By Carleton Rivers, MS, RD, LD

We all deal with stress at some point in our lives. Whether it is caused by your job, family, finances, health or the holidays, stress can be damaging to your health and happiness. Stress can lead to a number of diseases and conditions such as depression, insomnia, heart disease and obesity.

There are several ways to reduce your stress. Maybe you have found relief through meditation or exercise. Perhaps you have found that maintaining a healthy diet is your best course of action in keeping stress at bay. But do you realize that planning ahead might be the key to reducing your stress?

Improve Your Mood with Food! Research has suggested that specific foods may help to improve your mood. Whole Grains Carbohydrates are considered a comfort food because they tell your brain to produce serotonin ("feel good" hormone). However, if you eat too many carbs you may gain weight and cause spikes in your blood sugar levels, leaving you feeling cranky and unhappy. To use carbs to your advantage, choose whole grain options like whole wheat bread, pasta and unsweetened oatmeal. These forms of whole grain are packed with fiber, which will fill you up and help stabilize your blood sugar levels. Omega-3 Fatty Acids Omega-3 fatty acids are found in oily fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel and sardines), as well as flaxseeds, walnuts, canola oil, and enriched or fortified foods like eggs, milk, and bread. B-Vitamins Folate (folic acid) and vitamin B12 are both B-vitamins that may help to improve your mood. Folate is found in a number of foods but is highest in spinach, liver, asparagus and Brussels sprouts. Vitamin B12 is found in fish, meat, poultry, eggs, milk and milk products, as well as fortified foods like breakfast cereals. Vitamin D The best sources of vitamin D are the flesh of fatty fish and fish liver oils. Small amounts of vitamin D are found in beef liver, cheese and egg yolks. Most Americans consume vitamin D from fortified foods like milk and cereal. Also, our bodies can create vitamin D through sun exposure.

Disorganization can be both a cause and symptom of stress that leads to a continuous, unhealthy cycle. So how can this cycle be broken? Just by planning ahead to improve your diet, you can affect many different areas of your life that may be causing you stress. For example, consider the following situations.

Situation 1:  You’ve had a rough day at work. On the way home you realize you do not have any food there, but the last thing you want to do is go to the grocery store and then cook dinner. So instead you find yourself at the nearest fast food restaurant eating a calorie-laden meal, or at the booth of your favorite restaurant about to shovel out more money than you’ve budgeted for this month.

Situation 2:  You’ve had a rough day at work and on your way home you realize you already have your ingredients and recipe ready to make a quick, easy, healthy meal. Maybe you’ve already prepared your meal ahead of time and all you have to do is pull it from the freezer and pop it in the oven.

Which situation sounds less stressful? Planning your weekly meals and snacks ahead of time can help you de-stress by allowing you to save money, save time, and eat more nutritious, home cooked meals. Follow the steps below to begin de-stressing your life one grocery list at a time.

Recipes for Success

Step #1:  Learn About a Healthy Diet
Eating Healthy Through the Lifespan: Pregnancy
Eating Healthy Through the Lifespan: Birth to Toddler
Eating Healthy Through the Lifespan: Preschool to Adolescence
Eating Healthy Through the Lifespan: Adulthood
Eating Healthy Through the Lifespan: Older Adults

Step #2: Budget-Friendly Meal Planning

• Grocery shop once a week
• Set aside 30 to 60 minutes one day a week to plan a week of meals
  • Consult your family calendar and plan meals accordingly
  • Scan your refrigerator and pantry to see what items you already have
  • Visit grocery store websites to view weekly ads (in-season produce and store brands will be less expensive and prepackaged, prepared items will be more expensive)
    • Healthy Grocery Shopping on a Budget
    • Meal Planning Tips
  • Create a week's worth of meals using items you already have and ones that are on sale
  • Create a shopping list based on your weekly meals
    • Pantry Staples
    • Quick, Healthy Meals
  • Be sure to stick to your shopping list when grocery shopping

Sources

• Office of Dietary Supplements. National Institutes of Health, 2014.
• United States Department of Agriculture. What's Cooking? USDA Mixing Bowl.