Eating vegetables reduces stress

Bust stress with this garden secret

If you’re feeling frazzled… whether you’re running late for an appointment or just can’t find enough hours in the day to get everything done… you might hear a song that starts playing in your head.

But it’s not just any song.

Give me a break… give me a break… break me off a piece of that KIT KAT BAR.

The TV commercials we’ve been hearing for DECADES certainly have a way of sticking with us, don’t they?

But that earworm won’t do you a bit of good if you’re stressing out or feeling “hangry” (as my younger patients say). And, according to new research, what you should really be reaching for during those stressful times is a carrot.

Now, I know how comparatively unappetizing that may sound, but stick with me for a moment.

A new study out of Australia reveals that eating several servings of fresh vegetables a day can significantly decrease the impact that stress has on your life.

The researchers studied the diets of over 60,000 adults over the course of four years. The average age of the men in the study was 62 and the average age for the women was 53.

By the end of the study, the research showed that the men who ate three or four servings of vegetables every day were 12 percent less stressed out than those who ate fewer servings.

Ladies, the news is even more exciting for you. When compared to those who ate less, the ladies who ate three to four servings of vegetables a day saw their stress levels reduced by 18 percent.

Don’t worry — I’m not going to try to convince you to go vegetarian or vegan. I’d never do that!

Because vegetables can’t do all the work on their own — and this new study proves it.

In fact, although the best results were found in the women who ate five to seven servings of vegetables and fruit COMBINED — which decreased their stress levels by a whopping 23 percent — eating MORE than that didn’t have any increased benefits.

Man — and woman — cannot live by plants alone.

That’s why I always recommend the Paleo diet, which includes a healthy balance of vegetables (and some fruit) alongside healthy animal proteins that will keep the hunger out of your “hangry” and will keep your body running like a well-oiled machine.

When you’re healthy and strong — and not riding the emotional rollercoaster that too many starches and sugars can put you on — you’re better able to deal with the inevitable stresses of daily life.

You’ll be relieved to know that as you bulk up on your veggie consumption, you don’t have to limit yourself to tasteless celery sticks, either. You can season, steam, bake, barbecue, and broil just about everything from zucchini and mushrooms to apples and peaches — and don’t forget to drizzle them with a little olive oil.