We talk about the best foods for losing weight, those that provide a boost when we exercise, and those that repair and replenish the muscles as they break down. All are important for better health, as in every one of these instances the right diet is going to make for healthier organs and stronger muscles and connective tissue. But there is another area that food can help our overall health: working those foods that help us relax into our diet.
When we discuss relaxation foods, we can mistakenly think that a certain food gives a calming effect when it actually has the opposite effect. We talk about having an alcoholic beverage to relax, but in fact it stimulates our body to produce those same hormones we produce when under stress. Others, such as caffeine in coffee or caffeinated soda, stimulate the nervous system. Foods high in sugar cause insulin spikes leading to fatigue, and salty food causes fluid retention, leading to heart and blood pressure issues. All should be avoided when we are trying to wind down and relax.
There are certain foods that go into the food-relaxing category:
1. Oatmeal. Oats are rich in Vitamin B6 and melatonin. The former is the anti-stress vitamin and the ladder is a natural hormone that helps promote sleep. Just be sure that it isn't loaded with sugar or other unhealthy additions.
2. Green tea. It will have some caffeine, although not at the levels of coffee, but it more than compensates with an amino acid called L-theanine, a natural stress-reliever. This will act as a natural mood enhancer by stimulating the production of alpha brain waves, which we emit when we are in a more relaxed state. Additionally, green tea is known to reduce high blood pressure.
3. Bananas. People who do a lot of resistance training know of the benefits of bananas because of their high levels of magnesium and potassium. These nutrients are natural muscle relaxers, and before our entire body can relax we must make sure our muscles relax.
4. Celery. Even in ancient history celery was known as an antidote to stress, most people don't think of grabbing a stalk of celery to calm their nerves. But there is a definite correlation with celery's ability to decrease hypertension and relaxation, and eating celery regularly will lower high blood pressure.
5. Salmon and other cold-water fish. It's all about omega-3 fats, which has so many health benefits. One more is to boost levels of serotonin while it reduces the production of cortisol and adrenaline, known to promote anxiety.
6. Milk. People take a warm glass of milk before bed because it contains tryptophan, and when that converts to serotonin it helps us sleep. Low-fat milk is much better overall, and its calcium and vitamin D have been thought to also lessen anxiety and depression.
These are a few foods that will put you into a certain state of mind. It's not that anyone wants to go through life 24/7 in a state of constant bliss, but there are times when we should certainly wind down and relax. By doing it through a healthy diet instead of popping pills is certainly a better way to go.
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