10 Ways to Assure Better Nutrition - Part I

When we get busy and stressed, then we tend to make poor nutritional choices that can actually increase our stress levels. Here are five out of the ten tips for getting good nutrition and maintaining a more healthy diet, even under stress.

Eat Breakfast - Skipping breakfast makes it harder to maintain stable blood sugar levels and effective functioning during your busy morning. Grab a hard-boiled egg and container of orange juice on your way out the door. Make time for a breakfast meal and that lunch will come soon enough.

2. Opt for Green Tea - If you're a coffee junkie, you may not realize the effects caffeine has on your system. However, you can reduce your stress levels and improve your mental performance throughout the day if you gradually wean yourself off of large amounts of caffeine. A relatively easy and healthy way to do that is to replace coffee with decaffeinated green tea, which has a soothing taste and then added benefit of loads of antioxidants

3. Try Sparkling Juice or Perrier - If you're a coal drinker, you're probably experiencing the same healthy consequences from caffeine that coffee drinkers experience. A more healthful alternative is sparkling fruit juice, or sparkling water. You'll still be getting a refreshing treat, but you'll be adding water to system, rather than detracting ir and you'll be avoiding other caffeine-related side effects

4. Carry a Snack - Having some protein-rich, healthful snacks in your car, office, or purse can help you avoid blood sugar level dips and accompanying mood swings and fatigue. Trail mix, granola bars, and certain energy bars all contain good nutrition.

5. Healthy Munches- If you find that you absently munch when you're stressed, or have a pattern of snacking at certain times in the day or week, you can replace chips, cheese puffs and other less-healthy munchies with carrot sticks, edamame, celery sticks, sunflower seeds or other more healthy choices.

Reference:

Scott, E. (2007). Good Nutrition: How to Combat Stress with Good Nutrition. About. com. Retrieved, November 7, 2007.