Is stress affecting your diet?
Amy Smith, Contributing Writer
"To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe."-Anatole France
Being a college student is not easy. Each day we all face a plethora of challenges that are aimlessly chucked at us from every direction: relationship problems, family problems, school stress, anxiety, loneliness, personal issues, low energy, etc. With the end of the semester coming up, I am sure that most of us feel like we are about to break, like life has finally milked us for all that we're worth and the search to find that extra surge of motivation has become hopeless. It is true that the fate of tomorrow's challenges are out of our hands, for nobody can predict the future. However, what if I could tell you how to find an extra surge of motivation to make tomorrow's challenges a little less stressful? Seems too good to be true, right? Well, today I am going to show you that it is not.
In our society, the idea of "health" has been lost in a whirlwind of notions and myths. Although our media has a tendency to affiliate beauty and health with being super skinny or extremely muscular, being healthy does not mean that we need to follow a strict diet or that we are to forbid ourselves from eating the foods that we enjoy. Being healthy is the idea of knowing our bodies and having the ability to adamantly listen to them. It also consists of knowing the positive and negative affects that certain types of foods can have on our psychological and physiological state.
It is safe to say that most of us suffer from some form of stress each day. But did you know your nutrition plays a large role in how well you are able to handle stress? According to Elizabeth Somer, author of Food and Mood, "stress stimulates the break down of serotonin, which is a mood-regulating neurotransmitter." Low levels of serotonin can result in insomnia, depression, food cravings, an increased sensitivity to pain, aggressive behavior, and poor body-temperature regulation. Sound familiar? Studies have shown that when we experience stress, we tend to crave carbohydrates, caffeine or sugary foods because they help regulate our serotonin levels. As a result, many of us turn straight to the candy bucket, the soda machine, the coffee shop, or the bakery. These types of foods may temporarily reduce our stress, but if overused, they can result in high blood pressure, weight gain, or high blood sugar levels. Instead of loading up on sugar and caffeine, there are some other healthy alternatives to tackle stress cravings.
Dopamine is another neurotransmitter that can be affected by our diets. Dopamine is the chemical in our brain that regulates our energy levels and our moods. Low levels of dopamine can result in mood swings, decreased alertness, a poor ability to cope with stress, and low energy. According to Somer, "protein rich foods are a primary building block for energizing dopamine chemicals." If you suffer from any one of these problems, it could be that your body is not getting enough protein!
It is true that our diets play a large role in the way we function; however there is another essential piece to the puzzle of health: exercise. I am sure that all of us are told that we are supposed to exercise, but do we know why? Along with our diets, exercise may be the solution to our stress related problems. Somer states that "exercise increases blood flow to the muscles and brain, releases energizing hormones, and stimulates the nervous system to produce chemicals, called endorphins, that elevate mood and produce feelings of well being." Studies have also shown that exercises incorporating the deepening of breath and the relaxation of muscles through tension and relief can greatly reduce symptoms of stress. Some of the most beneficial exercises are aerobic activities, like walking, jogging, swimming, and bicycling because they help regulate blood-sugar levels and nerve chemicals, and they provide an endorphin rush without the calories. Nevertheless, any type of physical activity can only benefit you.
Some college students turn to alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, unhealthy foods, or no food as a way to take the edge off, but these mechanisms do not help us in the long run. Why not try some things that will have profound benefits on your health, mood, energy, confidence, and ability to cope with stress? Because we are all victims of habit, it will not be easy to make such a big change, especially with our diets and our exercise habits. But, try it!