10 Ways to Eat Well When Life Is Stressful

If you eat in response to stress, you are not responding to real hunger but instead to a coping mechanism—comfort food.

A study reported in Physiology Behavior found that 73 percent of participants reported eating more sweets and fewer meal-type foods, such as meat, seafood, fruits, and vegetables, during periods of stress.

Whether you overeat or eat poorly during times of stress, it helps to do a little "self-monitoring," and pay attention to your eating habits and the types of foods you eat.

Stress management tactics such as exercise or meditation usually require a long-term plan. But you can start with these tips to help you take control of emotional eating:

• Maintain a normal eating schedule. Start with a healthy breakfast and eat a meal or a healthy snack every three to four hours. Eat enough to feel satisfied but not stuffed.
• Don't skip meals. When you skip or delay meals, you become overly hungry and are more likely to overeat and less likely to make healthy food choices.
• Keep healthy snacks on hand and ready to eat. If you start to randomly eat during stressful times, stock up on nutritious snacks such as cut-up raw vegetables, vegetable juice, fresh and dried fruit, whole-grain cereals, reduced-fat cheese sticks, and yogurt.
• Plan your snacks. Schedule "mini meals" once or twice during the day so that you won't get too hungry. Rather than grabbing a handful of chips or cookies from the store, sit down to a healthier combination of foods such as a dozen grapes and a small container of yogurt sprinkled with cereal.
• Pay attention to hunger. If it's not your normal meal or snack time but you are reaching for food, ask yourself if it's real hunger or emotional hunger. There are ways to tell: Real hunger comes on gradually, while emotional hunger is usually sudden and intense. Emotional eating involves cravings for specific types of foods as opposed to the combination of foods normally eaten at a meal.
• Eat slowly and mindfully. Use mealtimes and snack times as rest periods. That way, you'll slow down and focus on your food rather than on the events that are causing you stress.
• Pay attention to feelings of fullness. If you're eating while stressed, you are more likely to eat when you're not really hungry, and to keep eating even when you're full.
• Enjoy your favorite foods in moderation. There's no point in denying yourself simple pleasures when you're under stress. Enjoy your favorite comfort foods in reasonable portions and in the context of an otherwise healthy diet.
• Drink plenty of water. When you go to grab food, grab a cup or bottle of water instead. Use the time while you're drinking water to figure out if you're really hungry or just desire food for comfort.
• Avoid consuming excess caffeine or energy drinks when you are already feeling over-stimulated.

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Sources:

Oliver, G and Wardle, J; "Perceived Effects of Stress on Food Choice" Physiology & Behavior 1999 66(3)511-515 Web 25 Nov 2011
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031938498003229

Purdue University Student Wellness Office: Cut it! Keep it Small; don't eat it all.
http://www.purdue.edu/swo/nutrition/KnowItAll/HealthyEatingWeightManagement/CutIt.pdf

Temple University: Emotional Eating: Hunger vs. Stress Web 25 Nov 2011
http://www.temple.edu/hr/EmotionalEatingHungervs.Stress.htm

Super Foods to Prevent PMS

Eliminating some foods from your diet may help relieve some symptoms of premenstrual syndrome. Adding others may help even more. Here's how to eat to beat PMS.

There are diet strategies for treating and preventing some symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), such as water retention, bloating, moodiness, and weight gain. These strategies include cutting back on salt and salty foods, such as processed meats and canned products, consuming less caffeine, sugar and alcohol, and following a diet that is generally high in fiber and low in fat. Overall, a diet to prevent PMS is the same general diet most people should follow in order to stay healthy and avoid weight gain.

That means cutting back on table salt, salty chips and other snack foods, sugary desserts, and fried foods, and eating more fiber- and nutrient-rich fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grain products. But fighting PMS also means including some very specific foods in your diet, especially those that are high in calcium and manganese. These two minerals have been show to be deficient in people who suffer from PMS and at the same time, high levels have been found in people who have normal menstrual cycles and experience few or no physical or psychological discomfort.

Healthy foods that are high in calcium include reduced-fat varieties of most dairy products, such as milk, yogurt, and cheese. Collards, spinach and other leafy green vegetables, legumes such as black-eyed peas and other beans, canned salmon, soy products such as some brands of tofu and fortified soy milk, and other fortified, dairy-alternatives such as rice milk and almond milk beverages, also contribute significant amounts of calcium to the diet.

Good sources of manganese include whole grains and whole-grain foods, such as bulgur wheat, buckwheat and oats, almonds; brown rice; pecans, peanuts and other nuts, and seeds, pinto beans, navy beans, and other legumes; pineapple, pineapple juice, spinach, and sweet potatoes.  Green and black teas also provide significant amounts of manganese.

Speak to your physician before you take calcium or manganese in supplement form for the treatment of PMS. While it is almost impossible to get too much of a nutrient from food, it is possible to overdose on mineral supplements. You may already be taking calcium supplements, and you may be getting enough manganese from supplemental products marketed for joint health or arthritis. Since researchers are not yet sure which of these minerals is directly associated with PMS and there are no recommended doses for PMS treatment, your best bet for now is to get your calcium and manganese from food or from supplements recommended by a doctor who takes a holistic (whole-body) approach to your health.

Sources:

Penland, JG and Johnson, PE. "Dietary Calcium and Manganese Effects on Menstrual Cycle Symptoms."  American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 1993 May;168(5):1417-23. Web. Sep 2011
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8498421

Shamberger, RJ. "Calcium, Magnesium, and other Elements in the Red Blood Cells and Hair of Normals and Patients with Premenstrual Syndrome." Biological Trace Element Research. 2003 Aug;94(2):123-9 Web. Sep 2011
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12958403

American Dietetic Association: Premenstrual Syndrome Web. 23 Sep 2011
http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=11181

MedlinePlus: Manganese. Web. Sep 2011
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/182.html

Oregan State University: Manganese. Web. Sep 2011
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/minerals/manganese/

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Holiday Foods that Won�t Aggravate Your IBS

Facing the upcoming holiday celebrations and the inevitable food frenzy they provoke can be difficult if you have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Irritable bowel syndrome is a common disorder that affects the large intestine (or colon)-and more than 20 percent of U.S. adults suffer from it. Although the disorder doesn't usually lead to other diseases, it can be extremely uncomfortable, causing

Abdominal cramps or painConstipationDiarrheaSwollen or bloated stomachGas

For many IBS sufferers, traditional holiday fare such as chocolate, alcohol, creamy soups, sauces, fried foods, carbonated beverages, and some fruits and vegetables can exacerbate symptoms. But that doesn't mean that you have to forego holiday parties or family celebrations this year. Just be aware of your particular food triggers and make some simple adjustments. Here, some tips to consider:

If you're having turkey, choose white meat and leave the dark meat behind. Red meat can be fine as long as you avoid high-fat cuts like strip steak or rib eye. Also try substituting fish for meat or poultry.Try baked sweet potatoes or plain baked potatoes if butter and milk causes problems. And be sure to leave out the gravy.Stick to foods high in fiber such as brown rice, steamed vegetables, lima, kidney and navy beans.Cooked fruits such as applesauce and cranberry sauce are generally well- tolerated as are steamed vegetables.Pass up the white dinner rolls and pick the whole grain ones instead.If pie is your passion, but the crust is hard on your digestive system, try eating only the filling and leaving the crust behind.

The holiday season can be a stressful time of year, but you can keep your stress level low by remembering to do the following:

Practice meditation, yoga, and other stress management techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy, hypnotherapy, and biofeedback.Maintain your exercise routine. Regular exercise helps relieve depression and stress and stimulates normal contractions of your intestines.Before going out, set aside at least 20 minutes to relax. Listen to music, read, play computer games, or soak in a warm bath.Stick to eating several small meals, rather than three big ones.Drink plenty of water. Herbal teas such as peppermint, which soothes the gastrointestinal tract, and chamomile, which reduces intestinal inflammation, are also good choices.

Sources:

livestrong.com/article/268688-what-foods-make-ibs-worse

irritable-bowel-syndrome.ws/eating-for-ibs-diet.htm

mayoclinic.com/health/irritable-bowel-syndrome/DS00106

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Are Brown Foods Really Better?

Whether it's an egg, a loaf of bread, or a type of sugar, brown foods somehow seem healthier, more natural. But are they?

If a baked good is brown because it is made with whole-grain flour, rather than all-purpose white, then brown is usually better. Whole-grain foods are naturally rich in fiber, B vitamins, and minerals such as iron and zinc. Thanks to the government enrichment program, which requires food processors to add back nutrients that are lost in the milling of white all-purpose flour, white flour often contains as much if not more vitamins and minerals than whole-wheat. The main nutritional difference is the fiber that is lost when white flour is used to make bread products and other baked goods both commercially and at home.

But some dark-colored breads, such as pumpernickel or "brown bread" and other baked goods, including cereals, are browner than others because of added food coloring or dark colored sweeteners, such as molasses or dark corn syrup. They are not necessarily higher in fiber. You have to read the ingredient list on the product's label to be sure.

Brown rice tops white on the nutrition scorecard because it is naturally higher in fiber, but thanks again to the enrichment process, both brown and white rice are good sources of vitamins and minerals.

In spite of similar numbers on the nutrition facts label, however, most health experts recommend getting your vitamins and minerals naturally, whenever possible, rather than through enrichment, which puts lost nutrients back in the food, or fortification, which adds extra nutrients that were never in the food to begin with. That means, in many cases, choosing whole-grain baked goods and pastas, brown rice and other grain and cereal foods that are natural shades of brown.

There are reasons for this. The first is that added synthetic vitamins and minerals may not be as readily absorbed and used by your body as those that occur naturally in foods. So many foods are now enriched and fortified that it is becoming more likely you can ultimately get more of a nutrient than you need from food alone, which, like getting too much from supplements, can throw off the balance of nutrients in your body. Also, when nutrients are added to foods, they sometimes add a bitter taste. If that's the case, that taste has to be covered up by the addition of sugar or other masking flavors, or the product will never sell. These additions may add up to a food that actually isn't all that healthy for you.

White sugar is brown sugar that has had the molasses removed. While a few nutrients are lost during that process, the difference between white and brown sugars in not at all significant. Honey, maple syrup and agave nectar are examples of naturally dark sweetening syrups and, in some cases, they do contain trace amounts of vitamins and minerals not found in white sugar. But, like brown granulated sugars, there is not much reason, other than taste preference or specific use, to choose one over the other. What is most important is not to overuse any sugar, brown or white.

When it comes to eggs, the only difference between brown and white is the color of the shell. Different breeds of chickens lay different color eggs and even within the same breed, shell color may vary, depending on the diet and other circumstances of the chicken. There is no nutritional difference between a brown egg or white, and one is no more "natural" than the other.

Sources:

Hermann, JR; "Vitamins and the Body." Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension
http://pods.dasnr.okstate.edu/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-2448/T-3156web.pdf

University of Maryland Medical Center: Carbohydrates. 2008. Web. 24 March 2011
http://www.umm.edu/ency/article/002469fod.htm

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6 Amazing Foods to Boost Your Libido

Most likely because they're rich in the right vitamins and minerals, these foods have been known to help spice things up in the bedroom. Incorporate them into your daily diet or a romantic dinner, and watch the sparks fly.

Considered to be a powerful aphrodisiac since ancient times, these mollusks contain high amounts of zinc, which is essential for testosterone production and the maintenance of healthy sperm. Pair them with a glass of inhibition-lowering champagne to add even more fuel to the fire. Who knew that this juicy summer fruit might also juice up your sex life? Recent research has shown that watermelon is rich with citrulline, an amino acid that helps improve blood flow to the heart, genitalia, as well as throughout the body. It does so by relaxing blood vessels, which is essentially what erectile dysfunction drugs do, too. Although it's chock full of other valuable nutrients, the high folate content in asparagus is what earns this vegetable a spot on our list. Folate is one of the B vitamins, and among its many roles is increasing the production of histamine—an essential ingredient for orgasm in both sexes. As if you needed another reason to eat chocolate. Indulge in the antioxidant-rich dark variety to experience the release of two sexy chemicals: mood-boosting serotonin and phenylethylamine, a compound that mimics the brain chemistry of a person in love. No wonder a 2006 study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine found that women who ate chocolate on a daily basis reported higher sexual function scores than those who did not. Add a few stalks of celery to his salad, and you just might find your partner even more attractive than usual. Raw celery contains boosts the production of androsterone-an odorless hormone released through male perspiration, which can act as a pheromone to trigger female attraction. According to Dr. Ann Kulze, author of Dr. Ann's 10-Step Diet: A Simple Plan for Permanent Weight Loss and Lifelong Vitality, monounsaturated fats—found in extra virgin olive oil, canola oil, nuts, seeds, and avocados—promote healthy blood flow through various mechanisms. And the better the blood flow, the better the sexual response.

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Genetically Modified Foods: The How, What, and Why

Since 1994, foods that have been genetically modified have been sold in supermarkets all over the United States and, whether you know it or not, you've probably been eating them.

Genetically engineered food crops have been a subject of debate since they first appeared on the market in the early 1990's. Those who favor the technology see it as a way to reduce the use of agricultural chemicals and feed more people. Those who are opposed, or take a more cautious approach, are concerned about the lack of regulation of genetically altered foods and the potential for health and environmental problems.

Before you read further, here is a "mini glossary" to help you bone-up on terms used in the biotechnology industry that researches and produces genetically modified crops:

Genetic engineering: the science of introducing genetic material of one organism, such as a plant or animal, into another organism, with the goal of improving and bringing  about changes in hereditary traits that would not occur naturally. Genetically modified food: a catch-all term used to describe food that contains an ingredient that has undergone genetic engineering.GMO: genetically modified organism

Genetic engineering is similar to cross-breeding, or selective breeding, with the goal of producing an animal or a plant with more desirable characteristics than the original. In the process of cross-breeding, nature eventually takes over and the desirable characteristic becomes part of the normal genetic make-up of the organism and its offspring. Future generations will naturally carry the gene that produces the desired trait, and cross-breeding is no longer necessary. In the process of genetic engineering, researchers are able to speed up the process by physically inserting genetic material taken from one plant or animal into another, rather than waiting for nature to take its course.

There are certainly pros and cons. The "pros" include the development of foods that resist disease and require less water, fertilizer and pesticides to grow. Advocates say food can be genetically altered to grow faster, contain more nutrients and stay fresh longer.  The result? More people can be fed with greater quantities of healthier, better-tasting and better-looking food.

Although that sounds good on the surface, there are understandable concerns about the potential risks of growing and consuming genetically altered foods. The problem, if there is one, is the lack of research into the long-term effects on both human and environmental health and the unpredictable changes that may occur. Many questions have yet to be answered. For instance, if a plant is modified to resist frost so that it can be grown in colder climates, could this ultimately cause changes to the environment in which the plant grows? Though not likely, it is possible and it is not something that can be predicted, according to researchers at Purdue University's Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering. Another pressing concern is the introduction of food allergens into plants that were once allergen-free.

Most of the corn and soybean plants grown in the U.S. have been genetically modified, which means any products made from these staples contain genetically modified ingredients. Since genes can "escape" and transfer to other plant crops that are in the same family, no relatives of corn or soybeans are planted close to areas where these crops are grown. Yet, there have been reports of contamination. Further modification is possible that would prevent this transfer by making the crops sterile, but the process has met with great resistance from environmental groups and the modifying gene has never been marketed.

Manufacturers are not required to provide special labeling for foods that contain genetically modified organisms. If you are concerned about genetically modified foods, look for organic foods and products label "no GMOs."

Sources:

American Institute of Biological Sciences: Genetically Modified Foods: Are They a Risk to Human/Animal Health? Web. 18 Mar 2011 http://www.actionbioscience.org/biotech/pusztai.html

"SayNoToGMOs" 2011. Web. 18 Mar 2011 http://www.saynotogmos.org/ud2011/

University of Kentucky: Food Biotechnology. Web. 18 Mar 2011. http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/brei/brei3/brei3.pdf

University of Maryland Medical Center http://www.umm.edu/ency/article/002432.htm

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