Nothing says De-Stress like a good old fashion Aussie Meat Pie with lots of tomato sauce and a bag of shoestring chips (with gravy of course). I can feel the stress leaving my body with every bite. Unfortunately soon after the last bite, thoughts begin to surface about the cholesterol I just devoured, the fat that is sticking to my arteries and the flab that is hanging over my belt. So much for the De-Stress – Stress is back With a vengeance.
Maybe your have eaten a piece of chocolate to reduce your stress before that important meeting? Or maybe you think that if you eat a slab of chocolate cake, everything will look clearer? If not, full praise to you – can you teach me how you do it ? Most people when facing some stressful situation use food to reduce the burden of stress.
The problem with using snack foods and lollies to handle stress is that they can't really solve anything. While they work just fine in the short-term, the problems that cause stress do not disappear. And if the stress is long-term, snacks become a problem within themselves. You start overeating, because you feel stressed. Eating starts to be a habit and soon after you start gaining weight and add to your problems instead of getting rid of them.
Food gives you a feeling of comfort and lets you for think for a moment that everything is going to be all right. If you use that attitude to solve problems, your in good company – most people do. However, there are many people who have unconsciously started to rely on food as the only way of coping with stress. For example, there are thousands of mothers around the world who start eating snacks the moment any problems with children starts instead of trying to fix them. Then, they initially feel better, but the problems persist. When they show up next time, mothers eat something sweet again and again and again. The result is a weight gain of forty or fifty pounds in less than a year.
How do we protect ourselves from stress without turning to food? Well, in reality, we can't protect ourselves from stress, but we can tackle it head on. Find the actual source of some particular problem and solve it. This will make you feel a bit better. Continue the process, solve each stressful activity and feel even happier.
If all else fails – Try sunbaking on a secluded beach. You’ll feel better and the Vitamin D will do you the world of good.
About the Author: Eric Smith is an Organic Gardener, Environmentalist and has studied Natural Therapies in depth. Eric represents ONE Group Certified Organic Skin Care, Home & Nutritional Products - http://www.milifestyle.net/ Click Here to Find out about Berry Radical Antioxidant SuperfoodSocial Bookmarking