The Top Healthy Foods for Stress Relief

April is National Stress Awareness Month! Too often people will try to relieve stress in unhealthy ways, such as drinking alcohol, doing drugs or overeating. Combat your stress with a healthy option! Did you know that there are actually healthy foods you can eat that can contribute to your stress relief? Central Ozarks Medical Center is here to tell you about the top healthy foods for stress relief.

The Top Healthy Foods for Stress Relief

Oatmeal

Who doesn’t love carbs? If you have had a hard day at work, it can be very tempting to go to your favorite fast food establishment afterward and just devour a double cheeseburger with fries, but resist! You’ll be happy you did because if you choose a healthier carb option, such as oatmeal, you can still enjoy your carbs without having to stray from a healthy diet. Studies show carbs help the brain make serotonin, which is the same substance regulated by antidepressants.

Source: http://www.health.com/food/12-superfoods-for-stress-relief#oatmeal-21

Salmon

Studies show that omega-3s can help reduce anxiety and salmon provides a healthy dose of omega-3s. Keep your anxiety in check and treat yourself to some delicious salmon.

Source: http://www.eatingwell.com/article/284470/7-foods-for-stress-relief/

Here’s a great salmon recipe we found online.

Baked Salmon

Ingredients

YIELDS: 4

1 large salmon fillet

kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 lemons, thinly sliced

6 tbsp. butter, melted

2 tbsp. honey

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. chopped thyme leaves

1 tsp. dried oregano

Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° and line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Grease foil with nonstick cooking spray. To the center of the foil, lay lemon slices in an even layer.

Season both sides of the salmon with salt and pepper and place on top of lemon slices.

In a small bowl, whisk together butter, honey, garlic, thyme, and oregano. Pour over salmon then fold up foil surrounding the salmon. Bake until the salmon is cooked through, about 12 minutes. Switch the oven to broil, and broil for 2 minutes, or until the butter mixture has thickened and glazed.

Garnish with parsley and serve warm.

Source: https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a55315/best-baked-salmon-recipe/

Avocados

Avocados provide a high amount of potassium. This can help keep your blood pressure down and prevent hypertension from occurring.

Source: https://www.healthambition.com/top-10-anti-anxiety-foods/

Relieve Stress in a Healthy Way with Central Ozarks Medical Center

We hope you enjoyed learning a little bit about these healthy foods you can eat to relieve stress. Stress is very bad for your health and it’s important you work to relieve it in healthy ways. We believe in leading the way to healthier communities. That happens with one healthy eater at a time. Central Ozarks Medical Center provides a broad set of services based on the needs of the communities we serve. We pride ourselves on offering quality healthcare that works best with your financial situation. If you are uninsured and would like to look at insurance options we have Assisters to help you navigate the process. For more information on the services we provide, visit our website at www.CentralOzarks.org.

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