No, it's not a weird form of PMS, it's psycho-neuro-endo-immunology, and everybody is talking about it. It's the branch of science that examines the impact of psychological factors on the nervous, hormonal and immune systems - in other words, how stress affects our minds and bodies. Stress, of course, is fashionable right now, and the latest PNEI findings maintain that diet can play a significant part in improving your emotional and physical wellbeing.
If you think about it, we all "self-medicate" during stressful times - upping caffeine intake to keep wired, stuffing in the sugar for comfort or quaffing wine to calm down. Eating lentils will not solve financial worries, stop the baby crying or repair a broken relationship, but making careful food choices in moments of strength can help your body through times of strife.
So, if stress is turning you into a moody chocoholic insomniac, with no sex drive, constant colds, tummy troubles, dire concentration and heart palpitations, here is what you need to do.
Boost magnesium intake
This "calming" mineral is used by the body to make energy, balance blood-sugar levels and maintain healthy blood pressure - all the things that go haywire when you are under pressure. One sign of a deficiency is anxiety. Found in green vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains and pulses, magnesium is an underrated and underconsumed nutrient. A UK government survey found that 72% of women do not get the recommended intake. A handful of almonds and a serving of boiled spinach will give you half of what you need a day.
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Don't drink coffee before 10am
The ideal is to drink none at all, but if that is too stressful, have one or two a day, but never on an empty stomach. Having a hit of rocket fuel first thing, when your body is still half asleep, becomes another form of the stress you are trying to combat. What's more, your body "up regulates" - it becomes immune to the caffeine hit - and needs more of it to have an effect.
Never skip meals
If you do, your blood-sugar levels will crash. Eat three low-GI meals a day, plus snacks if necessary: for example, have oats for breakfast and a piece of fruit mid-morning; eat lentil soup and a yoghurt for lunch, with nuts mid-afternoon; and have a chicken stir-fry for supper.
Beef up on vitamins B5 and C
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When the body is pumping out the stress hormone cortisol, it gobbles up the B vitamins, particularly B5, as well as vitamin C. Good sources of B5 include eggs, fish, meat, lentils, soya and whole grains such as brown rice, oats, rye, quinoa and buckwheat. Berries, broccoli, cabbage, peppers, kale, kiwi fruit, tomatoes, watercress and citrus fruits all provide vitamin C. Boost levels with Nature's Plus Mega-Stress Complex (from £9.75 for 30 tablets, from Victoria Health), a blend of B vitamins, with emphasis on B5, plus vitamin C and calming herbs.
Raise serotonin levels
Stodgy carbohydrate-rich foods are comforting because they help the amino acid tryptophan to cross into the nervous system, where it is used to make serotonin. Milk, yoghurt, bananas, figs and dates are all good sources of tryptophan.
Eat oats for breakfast
It may not be breaking news, but it's still the best thing you can eat if you want a stress-free day. These versatile whole grains are loaded with B vitamins, magnesium, vitamin E and other nutrients.
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Ditch caffeine, sugar and alcohol
They may help you to keep going or calm down in the short term, but they tax your body, playing havoc with blood-sugar levels, moods and sleep. Ideally, you should cut them out completely, but if you can't cope with that, limit your intake to twice a week.
A cautionary word about exercise
Although they are beneficial, intense workouts raise levels of the stress hormone cortisol, so if you are drained by long-term stress, don't exacerbate the problem. Take training down a notch - try walking, gentle swimming or yoga, rather than a hard-core aerobic session.