Stress
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Stress affects almost everyone at some point in their lives. It can stem from a specific event such as bereavement or trauma, demands from work, home life, or simply the constant struggle and increasing pressure of everyday modern life.
Overview
Sometimes, stress can trigger a positive response, motivating us into action. For example, feeling stressed due to upcoming exams can often push people to revise harder and be fully prepared. However, too much stress over a prolonged period, particular stemming from areas we have no control over, can lead to negative effects on the mind and body.
Effects on the mind:
- mood swings
- very short temper, prone to snapping at people
- over-emotional and easy to cry
- becoming withdrawn
- unable to focus on one task at a time, for fear of neglecting another
- depression.
Effects on the body:
- disturbed sleep/ insomnia
- appetite fluctuations
- comfort eating
- digestion problems
- increased heart rate/ palpitations
- increased blood pressure.
Taking good care of yourself is one of the best ways to help prevent and deal with stress. A nutritionist can advise on this, developing a plan that is specifically tailored to a person’s stresses and lifestyle.
A nutritionist can help combat and prevent stress in three areas:
Exercise
Exercise can be an excellent stress reliever, allowing the body to challenge all the nervous energy into an activity and out of the body. It also means that, after exercise, the body is physically tired, which can help with sleep problems. If time is an issue, a nutritionist can suggest methods of exercise you may not have thought of, and ways it can fit in around your lifestyle.
Relaxing
Knowing how to relax is also essential. This can be different for everyone – some prefer to stimulate the mind through activities such as reading, where as some prefer to try and clear the mind completely, such as through a massage or long bath.
Diet
Diet can often suffer during times of stress – whether it’s time constraints meaning that grabbing fast food on the go is the only option, or a loss of appetite, or turning to food for comfort. Having a healthy diet in place can help prevent stress in the first place, and maintaining it will help keep up energy levels and coping mechanisms. People often turn to vices such as excessive drinking and smoking during times of stress – a nutritionist can suggest ways of lowering alcohol and nicotine intake. A nutritionist can also suggest a sensible eating plan even with time and budget constraints.
Visit Eating Disorders if you would like to find out more about how our unhealthy eating habits can often relate to our psychological health.
A healthy body is a body better equipped to deal with stress, and help prevent the effects of it. In a modern, stressful society looking after ourselves will ultimately pay off. Having a nutritionist means that this is easily achieved and maintained.
All content displayed on Nutritionist Resource is provided for general information purposes only, and should not be treated as a substitute for advice given by your GP or any other healthcare professional. Whilst some people have benefited from nutritional therapy, no claims can be made to treat, cure or heal specific conditions, and we strongly advise individuals with any health problem to seek independent medical advice from their GP before considering nutritional therapy.