yogurt, cheese, potatoes, corn, peas, and squash. Herbal sources are oatstraw, licorice, kelp, nettle, dulse, burdock, chickweed, althaea root, horsetail, sage, raspberry leaf, red clover, valerian, yellow dock, dandelion, carrot tops, parsley, and evening primrose. Magnesium is depleted by alcohol, chemical diuretics, enemas, antibiotics, and excessive fat intake.

Manganese is found in any leaf or seed from a plant grown in healthy soil, as well as in seaweeds. Herbal sources are raspberry leaf, uva ursi, chickweed, milk thistle, yellow dock, ginseng, wild yam, hops, catnip, echinacea, horsetail, kelp, nettles, and dandelion.

Molybdenum is found in organically raised dairy products, legumes, grains, and leafy greens. Herbal sources include nettles, dandelion greens, sage, oatstraw, fenugreek, raspberry leaves, red clover, horsetail, chickweed, and seaweeds. Nickel is found in chocolate, nuts, dried beans, and cereals. Herbal sources include alfalfa, red clover, oatstraw, and fenugreek.

Phosphorus is found in whole grains, seeds, and nuts. Herbal sources are peppermint, yellow dock, milk thistle, fennel, hops, chickweed, nettles, dandelion, parsley, dulse, and red clover. This nutrient is depleted by antacids.

Potassium is found in celery, cabbage, peas, parsley, broccoli, peppers, carrots, potato skins, eggplant, whole grains, pears, citrus fruits, and seaweeds. Herbal sources include sage, catnip, hops, dulse, peppermint, skullcap, kelp, red clover, horsetail, nettles, borage, and plantain. Potassium is depleted by coffee, sugar, salt, alcohol, enemas, vomiting, diarrhea, chemical diuretics, and dieting.

Selenium is found in dairy products, seaweeds, grains, garlic, liver, kidneys, fish, and shellfish. Herbal sources are catnip, milk thistle, valerian, dulse, black cohosh, ginseng, uva ursi, hops, echinacea, kelp, raspberry leaf, rose buds and hips, hawthorn berries, fenugreek, sarsaparilla, and yellow dock.

Silicon is found in unrefined grains, root vegetables, spinach, and leeks. Herbal sources are horsetail, dulse, echinacea, cornsilk, burdock, oatstraw, licorice, chickweed, uva ursi, and sarsaparilla.

Sulfur is found in eggs, dairy products, cabbage-family plants, onions, garlic, parsley, and watercress. Herbal sources include nettles, sage, plantain, and horsetail.

Zinc is found in oysters, other seafood, meat, liver, eggs, whole grains, wheat germ, pumpkin seeds, and spirulina. Herbal sources include skullcap, sage, wild yam, chickweed, echinacea, nettles, dulse, milk thistle, and sarsaparilla. Zinc is depleted by alcohol and air pollution.

Carbohydrates and Stress

One of the most important factors in combating stress is maintaining normal blood sugar levels. Many people suffer from repeated episodes oflow blood sugar, known as hypoglycemia. This is usually caused by consuming too many carbohydrates, which produce an initial rush of energy, followed by a tremendous crash, sometimes known as postprandial depression (meaning after-meal depression). In fact, when you’re under stress or feeling depressed, it’s not at all unusual to crave simple carbohydrates, such as sugars and sweets. The simpler the carbohydrate, the faster it breaks down into glucose, and the faster the drop in blood sugar, leading to a drop in mood.

If you think you suffer from low blood sugar, schedule an appointment with a nutritionist through your primary care physician. Plan a diet that is based on a variety of foods, rather than one that is mostly carbohydrates. By increasing your intake of protein and fiber, you can help to delay the breakdown of your food into glucose, which will keep your blood sugar levels more stable throughout the day.

Finally, stress can cause us to miss meals or eat on the run, which means we’re often eating high-starch foods with very little nutrients. Instead, sit down to eat meals, and try to rest or relax before eating. These practices can improve digestion.