Experiencing stress and anxiety during the day is natural and can result from threatening or worrying situations. When stress and anxiety begin to affect your daily life, it’s important to notice and take action. Uma Naidoo, MD, a Harvard-trained nutritional psychiatrist, says that there are simple lifestyle habits you can adopt to help keep stress and anxiety at bay. Here are seven stress-fighting foods and drinks that could help you combat stress and anxiety:
- Green Tea: Green tea is high in the amino acid L-theanine, which has been scientifically proven to reduce stress and anxiety levels. It’s also packed with polyphenols that are beneficial for brain health by reducing inflammation.
- Spices: Anti-inflammatory spices like turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, and saffron can help reduce inflammation to boost brain health and improve mental fitness.
- Masala Chai: The delicious combination of polyphenol-rich black tea with spices like cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and ginger in masala chai can be a soothing drink.
- Golden Milk Turmeric Latte: This five-ingredient mood-boosting turmeric latte is made with almond milk, turmeric powder, raw honey, nutmeg, and a pinch of black pepper.
- EVOO and Avocado Oil: These oils are rich in monounsaturated and omega-3 fatty acids, supporting healthy brain tissue and reducing neuroinflammation.
- Lavender Tisane: Lavender has calming and neuroprotective effects, making it a soothing herbal tea to enjoy.
- Assorted Veggies: A wide range of vegetables provides vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber that can help reduce neuroinflammation associated with anxiety.
It’s important to note that stress-fighting foods are not a cure-all. Managing stress and anxiety is highly individualized, and it’s essential to pay attention to how these foods and drinks make you feel. Keeping your body’s response in mind is crucial. If stress-related gastrointestinal issues or anxiety-driven acid reflux are affecting you, adding fermented foods or increasing fiber consumption can offer relief.
To find what works best for you, it’s important to consume these relaxation-promoting foods and drinks as part of a well-balanced diet rich in phytonutrients. When coupled with patience and mindfulness, these habits can help you stay calm, cool, and collected.
Well+Good articles reference scientific, reliable, recent, robust studies to back up the information we share.…
Our editors independently select these products. Making a purchase through our links may earn Well+Good a commission.
