Tummy toning foods

Eat Yourself Less Stressed

I can’t advise my clients on how to deal with their stressful jobs, family lives or even the traffic jams that they encounter on their way to work every day. But what I can do is to help them reduce stress in a few other ways – firstly, by eating themselves less stressed. The food we eat has a huge impact on our stress levels – some foods calm our bodies down, helping to lower levels of cortisol and reduce the amount of fat we lay down on our tummies. Other foods, however, do the opposite and cause our bodies to feel even more stressed, which increases cortisol levels and fat distribution.

All of the following foods reduce stress which, in turn, will keep your tummy nice and flat:

Blueberries	These are top of my list because they’re a low GI (glycaemic index) food, which means they keep your blood-sugar (and energy) levels nice and steady. Eat a handful of blueberries every single day, if you can.
Green vegetables	Broccoli, kale, asparagus – it doesn’t matter which ones you go for – all green vegetables are packed with vitamins that help to replenish and soothe a stressed body. Remember: the darker the better (so, for example, dark green rocket contains more goodness than a pale green iceberg lettuce). Most green vegetables also contain potassium, which, according to studies, calms the nerves. My two favourite green vegetables are spinach and broccoli. Just 30g of spinach gives you 40 per cent of your daily magnesium requirement (insufficient magnesium leads to headaches and fatigue). Broccoli is full of stress-relieving B vitamins; it also contains folic acid which can reduce feelings of stress and depression.
Red, yellow and orange vegetables	These include tomatoes, carrots and peppers, which are rich in vitamins and minerals and are shown to lower stress levels. They also contain lots of fibre; this is helpful in treating both constipation and loose bowels, which are often caused by irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), one of the most common side effects of too much stress.
Turkey	Turkey contains an amino acid called L-tryptophan, which triggers the release of serotonin (a relaxing feelgood brain chemical). Chicken is also high in this amino acid.
Water	Even mild dehydration stresses your body out, so it’s important to drink at least 2–3 litres of still, room temperature water every single day. Sip it regularly throughout the day. Filtered is best; tap water is less good.
Yoghurt	This provides a good hit of minerals, including calcium which is important for your nerves. Yogurt also neutralises the acidity caused by stress. Don’t go for the low-fat stuff though (it’s often packed full or sugar and sweeteners, which stress out your body) – choose a natural and organic one instead.
Oily fish	Salmon, tuna and mackerel contain lots of Omega fatty acids which protect your heart (your heart can also get a battering from too much stress). Omega fatty acids also control levels of cortisol and adrenaline (another stress hormone) in the body, plus they contain choline, which is great for your improving memory and concentration. Limit your tuna intake to one fresh steak (or three tins) a week though, as it contains mercury, too much of which is bad for you.
Chocolate	Chocolate acts as a mood elevator. It also contains magnesium which calms and soothes fragile nerves. The key here, however, is in the portion size: a little bit, like one or two squares, once or twice a week is OK; too much definitely isn’t, however, because it’s packed with sugar.
Almonds, pistachios and walnuts	These are full of vitamins B and E, which boost your immune system (whereas stress weakens it). Plus, pistachios lower your blood pressure (whereas stress raises it). Have a small handful of nuts every day.
Avocados	These help to lower blood pressure because of all the monounsaturated fat and potassium they contain. They have more potassium than bananas, according to several studies, plus they satisfy creamy/sweet cravings better.
Cantaloupe melon	This is an excellent source of vitamin C, which is great for beating stress.
Beef	Beef is full of iron, zinc and B vitamins, all of which have been shown to chill you out. However, you should limit yourself to 1 or 2 portions a we

Does your stomach churn when you’re stressed? Your digestive system starts working erratically or shuts down completely when you’re anxious, which is why highly stressed people often get stomach ulcers. Stress impacts hugely on the health and appearance of your tummy, so if you want a flat stomach you really need to tackle your stress levels.

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