Destress with a Vegan Lifestyle

I have another lovely contribution from freelance writer Jessica Walter....

Destress with a Vegan Lifestyle

Worries. We all have them and life can throw up many stumbling blocks to cause us stress and anxiety. With all that we have to cope with, it can sometimes be all too easy to fall back on eating and drinking the wrong things to assuage any feelings of upset we are suffering from. A vegan diet can help get you on the right track, and there are lots of plant based foods that can decrease anxiety levels and help you feel more at peace. It helps to take an all-round holistic approach, so firstly, look at what is causing your feelings.

Top Causes of Stress

If you’re feeling stressed and anxious it can first of all be a great help to take a look at what’s going on in your life and see if there are any trigger points that might be causing undue worries.

Top causes of stress include money problems at home, worries about your job or career, family dramas or concerns over your relationship. If any of these have cropped up lately and you’re feeling a little frazzled, then think about making some changes to your diet and lifestyle to help reduce your blood pressure and ease your mind.

How a Vegan Diet Can Help with Reducing Stress

If you’re someone who maybe comfort eats in times of stress, what are the main foods you want to eat? Is it chocolate, pizza, crisps or other sugar and salt laden snacks that give you a quick hit so you can carry on? All these are great to eat in the moment, but are not sustaining or nutrient-dense enough to keep you going for long periods of time.

When we’re stressed we need minerals like zinc and magnesium to help us get our fight or flight response under control. A vegan diet, rich in leafy green vegetables, soy milk and foods like oats are superb for helping tackle feelings of anxiety and unease.

Be sure to include lots of fresh veg like kale, broccoli and cabbage into your daily eating plan. Starting the day with a bowl of porridge made with soy milk will get you well on your way.

Other superb sources of plant based zinc are tofu, lentils, beans, sunflower seeds and nuts such as almonds and walnuts. A wonderful, stress busting snack is a crisp, sweet apple paired with a handful of almonds.