Read The News Makes Stress? Try Calming Yourself With This Food

Illustration of stress reliever food. (Freepic)

JAKARTA - Some types of food can actually help improve mood when the body and mind are under stress. Especially if you have recently seen or read bad news about the condition of the Indonesian state.

Starting from riots, demonstrations, looting, to sad news from colleagues who participated in the demonstration were injured and even died.

Nutritionist from the National Central General Hospital dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo Jakarta, Fitri Hudayani explained, prolonged anxiety due to exposure to the news often triggers emotional eating behavior, namely conditions when a person seeks comfort through foods that are high in sugar, salt, or fat.

This habit certainly risks causing health problems, ranging from weight gain to lack of nutritional intake if the appetite decreases due to stress. Therefore, according to Fitri, it is important to maintain a balanced diet.

"In terms of food to overcome this problem, what is recommended is to maintain a balanced diet with nutrition, still meet nutritional needs," said Fitri.

He added that pure chocolate can be an option to improve the mood. Brown powders that are brewed without additional sugar or fat still provide a delicious taste while helping to create a comfortable feeling.

In addition to chocolate, green tea can also be an alternative. The polyphenolic content in it functions to lower levels of cortisol hormones that trigger stress. Green tea is also able to increase serotonin and dopamine related to mood. The consumption is only one cup per day as needed.

Another food that Fitri recommends is yogurt. In addition to maintaining digestive health, yogurt also helps the body absorb better nutrition, especially when nutritional needs increase during stress. The ideal dose is one cup per day.

Not only that, green vegetables, banana fruit, nuts, and seeds can also provide a calming effect while meeting the needs of vitamins and minerals. Vegetables should be consumed every main meal, plus four to five times per day with fruit.

Fitri also emphasized the importance of animal protein, such as marine fish, which is useful for maintaining the health of the body when facing emotional stress. A healthy lifestyle also needs to be considered, for example reducing caffeine and alcohol, fulfilling rest time, and exercising regularly in a comfortable place.