Recipes to Soothe Stress and Anxiety

Many medical professionals attribute as much as 90 percent of routine doctors office visits are caused by ailments brought on by repeated stress to the immune system! Chronic stress robs your body of key nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin B complex and protein. Your kitchen is as good a place as any to start to influence your brain chemistry for the better! Certain staples in your everyday diet have a calming effect on your body, almost everyone has felt these effects, and when you think about it, food may be one of the greatest "mood drugs" available. From small skin disorders to full-blown infections, your immune system is your first defense against the effects of stress on your body, so, why not try eating to boost your immunity to everyday stress?

Eat your fruits and vegetables!

Fresh and dried fruits and vegetables are an endless source of great health benefits. Adding more fruits and veggies to your diet can add many vital vitamins and minerals, they can add an extra layer of protection against chronic stress, and they also help keep your gastrointestinal tract moving during high-stress periods (avoiding pain and bloating of constipation). When your body is under-stress it releases more free-radicals into your system, by adding more fruits and veggies you can give your body a boost in antioxidants, especially those high in vitamin C, neutralizing those free-radicals!

Strawberries and Creme Shake - serves 2

11/2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled

1/4 cup reduced fat/skim milk

1/4 cup vanilla nonfat (lite) yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 ice cubes, crushed

In a blender, slice berries, add remaining ingredients and blend well. Split into 2 glasses. Can substitute orange juice for milk!

Cranberry Orange Apple Cider

In a saucepan combine the following:

3 cups orange juice

1 cup apple juice or cider

1 cup cranberry juice cocktail

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch of cloves

Orange slices to garnish (reserved

Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes. Pour into 5 mugs, garnish with fresh orange slices. to reduce the sugar content, use juices that are either no sugar added, or artificially sweetened.

Berry-Kiwi & Yogurt Parfait

In a pretty glass layer a fresh sliced and peeled kiwi fruit, 4 oz of light vanilla yogurt, 1/4 cup of fresh blue berries, 4 oz of light vanilla yogurt, 1/4 cup mandarin oranges and top with 1/4 cup lowfat granola!

Kiwi fruit offers an exotic taste alone or added to a bowl of mixed fruit.

Roasted Red Pepper Dip

1 7-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained and roughly chopped.

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp lemon juice

1 cup fat-free sour cream

4-ounces fat free cream cheese, softened

In a blender, puree roasted red peppers with garlic, cumin, Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice. Stir sour cream and softened cream cheese together until smooth. Combine pureed pepper mixture with cream cheese mixture. Season to taste. Serve with fresh veggie dippers!

Try adding in a hand full of bell pepper slices to almost any main dish or salad to bump up the vitamin content!

Tossing in dried fruits like cherries, cranberries, blueberries to salads and snacks will not only help up your intake of vitamins, but it adds fiber, too!

The B vitamins are natural stress-busters!

B vitamins are usually among the first to show deficiencies, especially during periods of stress. These are water-soluble vitamins, so your body tissues do not store these vitamins readily, and deficiencies occur very quickly.

B1 or Thiamine - is very important because of their roll in energy production. Thiamine helps provide energy to nerve cells by converting fuel from carbs into glucose. Glucose is the only form of energy for the nervous system, a deficiency of thiamine can lead to your nerves becoming hypersensitive and irritable and a heightened state of stress.

High levels of thiamine occur naturally in foods such as green peas, spinach, legumes, whole grains, pork, beef, soy products, and bananas.

B2 or Riboflavin - also helps release energy from carbs, proteins, and fats. Riboflavin helps the body produce anti-stress hormones among other vital functions.

High levels of Riboflavin are found in whole grains, eggs, shellfish, green vegetables, legumes, mushrooms, meat, yogurt, and cheeses.

Braised Beef and Mushrooms over Brown Rice

Serves 6

1 lb mushrooms, washed and sliced

1 large onion, julienned

1 red pepper, julienned

1 tsp garlic, minced

1 T olive oil

In a large, non stick saucepan, saute above ingredients until tender (about 5-7 min).  Remove from pan. 

Add an additional T olive oil and 2 lbs of stew meat to pan, stirring until lightly browned, add 2 T flour and stir again, then add 1 1/2 cups red or white wine, 1 can of beef stock,  1 can of water and

2 T ketchup or tomato sauce

1 Teach fresh garlic, minced and dried onion powder

1 T parsely, dried

1 tsp dill weed, dried

Black pepper to taste

Cover and cook, stirring occasionally for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until tender.  In the last 5 minutes of cooking return veggies to pot.  Serve over brown rice, and accompanied by steamed green veggies. (ie: brussel sprouts, green beans, peas etc...)

• Limit your caffine intake.
• Try to get a full night's rest.
• Go easy on simple (refined) sugars.
• Laugh. Smile. Enjoy Life!
• Go bananas - eat more bananas! They have been proven to have a calming effect on the body due to high levels of B vitamins!
• Relax and enjoy foods cooked with love! Skip the restaurant and enjoy a wholesome, homecooked meal.
• Pamper yourself with a massage, a manicure or a spa session.
• Take ME Time! Read, relax, meditate, take a bubble bath, light a candle,  pray or just rest! :)
• Incorporate exercise for the whole body...ie: yoga or tai chi
• Try not to bring your work home.
• Take a mini vacation - even if it's just a weekend! (Or a day off!)
• Take up a new (or an old) hobby to help distract and relax you.
• Capture the beauty of your life with a camera!
• Listen to your favorite music!
• Sing and or Dance - As if no one were watching! ;)
• Take a walk in the great outdoors.
• Call or visit and old friend.
• Find your favorite young person and go PLAY. :)
• Seek out a counselor or doctor if needed, to help resolve or manage the source of your anxiety and stress.
• Take a deep breath, smile and remember to count your blessings, too! :)
• Can't sleep? Too much on your mind? Ask God if He will take a turn staying awake for you so that you can get some sleep. I mean, He's gonna be up all night anyway, I'm pretty sure that He won't mind if you ask Him for His help. :)
• Your journey in life is exactly what you make it. Decide where it is you want to be and make your path. Don't let anyone stop or detour you from your goals! Go LIVE! :)
• Help someone else. Gratitude and attitude are both extremely contagious! :) Remember, what you give of yourself will come back to you. Many times in some of the most unexpected ways! :)

I do hope that this hub helps, inspires, empowers, relaxes, or invigorates you in some way.  I felt inspired to write this hub, and share these thoughts, recipes and information with you.  I  dare you watch the above nature video...take 10 minutes of your day to relax.  If you are inquisitive about influencing your brain chemistry with your diet, then check out "The Brain Power Cookbook" by Dr. Frank Lawlis and Dr. Maggie Greenwood-Robinson.  It was a real wealth of information for me.  Until we meet again...  :)