Eat Your Way Calm

Feeling more in-control allows you to take life into your own hands. A calm, down-regulated nervous system learns how and when to eat and can avoid over-eating and/or emotional eating

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April 2, 2017
by Juliette Gamble

TRE® is a natural and efficient way to quickly discharge stored up stress, tension, and trauma, resetting the nervous system, bringing it back to a state of homeostasis or balance.   When the autonomic nervous system is balanced, healing occurs.  A body in balance feels calm and thinks clearer. A more calm self generally feels optimistic, eager, and is more willing to keep that feel-good feeling.

Feeling more in-control allows you to take life into your own hands. A calm, down-regulated nervous system learns how and when to eat and can avoid over-eating and/or emotional eating.  A calm system can pay attention to triggers; recognizing what makes us feel overwhelmed so we can notice what we're doing.  Say you're tempted to grab for that something sweet or that glass of wine in order to satisfy your unease and anxiety, instead . . . STOP, shake  it off (TRE®) and breathe.  With practice, we can become more conscious of patterns of breathing, thinking, and eating -- noticing our triggers.  In this way, we can begin replacing old habits with new healthier rituals and routines.

Eating healthy organic foods is a way to beat stress and boost energy. We get energy from the foods we eat. Processed food has been linked with depleted energy and is believed to increase inflammation in the body, leading to fatigue and a variety of health issues including autoimmune disorders and arthritis.

Stress and poor nutrition can lead to a condition known as Fibromyalgia. Although the direct cause of Fibromyalgia is unknown, inflammation is thought to play a large role in its development. Fibromyalgia causes stiffness, soreness, tenderness in the muscles; pain or tenderness in the joints; changes in sleep patterns; and/or depression accompany your low energy level.

Fortunately, eating a diet based on whole plant foods can significantly reduce inflammation and its negative side effects. Simply increasing your fruit intake to 2-3 servings per day and your vegetable intake to 8-12 servings per day can help fight inflammation, increase energy, and get you looking and feeling brighter.

​You can eat your way calm with these ten (10) superfoods:

1. Asparagus is a mood-enhancer. Depression is linked to low levels of folic acid. Just a single cup of asparagus provides two-thirds of your daily value of folic acid. Sauté some asparagus in a tasty omelette. Or steam or grill spears as a side dish.
2. Avocados are rich in vitamin B. We need vitamin B for healthy nerves and brain cells. Anxiety may be rooted in a B vitamin deficiency. Not only are avocados high in vitamin B but they are also high in monounsaturated fat and potassium, which help lower blood pressure. Blend an avocado with a ripe banana, a little vanilla extract, nut milk, and a little stevia and freeze to enjoy a frosty, nutrient rich treat later.
3. Blueberries pack a powerful punch of antioxidants and vitamin C, a surefire stress-buster. Vitamin C and antioxidants help repair and protect cells. Freeze some blueberries for a quick on-the-go cold berry snack or add some in a serving of yogurt of high-fiber cereal.
4. Milk is high in antioxidants, vitamins B2 and B12, as well as protein and calcium. The protein lactium has a calming effect by lowering blood pressure and potassium in milk can help relieve muscle spasms when we feel tense. For those looking for a milk-alternative, you can find “milks” made from soybeans, brown rice, almonds, coconuts, even almond-coconut blends. You can choose unsweetened, plain or flavored with vanilla, chocolate or strawberry. Non-dairy milks are good choices for those people who can't digest lactose, the nature sugar in cow's milk. But Be Careful – you could be missing out nutritionally – so read the fine print. For instance, almond beverages are made from finely ground almonds and water, offering fewer calories than other non-diary milks (original unflavored: 60 calories per 250-milliliter cup; unsweetened: 35 calories per cup). Almond milk contains no saturated fat or cholesterol. One downside of almond milk is its low protein content – only 1 gram per cup versus 8 grams in one cup of cow's milk. But almonds are naturally high in vitamin E, an antioxidant that protects cells from damage caused by free radicals, almond milk is not.
5. Almonds are rich in vitamins B2 and E and help bolster the immune system during times of stress. Just a quarter cup of almonds each day can offer stress relief. Spread some almond butter on fruit slices or on whole wheat crackers.
6. Oranges give a quick burst of vitamin C, a vitamin known to lower blood pressure and to reduce the stress hormone cortisol. Drink fresh squeezed organic orange juice or eat a whole orange.
7. Salmon is one of the best sources of omega-3s. A diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids keep cortisol and adrenaline from spiking when you're feeling tense. Consume 4 ounces at least three times a week to protect your heart, especially for when those stress hormones are surging.
8. Spinach has a comforting effect and is packed with magnesium, the mineral that helps regulate cortisol levels and promotes a sense of well-being. Just one cup of spinach daily fills 40% of your daily quota. Add some spinach in with your morning egg omelette or make a green smoothie. Swap spinach for lettuce in your sandwich or eat in a salad or as a side dish.
9. Turkey's not just for Thanksgiving –that sleepy feeling you get after a big Turkey Day Dinner is due to the amino acid tryptophan. Tryptophan signals the brain to release that feel-good chemical serotonin, which promotes calmness and a sense of tiredness.
10. Oatmeal, or old-fashioned oats, are a great source of fiber and since they take longer to digest, they keep you feeling satisfied longer. Oatmeal gets the calm-inducing hormone serotonin flowing. Thick or coarse oats are higher in fiber, so they take longer to digest and give a longer lasting calming effect.

Additional Superfoods to add to your daily meals:

1. Raw organic cacao nibs. Yes chocolate is good for you. Raw, unprocessed cacao is one of nature's best sources of nutrition as it is loaded with magnesium, antioxidants, and brain-stimulating chemicals. Cacao helps the body absorb calcium, fight disease, and stabilize moods.
2. Raw organic chia seeds pack a nutritional punch and are filled with more Omega-3 fatty acids than salmon, more calcium per fluid ounce than milk, and significant amounts of fiber, iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, B-vitamins, and antioxidants. They are also one of the most naturally balanced sources of healthy fats, containing an ideal ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6 fatty acids. Their high fiber content help the body stabilize blood sugar levels.
3. Raw Organic goji berries are native to the Himalayan highlands of China and Tibet and are one of nature's most nutritionally complete foods. These “red diamonds,” as they're called in their homeland, contain 18 different amino acids, including 8 of the 9 essential food-based amino acids that our bodies cannot make on their own. Goji berries contain up to 21 trace minerals, including zinc, iron, copper, calcium, germanium, selenium, and phosphorus. They are the richest source of carotenoids and contain even more beta carotene per serving than carrots! Goji berries contain 500 times the vitamin C content per weight of oranges, ranking only second to camu camu berries in Vitamin C. In addition to all of these amazing nutrients, goji berries also contain vitamins B1, B6 and vitamin E.
4. Raw organic maca powder is praised for its adaptogenic or stress-regulating properties, maca root, and the powder derived from it help the body control a wide array of energy-altering functions, from focus and attention to libido and fertility. Maca root was first cultivated by the Incan civilization of the Andes mountains over 2,000 years ago and was considered to be a gift of the gods.
5. Spirulina, a blue-green variety of algae, is full of protein and GLA (gamma-linolenic acid) – a healthy omega-6 fatty acid shown to assist in weight loss. Spirulina can be found in capsule or powder form in most health food stores.    

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QUICK SUPERFOOD SHAKES:

Tame inflammation:
2 big handfuls of spinach
½ C blueberries
½ C pineapple, cut into chunks
1 tsp maca root powder or chia seeds
2 C water
Add all ingredients and blend until smooth, about 40 seconds.
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Limber Up Joints with this arthritis pain-reducing cherry delight:
½ C spinach
½ C cherries (pits removed)
½ cup pineapple
¼ C parsley
1 Tbsp raw cacao (powder, nibs, or beans)
1 Tsp tumeric
2 C water
Add all ingredients and blend until smooth.

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Click For More Healthy Recipes

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TRE & Women's Health
​​
​TRE and Fibromyalgia

TRE and Anxiety

How Does Natural Calm Ease Stress?When we are under stress, our cells—which in their resting state contain magnesium—go through a change. Calcium, normally outside the cells, enters the cells to create an action state. Nerve cells become excited and muscles tense. When the stress has passed, magnesium then pushes the calcium back out of the cells and everything relaxes. However, when there’s not enough magnesium, calcium remains in the cells, prolonging stress and creating magnesium-deficiency symptoms. You experience this as feeling stressed. Cellular magnesium deficiency can also express itself as fatigue and low energy; inability to sleep; muscle tension, spasms and cramps; anxiousness and nervousness; headaches; constipation and abnormal heart rhythms. Natural Calm, sourced from the ocean’s rich mineral content, delivers magnesium in a highly absorbable and quick-acting form. Its effectiveness—The CALM Experience—has made Natural Calm the leading magnesium supplement in the natural market.