Article of the Week0
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Article of the Week
The anti-anxiety diet: Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress. It helps one deal with a tense situation in the office, study harder for an exam, keep focused on an important speech. In general, it helps one cope. But when anxiety becomes an excessive, irrational dread of everyday situations, it has become a disabling disorder. Effective treatments for anxiety disorders are available, and research is yielding new, improved therapies that can help most people with anxiety disorders lead productive, fulfilling lives. Although tension and daily stresses are unavoidable, you can relieve tension and manage stress better by what you do and don't eat. Here are some ideas for a healthier diet. 1. Cut out caffeine. Caffeine belongs to a class of chemicals called methylxanthines, which have a drug like stimulant effect on the body. Too many fizzy drinks, coffee, tea or chocolate can overwhelm your nervous system and take you from heightened alertness over the edge into nervousness and, in rare cases, bring on panic attacks. Even if you think you can't survive without your caffeine fix, try eliminating it for a day and see how you feel. As a central nervous system stimulant, caffeine increases brain activity when taken in doses of 50 to 100 mg or more per day. This is the amount found in one cup of coffee or black tea. When used on an occasional basis, a cup of coffee can have a pleasantly stimulating effect. For women with anxiety and panic episodes due to emotional triggers, caffeine can aggravate the frequency and severity of their episodes. Caffeine taken in excess (more than four or five cups per day) can dramatically increase anxiety, irritability, and mood swings. Even small amounts can make susceptible women jittery. After the initial jolt, women with anxiety symptoms find that caffeine intake makes them more tired.
Healthy Recipe
Baked Fish: Serves: 4, Ingredients: 1 pound fish fillets, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 3 garlic cloves, chopped, 1-1/2 teaspoon lemon juice, Direction: Coat fish with all ingredients except lemon juice. Cover and marinate for one hour in the refrigerator. Coat a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray (nonfat). Place the fish in dish and cover with marinade. Bake, at 400 degrees F, uncovered for 20-25 minutes. Top with lemon juice. Nutritional Information: Serving size: 1 fillet, Calories: 100, Fat: 1.5 g, Cholesterol: 45 mg, Protein: 20 g, Carbohydrates: 0.5 g, Fiber: 0.5 g, Sodium: 320 mg.