Food News, with Christine Rutter

IF YOU'RE stressed out - eat! According to a professor at the British College of Naturopathy and Osteopathy in London, what you eat can affect your ability to cope with or the extent to which you suffer from stress.

Almost everyone falls victim to stress at some point in their lives. Causes include personal conflicts, mounting piles of paperwork, juggling jobs and family.

The classic symptoms of stress can range from high blood pressure, muscle tension and mood swings to insomnia, smoking and drinking.

Professor Laurence Kirk says a few changes to your daily routine can make all the difference to your susceptibility to stress.

Vanessa Hollings, community nutritionist for Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Health Trust, said: "Food can bring your stress levels down and can also aggravate stress level, depending on the type you choose." She added: "People either stop eating or really pig out when they are stressed. Neither is good for you. You should be looking to eat healthy convenience food or fruit and veg snacks, because you probably won't feel like cooking a three-course dinner if you're stressed. Many choose things such as coffee and alcohol to reduce their stress levels but, although they may produce a feeling of relaxation, they are stimulants and actually increase stress."

Ian Singleton, 19, of Sunnyside Avenue, Wilpshire, Blackburn, who is in the first year of a media studies degree course at Leeds University, said: "I do get stressed out when exams are on but I just drink lots of coffee to keep me alert, which I suppose isn't the best thing. I am addicted to it. I think it has a psychological effect.

"But I feel it is probably more what you are doing with your time than what you are eating which contributes to your stress levels."

Recipe for relaxation

COFFEE is out, tea is in. A diet of black coffee and fizzy cola-based drinks will make you tense and irritable and disrupt your natural sleep patterns. Chamomile tea is a useful relaxation aid.

PORRIDGE for breakfast. Start the day with a bowl of porridge as oats provide instant energy, promotes healthy circulation, help prevent cholesterol build-up and are known to have a calming effect. Cut down on RED MEAT and fatty foods. Eat fresh rather than processed meat and swap crisps and sweets for pieces of fruit and vegetables.

FEEL-GOOD FOODS. Certain foods which are rich in tryptophan, which makes you feel cheerful and relaxed. They include milk, bananas and pumpkin seeds.

Small amounts of CHOCOLATE, especially dark, can boost chemicals in the brain identical to those released when you are in love.

Avoid excessive ALCOHOL consumption. This can aggravate your stress levels and, instead of unwinding you, actually raises your blood pressure and disturbs sleep patterns.

To relax, eat MAGNESIUM-rich foods such as millet-based couscous, baked beans, brazil nuts and almonds.

To get a good night's SLEEP, avoid eating a heavy or fatty meal late in the evening.

A HOT MALTED DRINK is packed with magnesium needed to give you a restful night's sleep. Sleep well by avoiding eating a heavy or fatty meal late in the evening.

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