Dark chocolate is good because it has a calming effect on the nerves to help prepare for stress buildup.

Some people relieve stress by overeating or binge eating. While it may temporarily alleviate stress, repeating this behavior can harm health. It is important to prepare snacks that help reduce stress to prevent it from leading to binge eating.

Binge eating triggers a vicious cycle of stress

When the body is under stress, it secretes the hormone 'cortisol' to respond to it. If cortisol is secreted excessively and for a long time, the body's metabolism becomes imbalanced and one feels hungry easily. At this time, people tend to seek sweet and刺激ful foods, and eating sweet foods reduces cortisol secretion, while eating spicy foods promotes the secretion of endorphins that improve mood.

These foods cause the immediate release of happiness-inducing chemicals like dopamine, leading to a quick mood boost. However, since the effect is temporary, people tend to seek out sweet and刺激ing foods again. When this cycle repeats, it results in weight gain, increased stress, and a vicious cycle of binge eating.

 

◇Recommended Almonds and Dark Chocolate

To relieve stress healthily, it is recommended to eat healthy snacks instead of high-calorie foods.

The representative examples are almonds and dark chocolate.

Almonds are rich in vitamin E and magnesium, which help relax muscles and stabilize nerves, while dark chocolate effectively lowers cortisol levels to relieve stress. Preparing these snacks in advance can prevent reckless overeating.

 

Let's pay attention to protein intake as well.

Proteins are nutrients that help the body better cope with stressful situations.

▲Muscle

▲Skin

▲Immune cells

It is used to compose the back, recover damaged tissues under stress, and strengthen immunity. If you are continuously exposed to stressful situations, it is advisable to increase your protein intake by 10-20% above your usual amount with each meal.

▲Lean meat

▲Fish

▲Egg

▲Legumes

▲Nuts

▲ Seeds

It is sufficient to include the back.

In particular, increasing protein intake during breakfast has the effect of improving circadian rhythms and stabilizing metabolism, which helps regulate stress hormones.

 

It is also good to regularly take vitamin C. 

When cortisol is secreted, the brain responds by releasing various neurotransmitters.

Vitamin C is needed at this time. Vitamin C protects brain cells and helps ensure the proper production of neurotransmitters the brain aims to create. Foods rich in vitamin C include lemons, oranges, mangoes, pomegranates, and broccoli.

In particular, the citrus scent from lemons, oranges, and limes rich in vitamin C helps to improve blood flow in the brain and also has the effect of reducing headaches caused by stress.

 

Source: Health Chosun

 

Almonds, dark chocolate, protein, and vitamin C help relieve stress.

I used to think that chocolate was just bad...

These days, I am under a lot of stress and need some help ^^