from Women's Health

Forget everything you've heard about stress-eating being a bad thing. If you put the
right foods in your pie hole (i.e., not pie), noshing when your nerves are jangling can
actually calm you down. And that's great news, because the last thing you need is more
stress, which over time can increase your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease,
and obesity -- and the odds that you'll go ballistic on Mom when she asks, for the third
time, what your unemployed fiancé does for a living. These yummy, easy-to-find foods
soothe stress and can counteract the damage that chronic pressure does to your bod.
Stock up on the lot of them so that when the tension rises you can eat instead of freak.

Almonds, Pistachios & Walnuts

When all hell breaks loose, reach for a handful of almonds. They're bursting with vitamin
E, an antioxidant that bolsters the immune system. Almonds also contain B vitamins,
which may help your body hold up during seriously unpleasant events (like getting a
year's membership to Match.com as a present). About a quarter cup every day is all you
need. Another easy way to get a fix is to switch from traditional PB to almond butter on
high-tension days. (We like All Natural Barney Butter Almond Butter, $7,
barneybutter.com.)

Avocados

The next time stress has you hankering for a high-fat, creamy treat, skip the ice cream
and try some homemade guacamole -- the thick, rich texture can satisfy your craving
and reduce those frantic feelings. Plus, the green wonders' double whammy of
monounsaturated fat and potassium can lower blood pressure. (For a healthy recipe
favorites in under 20 minutes, check out the WH Recipes homepage.) One of the best
ways to reduce high blood pressure, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood
Institute, is to get enough potassium -- and just half an avocado offers 487 milligrams,
more than you'll get from a medium-size banana. To whip up your own avocado salad
dressing, puree a medium avocado with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and a dash of
cayenne.

Skim Milk

Science backs up the old warm-milk remedy for insomnia and restlessness. Turns out
calcium can reduce muscle spasms and soothe tension, says Mary Dallman, Ph.D.,

professor of physiology at the University of California, San Francisco. A glass of moo
juice (preferably skim or 1 percent) may also reduce stressful PMS symptoms such as
mood swings, anxiety, and irritability. According to a 2005 study from the Archives of
Internal Medicine, women who drank four or more servings of low-fat or skim milk per
day had a 46 percent lower risk of pre-period misery than women who had no more than
one serving per week.

Oatmeal

Carbohydrates make the brain produce more serotonin, the same relaxing brain
chemical released when you eat dark chocolate. The more slowly your body absorbs
carbs, the more steadily serotonin flows, according to Judith Wurtman, Ph.D., a former
MIT research scientist and co-author of The Serotonin Power Diet. The result: a
less-likely-to-snap you. Because thick, hearty oatmeal is high in fiber, few things take
longer for your stomach to digest, says Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D., author of Food &
Mood. Wurtman also recommends topping it with a swirl of jam for a quicker release of
serotonin. When you know it's going to be a doozy of a day, avoid heavily processed
varieties (e.g., the sugary kind that come in packets meant for the microwave), which
are digested more quickly, and take the time to make thick-cut old-fashioned oats, like
McCann's Original Steel-Cut Irish Oatmeal ($6 for 28 oz, amazon.com). But if two
minutes for breakfast is all you have, you can still do your mood a favor by opting for
instant oatmeal over Cocoa Puffs.

Oranges

Fretting over a job interview or presentation at work? Pour yourself a glass of Florida's
famous juice or peel yourself an orange. The magic nutrient here is vitamin C. In a study
in Psychopharmacology, German researchers subjected 120 people to a
public-speaking task plus a series of math problems. Those who took 3,000 milligrams
of vitamin C reported that they felt less stressed, and their blood pressure and levels of
cortisol (a stress hormone) returned to normal faster. "Vitamin C is also a well-known
immune system booster," says Amy Jamieson-Petonic, R.D., a spokesperson for the
American Dietetic Association. So don't be bummed that you got a
fruit-of-the-month-club gift instead of the video Nano -- you're going to need all those
oranges and grapefruits.

Salmon

Stress hormones have an archenemy: omega-3 fatty acids. A 2003 study from Diabetes
& Metabolism found that a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids kept cortisol and adrenaline
from geysering. Omega-3 fatty acids also protect against heart disease, according to a
2002 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. "Eat a three-ounce
serving of fish, especially fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, herring, and light tuna, at least
twice a week," Jamieson-Petonic says. Not a fish eater? For another omega-3 punch,
buy foods fortified with DHA (you'll find this particular fatty acid in eggs, yogurt, milk, and
soy products); but don't go out of your way for products that boast booming levels of

ALA, another fatty acid, which may not work as well.

Spinach

Magnesium was made to calm holiday insanity. First, the mineral can help lower your
stress levels, keeping your body in a state of relative ease as you kick off yet another
round of small talk at the company party. Not getting enough magnesium may trigger
migraine headaches and make you feel fatigued. (And almost seven out of 10 of us
don't get enough of the stuff. No wonder we're cranky.) Just one cup of spinach
provides 40 percent of your daily value -- so try subbing it for lettuce on sandwiches and
salads. (And now you have an excuse to indulge in the spinach dip!)
The Guidance Center
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