Use Good Nutrition to Cope with Stress

By Kara Ten Kley, Registered Dietitian

Did you know that good nutrition actually helps to maintain good health in the face of stress? On the other hand, poor health and poor general nutrition can lead to fatigue, poor concentration, and weakness thereby diminishing your ability to manage stress.

How do you know if you are stressed? By definition, stress is physical, mental or emotional strain or tension. We all have some expected stress in our lives — after all, life would be kind of dull and unexciting otherwise. Stress is the body's general response to any demand, pleasant or unpleasant. During times of stress your body physiologically prepares to "fight or flee." If you do neither, your stress response can be channeled into physical symptoms, such as problems with eating or sleeping.

How does daily stress affect nutrition and the way you eat? Psychological stress or tension is something we face daily. To help deal with stress, it is important to know the way your body reacts to overload. Some people lose interest in eating when under stress. On the other hand, some use eating as a diversion from stressful situations. A full stomach and digestive tract cause a relative decrease in brain-blood circulation (Kisselef effect), giving a feeling of relaxation.

Are you concerned about your eating habits? Do you feel that some of your eating habits are related to stress? There are lots of ways to help cope with stress and related eating issues. Some people turn to food for comfort and may overeat in an effort to calm themselves. A physical calm and sleepiness occur because lots of food at one time drives blood to the digestive system. Eating is also a diversion from stress and may provide a feeling of control when other things may feel out of control.