It’s no secret that many people turn to food as a means of comfort when they feel stressed out, but there’s good news, food can keep you calm when you’re under pressure. Before you get carried away, though, you should know that doesn’t mean heading out for fried chicken or mac and cheese.

That type of eating will lead to anxiety and guilt. No, there are foods that reduce stress and boost your levels of happiness! Your diet can help you fight stress!

Chronic stress takes a toll on virtually the entire body, but usually the first place it is noticeable is from the effects it has on our brain. Specifically, our cognition suffers, and persons around us who are accustomed to the way we are will notice marked changes.

But stress does not need to take hold of our brain and cognition, reducing us into inefficient workers; as we can do things to restore our mental prowess.

Suffering from the cognitive deficits resulting from chronic stress yourself? Find out what todo about it.

Stress is something that we all deal with. And we all have our own ways of dealing with it. One of the most common ways that people deal with stress, especially chronic stress, is eating. When we are stressed, our bodies release a stress hormone called cortisol, as well as the hunger hormone, ghrelin.

Ghrelin stimulates the release of dopamine in the brain, which tells the body that it wants to eat. Cortisol is what triggers our cravings for foods that are salty, sweet, and fried. In other words, when you are feeling stressed, you suddenly have a strong appetite and an intense desire for foods that give you a burst of energy and pleasure.

However, how do you know when you are eating out of hunger and when you are reaching for food because you are stressed?

We all know how stress makes us feel- that is easy to explain. But how much can you say that you know of what is actually happening to the organs and systems in your body that is resulting in these feelings? Not much at all, and in some cases, physical changes do not need to occur- only chemical processes.

Regardless, it is good to get a “visualization” of what is going on inside your body, as it helps you develop a greater understanding of the dangerous effects stress can have, and if possible ways to help combat it.

Your world is full of stressors and while a short burst of stress here and there is normal and a part of life, chronic stress is a whole other matter. Exposure to long-term stress can alter your genes, increase inflammation in the body, and cause a wide variety of serious health issues that affect the body and mind.  

Learning how to cope with stress in healthy ways is vital to reducing and managing stress, however, there is a variety of unhealthy methods often used by people, who may not even realize that are doing so.  

1. Vices

2. Denying There Is A Problem

3. Stress Eating 

4. Feeding The Negativity 

5. Compulsive Spending

6. Going Into Hibernation 

7. Self-criticizing

8. Nail biting

9. Angry or violent outbursts and abuse of others 

10. Not eating

11. Surviving on coffee

12. Yelling at co-workers, employees, kids, spouse or friends

13. Social isolation

14. Sitting too much instead of engaging in physical movement

15. Using recreational drugs or abusing mood altering prescription medication

By now, we all know that too much stress is bad for you, but many people fail to determine when that point is reached. The fact is, the body is capable of handling stress- but just to an extent. After that, signs become highly visible that something is going terribly wrong, and sadly, doctors often misdiagnose the root cause. 

In addition, being able to identify and link symptoms should set you on the right path to quickly identify when the effects of stress are becoming so compounded, that it can actually kill you. Look out for the following.

Premature Aging

You Are Always Tired

You Are Frequently Sick Or Unwell

You Find It Impossible To Lose Weight

Your Sex Drive Has Vaporized

Your Brain Refuses To Work At 100% Efficiency. 

Chest Pains/ Palpitations

When you hear the word stress or see it written before you, you know what it is, right? However, if you were to define it you would probably find that your response differs from thousands of others. The official definition of stress, as per the National Institutes of Health is “how the brain and body respond to any demands.” The response is your body’s defense. 

Perhaps one of the most complicated results of stress is learning how to manage it and cope with it in healthy ways. 

Turning to drugs and alcohol will only provide temporary relief and fuel other health issues, so it’s important that you know how to cope appropriately when experiencing chronic stress. 

Healthy Methods Of Coping With Chronic Stress

1. Positive Thinking 

2. Managing Your Emotional Response

3. Time Management 

4. Work-Life Balance 

5. Meditation 

6. Stay The Course 

7. Social Network 

You just got an offer for a wonderful new job. There's just one catch. You have to say good-by to your current employer.

Maybe you loved your job and you face an emotional farewell. Or you maybe you hated every minute and you’ve been counting the days till you could walk out the door one last time.

People often admit they’re nervous about making the departure announcement. They’re afraid the boss will be angry. They feel guilty about the work they’re leaving behind. Maybe someone else has to take up the slack for a while.

There are some ways to move to your next position with integrity.

1. Give the correct amount of notice required by your company’s written policy.

2. After you leave, do not accept any job-related calls from your company unless you have a written contract.

3. Study your current and future company policies regarding disclosures and no-compete agreements.

4. Resign to your boss in person, if at all possible.

5. Expect your boss to be professional.

6. Thank your boss and your coworkers, even if you hate them all and can’t wait to leave.

7. Don’t close the door all the way.

8. Treat the exit interview as a business formality, not a therapy session.

9. Resist efforts to share the details of your future position with anyone.

10. Focus on your new opportunity – not your past experience.

You’ve landed what you thought was the job of your dreams. Each stage of the interview went smoothly - you sold them on your skills and expertise, and your prospective boss sold you on the position and benefits of joining the company. They seemed excited about extending an offer. 

You’ve now been on board a few days… a week… perhaps even a month. Suddenly you’re not so sure you’ve made the right decision. The job that seemed like a dream is starting to feel like a nightmare. Perhaps the position isn’t what you thought it would be; it’s either too narrow, too broad, not challenging enough, or more of a stretch than you imagined. Maybe the company isn’t measuring up. 

In a state of confusion, you wonder what you should do. Stick it out? For how long? Leave? Then what? The decision to stay or leave a new job is a personal one, with no right or wrong answer, as everyone’s situation is unique. And most people, at one time or another, have been faced with this dilemma. To help you think through your next move and determine what’s right for you, here are some questions you may want to ask yourself.

Is it just the newness of the job? 

Can you live with your boss? 

Can you navigate the politics? 

What will you learn if you stay in this job? 

If the scope of the job has changed, can it be renegotiated? 

Can you afford to leave without another job to go to? 

Everyone doing the nine-to five grind has to deal with similar issues at work, the office politics, the great or not so great boss, hierarchical challenges, conflicts of interests, and miscommunication.

Expectations, deadlines, achievements, and goals can all add up to a bucket full of stress, more than you’d like to be carrying. 

Choosing ways to reduce the load is a great way to work smarter rather than harder. Here are five ways you can reduce the pressures at work to lower your stress levels:

1. Recognize What You Can And Can’t Control

2. Breathe

3. Take Scheduled Breaks

4. Learn To Say, “No.”

5. Offer “Win-Win” Solutions