10 Healthy Snacks to Reduce Stress

Comfort food doesn't have to be bad for you. When you're feeling down, try one of the many healthy snacks. Check out the best 10 healthy snacks to reduce stress.

When you're feeling down, fast food or sugary drinks aren't the best option. Keep your comfort foods restricted to the healthy snacks list that can help you deal with tension in a more natural way. Try the best 10 healthy snacks that reduce stress.

Nuts

Try a nut mix as a healthy snack that quickly reduces stress. Almonds help you with their content of B and E vitamins, cashews give you zinc that helps fight depression while pistachios and walnuts lower blood pressure.

Oranges

The high vitamin C content in oranges gets them a top spot on the healthy snacks list. The vitamin doesn't only give your immune system a boost, it can also reduce blood pressure and cortisol levels.

Turkey

Next time you're thinking about getting fast food, choose a turkey sandwich. Rich in the L-tryptophan amino acid, turkey meat has a calming and relaxing effect. Eat it with whole wheat bread and it's even more potent.

Oatmeal

For some people, oatmeal is the top choice on the healthy snacks list to reduce stress. The complex carbohydrates in oatmeal increase serotonin production, that relieves stress and improves your mood fast.

Dried Apricots

Magnesium is a great muscle relaxant and it doubles up as a stress reliever. Add dried apricots on any healthy snacks list. They have the same amount of magnesium and calories as the fresh fruit, but are easier to snack on.

Avocados

Rich in potassium and monounsaturated fats, avocados are a good stress reliever because they contain the healthy omega-3 fatty acids which improve brain function, along with vitamin E, beta-carotene and folate.

Berries

With high levels of antioxidants and vitamin C, all berries can help relieve stress and improve your concentration. Blueberries are an especially potent healthy snack that relieves stress.

Salmon

Not really a snack, more of a small meal, salmon is packed with omega-3 acids that have an excellent effect in reducing the levels of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline.

Dark Leafy Greens

From broccoli to kale and spinach, dark green vegetables offer a precious combination of vitamins and minerals. Toss a quick salad of dark leafy greens when you want one of the most healthy snacks that also relieve stress.

Tea

While not exactly a filling snack, green tea and herbal tea can be very soothing in times of stress. Go for the high antioxidants content of green tea or for the calming effect of chamomile tea and keep both on your healthy snacks list for when you're feeling stressed.

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How to Reduce Your Sugar Intake

A high sugar intake is a problem that affects many women and that is associated with a myriad of problems that range from weight gain to more serious conditions. Reducing the intake of added sugars, particularly from processed sources can have a significant impact on our overall health, so learn a few tricks to be able to change easily and gradually.

Excess sugar consumption is quite a problem nowadays for almost everyone, regardless of their weight. Associated in one form or another with various illnesses, processed sugar has become an 'evil' ingredient we are advised to stay away from. But with so many sweet temptations around us and many frequent urges to satisfy our sweet tooth, this simple recommendation is certainly hard to follow. And, while some fortunate souls have the discipline necessary to go cold turkey and satisfy their cravings with natural sugars found in fruit only, most people do best if they make a change gradually. Here are a few simple tips on how to improve your sugar consumption habits gradually:

Aim to consume no more than 40 grams of added sugar daily. To be able to decrease your consumption you should get in the habit of checking labels carefully, not only to be able to find out how many grams per portion a certain product has, but also to be able to better asses the nutritional qualities of a certain product.

Aside from high fructose corn syrup you should also keep an eye on terms such as galactose, sorghum, sucrose, mannitol, sorbitol, dextrin, dextrose. Try avoiding products that have sugar within the first three ingredients if playing detective seems too time consuming.

Cut back on soda. Often called 'liquid candy', soda is a major source of empty calories and unnecessary sugar intake. Reducing your intake on a daily basis is a great first step that can help you make a positive change. However, finding substitutes is also important as in absence of substitutes it can be easy to go back to old habits. Good substitutes include homemade lemonade, homemade sun tea, club soda or seltzer.

Increase your intake of complex carbohydrates. Consuming several sweets on a daily basis makes it easy to meet your recommended daily calorie intake often in a single meal, without actually satisfying hunger. Increasing your intake of complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, brown rice and legumes can help you keep hunger at bay and can provide steady levels of energy while also decreasing cravings.

Establish rules for sugary treats. Creating your own rules when it comes to sugary treats can work better then swearing off them completely as it reduces the feeling of deprivation and it helps you create a suitable plan that works with your lifestyle, not against it. You might decide to pick one day for sweet indulgences, eat sweets only during weekends or whatever works for you and seems doable.

Splurge only on favorites. When surrounded by sweet goodies it can be easy to be tempted to taste everything even if you don't like certain desserts. By giving up indulgences that don't give you a lot of satisfaction, you can slash calories effortlessly. In addition, make sure to bring as little temptation as possible in your home and make it inaccessible.

Eat more fruits and try natural sweeteners. Fruits are naturally sweet and are loaded with a lot of essential nutrients, vitamins and antioxidants. Plus, since most have a high water percentage, they are low in calories too. Using natural sweeteners is also useful as it enables you to get the sweet you crave for with additional benefits.

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Dietary Nicotine In Peppers May Reduce Risk Of Developing Parkinson's Disease

Main Category: Parkinson's Disease
Also Included In: Nutrition / Diet
Article Date: 12 May 2013 - 0:00 PDT Current ratings for:
Dietary Nicotine In Peppers May Reduce Risk Of Developing Parkinson's Disease

New research reveals that Solanaceae - a flowering plant family with some species producing foods that are edible sources of nicotine - may provide a protective effect against Parkinson's disease. The study appearing in Annals of Neurology, a journal of the American Neurological Association and Child Neurology Society, suggests that eating foods that contain even a small amount of nicotine, such as peppers and tomatoes, may reduce risk of developing Parkinson's.

Parkinson's disease is a movement disorder caused by a loss of brain cells that produce dopamine. Symptoms include facial, hand, arm, and leg tremors, stiffness in the limbs, loss of balance, and slower overall movement. Nearly one million Americans have Parkinson's, with 60,000 new cases diagnosed in the U.S. each year, and up to ten million individuals worldwide live with this disease according to the Parkinson's Disease Foundation. Currently, there is no cure for Parkinson's, but symptoms are treated with medications and procedures such as deep brain stimulation.

Previous studies have found that cigarette smoking and other forms of tobacco, also a Solanaceae plant, reduced relative risk of Parkinson's disease. However, experts have not confirmed if nicotine or other components in tobacco provide a protective effect, or if people who develop Parkinson's disease are simply less apt to use tobacco because of differences in the brain that occur early in the disease process, long before diagnosis.

For the present population-based study Dr. Susan Searles Nielsen and colleagues from the University of Washington in Seattle recruited 490 patients newly diagnosed with Parkinson's disease at the university's Neurology Clinic or a regional health maintenance organization, Group Health Cooperative. Another 644 unrelated individuals without neurological conditions were used as controls. Questionnaires were used to assess participants' lifetime diets and tobacco use, which researchers defined as ever smoking more than 100 cigarettes or regularly using cigars, pipes or smokeless tobacco.

Vegetable consumption in general did not affect Parkinson's disease risk, but as consumption of edible Solanaceae increased, Parkinson's disease risk decreased, with peppers displaying the strongest association. Researchers noted that the apparent protection from Parkinson's occurred mainly in men and women with little or no prior use of tobacco, which contains much more nicotine than the foods studied.

"Our study is the first to investigate dietary nicotine and risk of developing Parkinson's disease," said Dr. Searles Nielsen. "Similar to the many studies that indicate tobacco use might reduce risk of Parkinson's, our findings also suggest a protective effect from nicotine, or perhaps a similar but less toxic chemical in peppers and tobacco." The authors recommend further studies to confirm and extend their findings, which could lead to possible interventions that prevent Parkinson's disease.

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our parkinson's disease section for the latest news on this subject. Full citation: "Nicotine from Edible Solanaceae and Risk of Parkinson Disease." Susan Searles Nielsen, Gary M. Franklin, W.T. Longstreth Jr, Phillip D. Swanson and Harvey Checkoway. Annals of Neurology; Published May 9, 2013 (DOI:10.1002/ana.23884).
URL Upon Publication: http://doi.wiley.com/10.1002/ana.23884
Wiley Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

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Wiley. "Dietary Nicotine In Peppers May Reduce Risk Of Developing Parkinson's Disease." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 12 May. 2013. Web.
19 May. 2013. APA

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posted by astrid.lankow@novartis.com on 13 May 2013 at 12:16 am

in Annals of Neurology,..., suggests that eating foods that contain even a small amount of nicotine, such as peppers and tomatoes, may reduce risk of developing Parkinson's.

Noch ein IIT ?! ;) LG, AStrid

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Consuming Less Sugar-Sweetened Beverages May Reduce Kidney Stone Risk

Main Category: Urology / Nephrology
Also Included In: Nutrition / Diet
Article Date: 17 May 2013 - 1:00 PDT Current ratings for:
Consuming Less Sugar-Sweetened Beverages May Reduce Kidney Stone Risk

Twenty percent of American males and 10 percent of American females will experience a kidney stone at some point in their lifetime. Often, these patients will be advised to drink more fluids as a way to prevent future stone formation. Now, new research from Brigham and Women's Hospital finds that some beverages may be more helpful than others when it comes to preventing recurrent kidney stones. In a study published online in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN), researchers report that the consumption of sugar sweetened soda and punch is associated with a higher risk of stone formation.

"Our study found that the relation between fluid intake and kidney stones may be dependent on the type of beverage consumed," explained Gary Curhan, MD, ScD, a physician in the Channing Division of Network Medicine at BWH and senior author of this study. "We found that higher consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks was associated with a higher incidence of kidney stones."

The researchers analyzed data from three ongoing cohorts, the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (HPFS), and both the Nurses' Health Study I (NHS I) and II (NHS II). The total analysis involved 194,095 participants over a median follow-up of more than 8 years. Participants in all the three cohorts had been asked to complete biennial questionnaires with information on medical history, lifestyle, and medication. Questions on diet were updated every four years. They found that participants who consumed one or more sugar-sweetened cola servings per day had a 23 percent higher risk of developing kidney stones compared with those participants consuming less than one serving per week. This was true for consuming sugar-sweetened non cola as well, such as punch. They also found that some beverages, such as coffee, tea and orange juice, were associated with a lower risk of stone formation.

"Our prospective study confirms that some beverages are associated with a lower risk of kidney stone formation, whereas others are associated with a higher risk," explained Pietro Manuel Ferraro, MD, a physician at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart of Rome and corresponding author of this study. "Although higher total fluid intake reduces the risk of stone formation, this information about individual beverages may be useful for general practitioners seeking to implement strategies to reduce stone formation in their patients."

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our urology / nephrology section for the latest news on this subject. This research was supported by National Institutes of Health Research Grants DK91417, DK70756, CA50385, and CA055075. Dr. Gary Curhan is editor-in-chief of CJASN, and an author and section editor of UpToDate.
Brigham and Women's Hospital Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

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Brigham and Women\'s Hospital. "Consuming Less Sugar-Sweetened Beverages May Reduce Kidney Stone Risk." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 17 May. 2013. Web.
19 May. 2013. APA

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'Consuming Less Sugar-Sweetened Beverages May Reduce Kidney Stone Risk'

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