Stress has become a very common part of today's life. It's common and it's a hard reality. The circumstances that we are going through, the situations that we are put in, is all directly impacting our mental health and it takes a lot of effort for one to maintain their sanity.
The one most important part that get affected is our diet. Or we can also put it the other way around. With unhealthy diet, the lesser we are equipped to deal with stress and higher stress levels, resulting into intake of junk foods. It is both ways. So ultimately the 2 are directly linked and gives cause and effect results.
I have always noticed that when my stress level is high I end up eating a lot of junk food, the craving increases to eat a lot of sweets and every possible thing that is not good for my body. It's difficult to control, though mindfully I try a lot, but sometimes slip on it. It's obvious that when the cortisol level rises in the body it increases the hunger levels specially craving for more sweets and fatty foods. With the increase in cortisol hormones, the stress level increases and with that there is a fee of complete energy drain. Sugar and fat foods increases the blood sugar levels and which in turn fuels up the body with energy, hence there is a good feeling by eating all of these foods.
These foods does give a temporary energy surge, leaving one feeling better, but it is not the solution and neither it is beneficial for the health. Eating junk foods will simultaneously also increase Cholesterol levels, diabetes, weight gain, heart diseases and many more other problems to health. They are just temporary good feelers with a lot of side effects.
And now for the one who is already in a habit of eating regular junk food, high sugar diet, fried stuff and other unhealthy foods. High Carbs, Fatty foods, processed foods, junk, sweets all of these increases the body sugar levels and when the sugar level rises there is lethargy building up, the immune system comes under pressure and creating all the possible other health issues. Unhealthy food makes the body go against it's true defense mechanism systems and hence a little bit of any kind of external pressure leaves one drained out with high stress levels as the system has already lost it's capacity to fight back.
Why do we see so many people going down so easily in their mental health during these lockdown periods. It is just because the body is not equipped to handle stressful situations and in turn creating more and more stress hormones in the body. Also being away from our socializing lives in this lockdowns is creating strong urge and cravings to break through, so as soon as we get an opportunity without putting much thought onto we indulge into wrong foods.
The most unhealthy foods that one should not eat are:
- Processed Foods & Processed Meat
- Canned Juices and aerated drinks
- Pizzas, Burgers, (Specially white bread), French fries.
- Sweetened foods like pastries, rolls, cakes, candies and also sweetened breakfast cereals. There is a high content of sugar in processed foods also. Basically all foods which has refined sugar need to be cut out.
I have a big time craving for chocolates, and when there is a chocolate cake in front of me there is no resistance, but now I am being mindful, but yes I do accept that once in a way I still slip on it.
If we see the list of the most forbidden foods, we realize that most of these foods we are addicted to and specially the children. The MacDonalds, KFC, Subway, luring little children with their attractive advertisements.
It is so imperative that we are mindful of our diet during these times specially. High stress levels results in to poor eating habits, and lack of Healthy Nutrition results into high stress levels. So we are in a vicious circle. A healthy diet is important to be in total control of our physical and mental health.
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