If stress is affecting day-to-day life then no food or supplement is going to provide a cure; you need to seek the right help to address the root of the problem. However, you can support your health by eating the right foods.
Stress can increase your body’s requirement for magnesium and B vitamins, which help to support the nervous system, so try to include plenty of wholegrain foods, nuts, seeds, green veggies and oily fish. You could also consider taking a supplement while you get back on track. Low levels of these nutrients may cause you to have little energy and feel fatigued, which can only add to stressful situations.
Stress can also encourage bad eating habits, which will reduce the quality of your diet. Try your best to eat three regular meals a day, made up of highly nutritious foods including protein, healthy fats, fibre and plenty of veg, which will keep you feeling full, balance your blood sugar levels and put you back on an even keel. Healthy snacking is fine but it shouldn’t replace regular, healthy meals.
Our nutrition expert is Rob Hobson, author of new book Cheats & Eats
