Stress: It's More About Your Diet Than You Think

The human body's response to all forms of stress is the same - whether it be the physical demands of sport, the environmental strains of breathing polluted air, a poor diet or the hectic pace at which most of us now live. If you lead a productive life, stress is inevitable.

Stress slows progress and therefore it must be minimized for us to reach our full potential. Success at anything starts with learning natural strategies to cope with stress.

As a professional endurance athlete I have had to learn to deal with high levels of stress. Not just mental stress from competition, but also extreme physical stress from training over 30 hours per week. If I am not able to recover from a workout quickly, my training sessions will have to be spaced further apart and the rate at which I improve will diminish.

I believe the greatest impact we can have on overall stress reduction is dietary. It is estimated that as much as 40% of all stress can be attributed to a poor diet, something I call nutritional stress.

Contributing factors include over-consumption of processed foods and the under-consumption of nutrient dense whole foods that support biological function, activity level and regeneration. Consistently eating acid-forming foods is also a culprit. So what can we do to reduce nutritional stress? Here are four of my favorite strategies:

1.) Avoid Processed Foods At All Cost

As a general rule, the less that has been done to food, the more nutritional value it will have. So, avoid foods that come in a can, box, or are found in the freezer section.

Instead, try shifting your diet towards plant based whole foods. Whole foods, as opposed to refined and processed foods, provide nutrient-rich nourishment that our body needs to function and regenerate optimally. Once the body has been provided with the nutrition it desires, its hunger mechanism shuts off, reducing cravings and the tendency to overeat.

Processed Foods to Avoid: Foods high in nitrates and sodium, like hot dogs, bacon, pre-packaged lunch meats, bologna and sausage. Always opt for whole grain breads or pastas in favor of white bread or pastas. Try to limit your consumption of cookies, potato chips, boxed meal mixes ("Hamburger Helper", etc.), and canned pasta, fruits or vegetables.

2.) Eat Veggies to Promote Alkalinity

Because our body's ideal pH is slightly alkaline, our diet should also be slightly alkaline. Plant-based whole foods help support an alkaline environment in our body, whereas all animal products are acid-forming.

Acidic Foods to Avoid: Animal protein, sugar, caffeine, and anything that's been processed. These foods tend to deplete our body of alkaline minerals such as calcium, magnesium and potassium, making us more susceptible to chronic and degenerative disease.

3.) Drink 1-2 Nutrient-Dense Smoothies Per Day

I'll admit that one thing many processed and refined foods have in their favor is the convenience factor. Traditionally, whole foods have been time consuming to prepare - but they don't have to be.

An easy and convenient way to incorporate more plant-based whole foods in your diet is through a daily shake or smoothie. It's easy to pack nutrients into liquid form, which improves absorption and requires less energy to digest. I have one or more nutrient-packed shakes daily to insure that I get all the nutrients I need to support my activity level and induce a quick recovery.

Ideally, a shake should contain all the elements of a compete meal: protein, carbohydrate and fat. Also, as a vegan athlete I like to take this opportunity to pack in some of my favorite plant-based, nutrient dense foods.

I always start each shake with four main ingredients: Hemp protein, ground salba or flax seeds, chlorella and maca. After my four favorite foods above, I'll also mix in a banana and/or a pear. Berries are excellent as well because they are rich in antioxidants. Sometimes I'll blend in raw pumpkin seeds for iron and ground sesame seeds for calcium. Try raw carob powder for additional flavor and variety.

4.) Incorporate These "Functional Foods" Into Your Diet

Hemp Protein

Hemp protein is a raw whole food source of complete protein. So, for those of you who wonder where I get most of my protein, the answer is primarily from hemp foods. Hemp protein is alkaline, easy to digest and full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, enzymes and fiber. A company called Nutiva makes one of the most popular Organic Hemp Protein products on the market.

Salba Seeds

Salba seeds are the richest source of Omega-3 fatty acids in the plant kingdom and a great source of soluble and insoluble fiber. I like to buy whole salba seeds, grind them up myself in a coffee grinder and then store them in the fridge. There is also a full range of salba products, each with unique health or convenience benefits.

Maca Powder

Maca is a South American root vegetable that acts as a powerful adrenal tonic. During times of augmented stress, I highly recommend taking maca daily; 2.5 grams or more of maca powder. Also high in sterols to assist in strength gains, maca is an important food for athletes. Try the Organic Raw Maca Powder from Navitas Naturals.

Chlorella

Chlorella is another staple of my nutritional stress reduction program. A prolific freshwater algae with a protein content exceeding 65%, chlorella is one of the most nutrient dense superfoods on earth. Highly alkalizing, chlorella contains the highest concentration of chlorophyll in nature. Chlorella is more frequently sold in capsule form, but Source Naturals offers a reasonably priced Organic Chlorella powder.

Whole foods provide the body with premium fuel to perform at its peak plus they supply superior "building blocks" for the body to reconstruct new cells after exercise. This is the basis for creating a biologically younger body. Along with regular exercise, high quality whole foods are the best way to reduce nutritional stress, speed up the regeneration process at the cellular level, and improve health and performance.