Ok, not all of us like fruit and veg and it can be hard to stick to a healthy diet, but in preparation for a big event it can be especially important, as Nicola Ragon explains ...
How to ‘stress-less’ as a bride-to-be…..
As a bride-to-be
(and a three times bridesmaid) I know only too well how, during all the wedding
preparations, the pressure can mount until the word ‘stress’ doesn’t even touch
how you’re feeling! Most people just
accept that this as par for the course, unless you’ve managed to delegate
everything to a professional wedding planner (I wish!) or you happen to be super
chilled out (I’m not!). But as my
professional head keeps telling me, by making some simple changes to our diet
and lifestyle, we can help the body feel more in control when under pressure
and actually reduce the feelings of stress.
And when I practice what I preach I feel so much better!
Stress isn’t
always caused by one huge upsetting event in your life. It can come about after an accumulation of
small every day, not necessarily negative, events. For example having the constant pressure of
decision making, even for a happy event, can cause feelings of stress for some
people. Our different personalities have
quite a bearing on what we are able to cope with. Other common stressors during wedding prep
include trying to lose weight (both the physical stress on the body as well as
the mental torture if it’s not done properly!), time pressures, money worries,
guest list issues etc. etc. Stressful events in themselves aren’t a bad thing;
we are designed to cope with life’s ups and downs. Unfortunately, sometimes when the stressorsare
relentless our bodies just respond in the wrong way and it is this response and
the diseases that stem from it that causes the problem. Making sure the body is well nourished and
rested can help to reduce these effects.
We’ve all
experienced butterflies in our tummy and that urgent need to rush to the
toilet; that is a direct effect of stress hormones, the ones we release when we
are feeling nervous, frightened or under pressure. It’s what we called the fight
or flight response and it’s a response to an immediate stressor. Traditionally this would have been a big
grizzly bear eyeing you up for lunch; for us that moment before walking down
the aisle will probably cause the same response. It’s the body’s way of getting ready for
action by increasing heart rate, mobilising energy stores, increasing blood
pressure and shutting down non-essential functions like digestion. Now the problem is we’re not going to respond
by running away at speed or fighting the vicar or registrar – well I hope not
anyway – so all those hormones build in the body.
If the intense stress
carries on over the longer term we continue to release the stress hormone
cortisol and out body starts using up vital nutrients just to keep going and to
produce these hormones. You might feel
like you’re coping but may also experience insomnia, headaches, anxiety. Your metabolism and normal body functions are
disrupted because you’re constantly producing these stress hormones.
Then finally,
after a period of time exposed to constant stressors, we might reach the exhaustion
stage, where our bodies just can’t produce the stress hormones in the levels
needed. We feel exhausted and may
experience depression, low sex drive (certainly not what you want in the
build-up to the most romantic day of your life), frequent infections and even
changes in your periods and hormone levels.
Everything becomes just too much for the body.
Typically,
someone who is stressed, struggling to cope and perhaps not realising it will….
- drink alcohol to relax and send them to sleep, but the sleep isn't quality sleep
- drink coffee in the morning to get them going after the poor sleep
- have a cigarette to calm nerves after all the caffeine
- eat stodgy comfort food for lunch
- have a bar of chocolate mid-afternoon to get over the 4 o'clock slump
- dodge the gym because they are too tired after work
- reach for the take-away menu because the thought of deciding what to cook is overwhelming and they are starving
All of these
things form a vicious cycle giving you a boost of energy followed by a slump,
then requiring another boost of energy.
And they make things worse. They
also tend to encourage weight gain, poor mood and dull skin and hair - the
exact things you don’t want as a bride!
Now being aware of
stressors and the effects they have is the first step in being able to cope
better. And other than trying to reduce
the stressors, the next step is trying to strengthen the body to prevent any
negative effects. A well-nourished and healthy individual can cope with most
things thrown at them!
Blood sugar balance – this
is probably the most important thing to think about when trying to cope with
stress. The body interprets imbalanced blood sugar levels as a stressor. When we eat
carbohydrates this is digested and absorbed as glucose, a type of sugar. Now refined carbohydrates like white bread,
white pasta and sugar are absorbed very quickly because they don’t take long to
digest. This causes our blood sugar
levels to rise very high, very quickly.
The body detects this and releases a hormone called insulin to remove
this sugar and put it into storage but it panics because there is so much sugar
in the blood and releases too much insulin.
This sends our blood sugar levels plummeting as too much sugar is taken
from the blood. It’s at this stage that
we get the shakes, fatigue and cravings for sugar/carbs and other stimulants.
So aim keep blood sugar levels stable throughout the day by eating a good mix
of complex carbohydrates, protein and good fats.
Avoid stimulants (normal tea, coffee, coke) – these give an instant energy boost but reduce energy levels in the
long term.Caffeine elevates the stress hormones cortisol and adrenalin, and
over stimulation can lead to irritability and a lack of concentration – the
same symptoms as stress! If you have to
have coffee in the morning make sure it’s after breakfast.
Limit alcohol - not only
does it interfere with good sleep but it depletes important nutrients like B
vitamins required for energy production.
The next morning you’ll feel even more tired.
Regular exercise – cardio
work will use up those stress hormones to restore balance in the body. Stretching and breathing exercises like yoga
and Pilates will encourage you to slow down and relax. Happy hormones will also be released so you
are guaranteed to end up feeling happier.
Planning – the absolute
key to making good choices during stressful periods is planning. That means
making a shopping list, knowing what you will cook each evening, taking a
packed lunch and always having the healthiest snacks available.
And finally…..
46% of women over-eat when stressed, compared to 17%
of men!
And women are more likely to suffer from stress
related conditions than men!
So as you can
see it’s even more important for us women to take control when it comes to
managing stress! If you are struggling
with stress why not consider visiting a qualified nutritional therapist to help
you find a balance through diet, lifestyle and supplements (if necessary)? If you can support your body you will stay
happy and healthy - happy wedding planning!!
Now pass me the
camomile tea!
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