We are living in stressful
times, my friends. It has been an interminably long and uncivil political campaign
for a presidential election that has done more to create strife than consensus.
Fear and hatred are now both political commodities as well as currency. The
news cycle seems to roll around a macabre rollercoaster ride made up of blood,
terror and sadness.
I can’t fix the world for
you, but I can offer you a fun list of foods that will help you destress (some
with scientific justifications and everything!):
Chocolate
Dark chocolate regulates
the levels of the stress hormone cortisol, along with a number of other health benefits.
Candy bars are the easy answer, but that’s limiting. Ice cream, fudge, cake, brownies,
cookies!
Linalool Troika!
This is aromatherapy for
foodies. According to a study in food chemistry, the smell of linalool-rich
foods may help the body deal with stress. Here are three magic foods to induce
a worry-less aura: basil, lemons, and mango. I can tell you that I have a pesto
dance, a mango ice cream dance, as well as a lemon chicken dance. See? I am
living proof…
A Taste of Honey
A spoonful of honey can
boost relaxation and combat depression and anxiety. (In fact, herbal tea is the
perfect combo as it contains L-theanine, which relieves stress by “inducing a relaxing effect
without drowsiness.”
Dancing to "A Taste of Honey" will also result in some giddiness.
Coconut
A study at Columbia
University claims people’s blood pressure recovered faster after a challenge
when the subjects were exposed to the scent of coconut. It apparently blunts
your fight or flight response and slows your heart rate. Piña Coladas for
everyone!
Bananas
Bananas are fully loaded to
make you feel good—they contain natural muscle relaxants that help the body
manage tension, and they are also rich in tryptophan which releases serotonin (the
ultimate natural mood enhancer) in the brain. This is why minions are always so
darned happy!
Oysters
Oysters are super rich in zinc,
and half a dozen shells will provide over half of the recommended daily
allowance and that, with a splash of lemon, will keep the anxiety away, baby.
Are You Nuts?
These days I think, we’re
all a little nutty, but to help you relax, I suggest pumpkin seeds and walnuts,
which with omega-3 fatty acids, keep stress hormones in check. Lightly toasted
they go equally well over desserts as over salads.
There are other foods that
may help relax you, as long as you enjoy them in moderation. Build up your
strength because summer is young and the year is far from over, and the
intensity with which this year has used and abused us is not likely to let up.
Be kind. Be sweet. Embrace
tolerance and your own dignity. And if that doesn’t work, let’s hope Keith
Richards didn't deplete the planet's supply of drugs and alcohol for the rest
of us!