Many of us aim to eat better for various personal reasons, lose weight, reduce the risk of diseases in the wake of an illness, sleep better or have better quality sleep and live longer. However, our food choices also play a powerful role in our daily activities, ability to focus, think, enjoy our activities, be productive or follow our creative passions.
Within our FREE Festival of Wellbeing No 3, our Wellbeing Delivery Manager, Vicky Fytche, delivered a nutrition talk ‘Good Food, Good Mood’ with the purpose to increase knowledge on how good food=good mood! In line with April’s Stress Awareness Month, we aim to keep stress away and help everyone take a few more steps on their wellbeing path.
- Healthy meals and snacks every 3 to 4 hours
A handy way to start and maintain a healthy diet, is to aim for 3 meals per day and 1-2 snacks if you feel your energy levels starting to reduce and fatigue kicking in. It’s important to listen to what your body needs and fuel appropriately.
Having healthy meals at the same time each day will also help stabilise levels of cravings and realise if we are hungry versus stressed or worried. Another tip here is when we are hungry, any food will do; when it’s just a craving, we want to eat something specific, like sweets or fast food so noticing when you are hungry and making a mindful decision of which food to reach for.
- Why is it important to check the nutrition label?
Nutrition labels can help you select among many products and choosing between similar products based on their ingredients and nutritional value. Food labels can also help us get into the habit of understanding foods that are higher in fat, sugar, salt etc and provide the opportunity to make healthier choices.
Nutrition labels are often displayed as a panel or grid on the front, back or side of packaging and the label includes information on energy (kJ/kcal), fat (saturated fat), carbohydrates, sugars, protein, fibre and salt.
It may also provide additional information on specific nutrients, such as fibre. All nutrition information is provided per 100 grams and sometimes per portion. When it comes to sugar, experts recommend opting for foods with 5g of sugar per 100g of product.
- Cortisol and stress-relieving foods
Certain foods can help reduce your levels of cortisol, the primary hormone responsible for stress, also known as the “stress hormone” the adrenal gland releases into your bloodstream when you’re in a stressful situation as your body perceives stress. Cortisol causes an increase in your heart rate and blood pressure. Stress-relieving foods are fish, poultry, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats. The goal is to eat foods that reduce inflammation in your body, which means fewer processed foods and more whole foods. Fortified whole grains and some animal sources have many B vitamins, particularly vitamin B12 – Beef, chicken, eggs, and cereals.
Eating avocados, salmon, sardines and walnuts for omega-3 and magnesium-rich foods are hugely beneficial for metabolizing cortisol and relaxing the body and mind, such as bananas, broccoli, dark chocolate and spinach.
- Proteins – do we have enough to provide us with energy throughout the day?
On average, women need 46 grams of protein and men need around 56 grams of protein, but it can vary depending on how active your lifestyle is, any health conditions you may have and what your physical goal is. For example, one egg = 6 grams of protein.
Protein is the powerhouse nutrient. It helps your body grow and maintain muscles, skin, hair and nails, and blood vessels. Protein also plays a crucial role in balancing blood sugar levels and synthesizing hormones and enzymes in your body. Popular protein rich foods are meat, fish, poultry, beans, almonds, chicken breast, eggs, lentils, quinoa and tuna.
- Drink plenty of water
89% of people in the UK say they don’t drink enough water and 75% of adults say they don’t drink any water daily – this can have significant effects on move regulation, performance, and physical and psychological energy levels*.
If we lose 2% of our body water content, we will notice a decrease in performance of up to 13%, affecting concentration, motivation or other daily tasks. In addition, symptoms of headaches, weakness, dry lips and mood swings might follow.
We can ask ourselves – How hydrated am I feeling? Ideally, we would aim for a minimum of 6 glasses of water a day with the occasional cup of tea. If water isn’t your favourite drink, try adding fresh fruits like lemon, cucumber or strawberries to give it some flavour! If you are feeling thirsty, you are already dehydrated so you could treat yourself to a fancy water bottle to make the act of drinking water more enjoyable!
Healthy eating tips for Stress Awareness Month and beyond
- Colour is key
It’s essential to ensure you are getting as many nutrient groups into your diet as possible; an easy way to do this is by eating various coloured foods. For example, the colours in fruit and vegetables can tell us a lot about their nutritional value. When making meals try and aim for at least half of the plate made up of vegetables and ideally the delicious green veggies such as kale, spinach, rocket etc. We have an abundance of seasonal vegetables and fruits available at our fingertips so check out what’s in season and get creative in the kitchen!
- Utilise proteins and healthy fats to stay full and stop snacking
At home or work, it’s very easy to graze throughout the day and not stick to a routine. Try to keep to your usual mealtime routines and avoid excessive snacking which is easy when stress levels start to rise and we need a release. Have healthy foods readily available at snack times such as fresh fruit, crudites and a dip (ideally homemade), boiled eggs, small handful of nuts, rice cakes and cottage cheese, peanut butter and mashed banana, yogurt, avocado…the list is endless! Protein rich foods and foods containing healthy fats are more satisfying than quick convenience foods and will keep you feeling fuller for longer.
- Cut down on processed foods
Where possible, cut out any unnecessary preservatives and ingredients such as resins and emulsifiers. If you don’t have the time to make your own, try checking the ingredients on products and aim for simple, non-processed food as often as possible.
The key to lowering stress is a holistic body and mind approach through exercising, getting enough sleep and nourishing our body with good foods to manage chronic diseases like hypertension, diabetes and obesity.
‘’A balanced diet is eating a wide variety of food in the right proportions and consuming the right amount of food and drink to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.’’ – Eat Well, NHS.
*Source: British Nutrition Foundation
If you are considering adopting a healthier lifestyle, we welcome all newcomers to the Club to try their first class FREE and meet our team of expert instructors who are here to help you reach your wellbeing goals. Head over to our ‘Try a free class’ page to book your space.