College students often employ a number of unhealthy methods to combat stress. Two of the most popular methods are drinking alcohol and inhaling junk food. However, in addition to being unhealthy, this behavior may actually be a part of the problem and not the solution. According to Shawn Talbott, Ph.D., an incredibly effective way to combat stress is healthy eating.
Stress, as we all know, is detrimental to health. Not only does it worsen our moods but it can also damage heart and blood vessels, cause depression or even diabetes (Talbott1). Long term exposure to Cortisol (“the stress hormone”) can increase appetite and cravings for certain foods-especially sweets, causing fat gain, which is highly associated with the development of heart disease, diabetes and cancer (Talbott1). In addition, it also hinders our academic performance. The good news is that one very effective and easy way to manage stress is to eat certain foods. There are foods that help manage inflammation, stress and mood (Talbott2).
If you are looking for anti-inflammatory foods, go pick up some blueberries and dark chocolate. Dark chocolate helps sustain mental energy and blueberries are packed with potassium and vitamin C, which activate the body’s internal production of antioxidant enzymes for anti-inflammatory benefits, particularly for the brain. If you are looking for anti-stress foods, pick up some pumpkin seeds or green tea, which have ample amounts of amino acids that have a relaxing effect on the brain and improve mental focus. For foods that will support mood and reduce inflammation, try fatty fish or fish oil supplements. They are rich in omega-3 fatty acids that will give you a direct injection of energy (Talbott2).
The best news is that all of these things are very easy to find around us. Go to the local grocery store and you can find most, if not all of these. After making a trip to Walmart, I saw for myself that you can find every single one of these in one trip. If you don’t have a car or can’t find a ride, go to McLanahan’s market on Allen Street; you will be able to find at least half of these things.
College is definitely stressful business. We have to keep grades up, study for tests, invest time into networking and extra-curricular activities, and some of us have more time than others do but we all are under tremendous pressure to find jobs that are worth the money we (our parents) are putting into our college education. We must put an effort into stress management in order to make the best out of our college careers and one of the easiest ways to do that is to make sure you are eating foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, amino acids and antioxidant enzymes. This will not only help you improve academically but also give you health advantages that you will certainly appreciate when you are older.
The post is “food for thought,” if we can plan ahead and think more about what we are eating and why we are eating it, we should be able to make better choices for our physical health and for our mental health! Maybe a list would be helpful or the books and charts that point out what the healthy choices are at fast food restaurants for example. Have a plan before you go into the dining hall for example, that you are going to choose healthy foods first, and have one small treat.
I literally went to Chick-fil-a moments before reading your blog and wish I would have taken a minute to read it before I got up and grabbed 500 calories of “stress food.” I think it’s so interesting how much certain foods can effect mood, academic performance, etc. It’s funny how the foods we think will make us feel better when we are stressed actually make us feel worse. Next time I’m cramming for a test, I’ll be sure to grab some blueberries instead of heading straight to the creamery.
I found this to be some really helpful advice, since I am definitely under a lot of stress here at college. I will definitely look into the things you mentioned when I need to “stress eat”, and also purchasing healthy items to have in your apartment/dorm is a good idea when the urge is there. I keep only fruit, veggies, cheese, water, and breakfast bars in my room to make sure I don’t fall down the path of unhealthy eating. On top of it all I find working out to be an amazing stress reliever, if you don’t have the time walk to your class while you still can!
I have previously looked into foods that help reduce stress and anxiety. My sister, being a nutrition major, gave me a few foods that she called “superfoods” that are awesome stress relievers. Many of the foods she listed are the same as the ones you mentioned in this blog post. Take it from me, they work!
It’s really so hard to find the motivation to eat healthy in college, especially with all the junk food constantly around you. I think this post was really informative. I always knew it was better to eat healthy obviously, but I didn’t realize it helped with stress too.
I just went and purchased a mini carton of ice cream because the fro-yo machine was out of order and I needed my fix! I have recently been addicted to ice cream since I’ve been here. I can see why based off of your blog, I think I’ll have a salad tomorrow. lol thanks