Healing with Food Article

Stress

Accompanying recipes: One-Pot—Two Meals and Steamed Quinoa

You can counter stress with foods specifically medicinal to your nervous system. They include bone stock, meat (especially kidneys) seaweed, beans (including bean sprouts, green beans and peas), berries, onions, parsley, root vegetables, seeds, nuts and eggs.

If you tend to be cold or have cold extremities, include warming foods and spices in your diet. Some such foods are chicken, black pepper, dried ginger, cinnamon, fennel and cloves.

According to Oriental medicine, walking and moderate exercise strengthens your nervous system. However, excessive standing or sitting taxes it. Prolonged stress weakens the whole body and contributes to degenerative disease.

If you're under stress avoid refined, processed foods. Such foods are not fully metabolized and therefore compromise your digestive system and so negatively impact your overall health.

Substances that specifically challenge your adrenals include coffee, refined sugar, alcohol, tobacco, drugs (be they recreational or prescription) and chemicals in your environment, water or food supply. Additionally, too little or too much water stresses the kidneys, as does too little or too much salt, so enjoy both judiciously.

Avoid refined, processed foods. Such foods are not fully metabolized and therefore stress the whole system. Substances that specifically challenge the kidney system include coffee, refined sugar, alcohol, tobacco, drugs (be they recreational or prescription) and chemicals in your environment, water or food supply. Additionally, too little or too much water stresses the kidneys, as does too little or too much salt, so enjoy both judiciously.

Also consider mindfulness or meditation training and a centering practice such as yoga or tai chi. These arts help us to deepen our breathing and allow us to remain calm even in the midst of intensity.

How do you implement this type of diet in the context of a busy lifestyle? My one pot, two-meal technique (see accompanying recipe) enables you to enjoy two freshly cooked meals each day with minimal preparation time.

For a snack or dessert, enjoy a seasonal fruit. Fruit is an honest sweet; unlike refined food it doesn't rob your energy.

May you be well nourished,

Rebecca Wood