The stress and tensions of everyday life make us lose energy . There are foods that act as natural stress relievers and help reduce anxiety and fatigue . Angélique invites you to discover in this article our anti-stress range and some foods that you could favor during your nervous periods.
What to remember about stress?
Stress, although it was initially useful for the development of our species, is now disabling for a large part of the population, in fact 9 out of 10 French people say they suffer from stress.
It represents all of the responses of an organism which is subjected to different pressures from its environment. Stress can arise when an individual does not have a healthy lifestyle, spends too much time in front of screens, lacks sleep, suffers from work pressure or tension in the workplace. family setting. Thus a succession of events can provoke physiological as well as psychosomatic responses. It manifests itself through signs on the physical, emotional and mental levels.
Indeed when stress becomes debilitating it is necessary to take actions aimed at reducing it because too much stress can cause illnesses such as very violent migraines, skin problems such as acne or psoriasis, it also increases the risk of having cardiovascular disease and blood pressure problems.
On a psychological level it can cause depression or burn-out.
To relieve it and help you live it better, you can first make certain resolutions and secondly favor certain foods, supplements or plants.
The 5 natural anti-stress elements
Plants, ancestral remedies to combat stress
One of the most effective natural remedies to combat stress is plants. In fact, adaptogenic plants are growing all over the world and are particularly effective in combating the excessive emotions caused by our contemporary lifestyle:
The most effective plants are:
- In China, Ginseng roots traditionally help fight fatigue and stress by stimulating brain activity and energizing the body.
- In Siberia it is the roots of Rhodiola which are highlighted for their stress-relieving properties. They help improve memory and concentration but also reduce nervous fatigue.
- In Greece, Valerian has been used since ancient times to reduce nervous tension and sleep disorders.
- In West Africa a climbing plant, Griffonia, known to be one of the most effective in herbal medicine to fight depression, anxiety also has therapeutic values to prevent stress
Essential oils, natural elements with concentrated benefits
Essential oils are grandmother's remedy of choice for erasing small everyday ailments. They are particularly effective in reducing stress, in particular:
- Petitgrain Bigarade essential oil is known for its antispasmodic effect and its ability to regulate the respiratory system. It is also known as the oil of the “heart”, it helps regulate exacerbated emotions on an emotional level. It thus makes it possible to accompany a sentimental loss but can also play a role in any situation of stress, anxiety, tension...
- Lavender oil is known to be a natural anti-stress agent reducing nervous disorders such as anxiety, insomnia and agitation.
- Chamomile, often used in the form of herbal tea, can also be used in the form of essential oil for its soothing properties helping to reduce tension and anxiety.
Sport, the true ally of physical and psychological well-being
Any type of physical activity is beneficial against stress. As soon as the body gets into action, running, swimming, pulling, stretching, hormones called endorphins are released. They have a natural anti-stress action on the nerves, a real addiction to sport can thus be developed! No more medications are needed.
Meditation and breathing, 2 effective ways to refocus on yourself
From a psychological point of view, mediation is the best way to refocus on yourself by focusing on the sensations felt by the body and mind. Negative and positive emotions are then welcomed by the mind and allow you to let go.
Breathing is the best physical way to de-stress, in fact there is a link between breathing and certain areas of the brain, notably the l ocus coeruleus . These areas notably regulate our emotional health.
The 5 natural anti-stress foods to include in your meals
In general, it is important to have a good, healthy lifestyle to combat peaks of anxiety and general states of stress. It is therefore important to sleep, do sports, meditate but above all it is important to eat a balanced diet.
However, we note that 4 specific foods help to naturally reduce stress. Foods to consume without moderation are:
- Chocolate: the natural food that exceptionally treats stress is cocoa. In reality, it contains a significant quantity of magnesium , but 75% of French people lack magnesium, a macro mineral that is nevertheless essential for the proper development and functioning of the human body. So cocoa is a very effective substance which fulfills several functions including the restoration of nervous and muscular balance. Magnesium also contains phenylethylamine which vitalizes good physical and cerebral activity and intervenes on the hormone responsible for regulating our mood. Thus, a constant and moderate diet of chocolate helps reduce cortisol levels. The latter is one of the hormones that are secreted during stress . However, you must be careful to only consume dark chocolate with a minimum of 70% cocoa and cocoa beans.
- Banana is a wonderful fruit that provides more energy , vitamins and minerals to our body . It is rich in potassium and also contains tryptophan, an amino acid precursor of the well-being neurotransmitter serotonin. Thus it participates in the regulation of our mood.
- Honey produced by bees has stress-relieving properties. It should be noted that lime honey is a very particular honey which has the power to act on the entire nervous system through its richness in minerals . Royal jelly can also be used to support the body during temporary fatigue and improve its health and well-being.
- Green vegetables are important anti-stress foods. Spinach, cabbage, watercress and broccoli are very beneficial vegetables for health and provide balance to the body thanks to their high nutrient content. They are composed of vitamins and minerals such as iron, calcium and magnesium which are important for balance during multiple nutrient losses from the body during periods of high stress.
