Tag Archives: stress

Summertime Eating Tips to Help Caregivers Keep Their Cool

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Background texture of pink and white rose petals

Rose Petals Make a Delicious Cooling Drink and Jelly

 

It’s summertime and the livin’ is easy—or at least we’d like it to be. If you’re tired and stressed out from caregiving, here are some tips to help you stay cooler in summer.

According to the ancient Indian system of Ayurveda our body consists of three main elements or doshas—Vatta, Pitta and Kapha. Pitta consists of water and fire. It’s hot, so during summer when the temperature rises we want to eat cooling foods. Eating cooling foods not only keeps us from overheating, it reduces the tendency to get irritable, impatient and angry.

  • 1) First and foremost, stay hydrated. It’s especially important to make sure you and your loved ones are getting enough liquids because when we forget to drink we can become dehydrated quickly, which leads to other health problems. It’s also crucial to keep the brain hydrated in order to maintain mental alertness. Drink plenty of water and stay away from carbonated and caffeinated drinks. Herbal teas, and fresh fruit or vegetable juices are great in summer. Just remember that fruit juices are high in sugar and calories.
  • 2) Enjoy the bounty of summer fruits and vegetables. The summer fruits such as peaches, apricots, cherries, watermelon, cantaloupe, and berries are especially good for helping the body reduce the fiery heat of summer. According to Ayurveda, some of the recommended summer vegetables include cucumber, green leafy vegetables, green beans, squash, zucchini, asparagus, beets and eggplant.
  • 3) Sprinkle on the herbs and spices. They’re easy to use and contribute added flavor and antioxidants to your diet. Cooling spices include cardamom, coriander, fennel and tumeric. Cooling herbs include cilantro, mint and dill.
  • 4) Avoid hot, sour and salty foods including fermented food, red meat, and greasy and spicy food. Excess pitta aggravates the tendency towards heartburn and gastric hyperacidity.
  • 5) Here’s some good news—Ayurveda recommends ice cream during the hot summer months! So by all means, enjoy! Dementia patients are especially fond of ice cream. If the person you are caring for refuses to eat or eats very little, try serving ice cream. It contains protein, calcium and calories, and it’s easy to serve and eat. If weight gain or cholesterol is a concern, select a dairy-free version of America’s favorite dessert. Rice Cream, Coconut Bliss and Soy Delicious make delicious non-dairy, frozen desserts.
  • 6) My roses are bursting with fragrance and beauty. Roses are especially cooling and ff you have rose bushes that are free of chemicals, here’s a special treat to make: Rose Petal Jam. It’s fun and easy and the person you are caring for might even like to get into the act. It’s also very cooling and pacifies irritability. Spread it on toast, put a teaspoon on top of a scoop of ice or add it to warm milk for a yummy nightcap. (see recipe below)
  • 7) Make a lassi using a tablespoon of rose petal jam. Or use this delicious recipe to make the classic, cooling Indian-style milkshake.

Rose Petal Jam

Ingredients

  • ◦ 1 cup fresh rose petals (must never have been sprayed with any chemicals)
  • ◦ 3/4 cup water
  • ◦ 1 lemon, juice of (1/4 cup)
  • ◦ 2 1/2 cups sugar or evaporated cane juice crystals
  • ◦ 1 package pectin
  • ◦ 3/4 cup water

Directions

  1. Puree rose petals, 3/4 cup water and lemon juice in blender until smooth.
  2. Slowly add sugar.
  3. Blend till all sugar has dissolved; (leave in blender) Stir 1 package pectin into 3/4 cup water, bring to a boil, and boil hard for 1 minute. Pour mixture into blender with rose petal mixture until well blended.
  4. Do this very quickly – it sets up FAST!! Pour into small, sterilized jelly jars.
  5. Let set for 6 hours, till firm.
  6. Will keep one month in refrigerator.
  7. Freezes well.

 

Rose Water Lassi

  • 2 1⁄2 cups plain yogurt
  • 1/2-teaspoon fine sugar
  • ¼ tsp of ground cardamom
  • 2 teaspoons pure rosewater
  • 3⁄4 cups Ice water
  • 1 cup Ice cube cracked
  • Fragrant rose petals for garnish

Blend the yogurt, sugar, cardamom, rose water and iced water in a blender for 2 minutes. Add the ice and process for another 2 minutes. Pour the lassi into tall, refrigerated glasses and garnish with rose petals. Chill out and enjoy!

The #1 challenge that caregivers face

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Stress is undoubtedly the biggest challenge that caregivers face. Statistics show that the stress of care giving can result in chronic disease for the caregiver and take as many as 10 years off one’s life.

When we are chronically stressed the body’s fight or flight response gets turned on and forgets to shut off. When the body is in a constant state of “emergency alert” the adrenal glands—the small walnut shaped glands that sit on top of your kidneys—get “stuck” in the on position and produce an excess of cortisol, the stress hormone, which can result in sleep problems, weight gain, and chronic health problems.

Additionally, the liver releases too much glucose and fatty acids into the bloodstream. The excess glucose goes unused, so your body has to produce an enormous amount of insulin to handle it. Eventually, this can result in hypoglycemia or diabetes, and weight gain. Fat that is dumped into your blood also goes unused, so it clogs your arteries, leading to cardiovascular disease.

5 foods that can help relieve stress

  1. Dark leafy greens such as kale, Swiss chard, and spinach contain vitamin D, which helps with high levels of stress, and vitamin B, especially folic acid, which is depleted by stress. B vitamins are needed to make serotonin, a neurotransmitter that directly affects mood in a positive way.
  2. Wild-caught salmon contains magnesium the mood mineral, and vitamin D, which helps with high levels of stress.
  3. Yellow fruits such as peaches, nectarines and apricots, and cantaloupe contain vitamin A, important for a healthy immune system.
  4. Asparagus is high in folic acid, which can help stabilize your mood.
  5. Cottage cheese is high in calcium and protien. Add a fruit high in vitamin C, like oranges or strawberries, for the added antioxidant benefit that fights free radicals produced by stress and helps support the adrenal glands.

10 tips for instant stress relief

  • Eat within one hour of arising and by 10am. Eating breakfast restores healthy blood sugar levels, which have dropped during the night. Instead of a bowl of cereal with skim milk and a banana, eat protein and a healthy fat such as an omelet and avocado and a slice of whole grain toast. A healthy breakfast provides you with the energy you need to get through the morning, while maintaining a sense of equilibrium.
  • Take a walk—even a quick 10-minute walk can do wonders.
  • Sit down and breathe deeply for 10 minutes, focusing on the breath.
  • Get an aromatherapy plug-in diffuser. (They are available online.) Lavender calms the nerves and uplifts mood.
  • Take a bath with Epsom salts and/or aromatherapy essential oils.
  • Put on some music in your living room and dance with your care partner. It does wonders.
  • Put on a funny movie and laugh.
  • Get a dog. Hundreds of studies show that interacting with man’s best friend is a great stress reliever.
  • Stay hydrated! Drink plenty of water. Our bodies and our brains depend on it.  Dehydration contributes to foggy thinking and stresses out the body.
  • And remember, this too shall pass.

How Does Food Affect Your Mood?

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If you are a caregiver you are undoubtedly stressed. And people who are stressed typically crave and overeat soda, candy, chips, cookies, bread, pasta and icecream for a temporary lift. The problem is that eating refined carohydrates will give you a temporary fix, but your blood sugar will crash a couple hours later, leaving you tired and moody.

Bad Habits=Poor Food Choices

Along with craving refined carbs, caregivers often eat on the run—standing up, in the car, chowing down, or going through the “drive thru” lane at your favorite fast food restaurant. Do you grab a candy bar in the afternoon for a “pick-me-up”? Do you skip breakfast and grab a doughnut or bagel and coffee? Do you drink soda instead of water? Don’t feel guilty if you answered “yes” to any of these questions. It’s typical—but it’s not healthy.

Here’s a better way to reduce your stress

Neurotransmitters are the chemicals in the brain that allow neurons to communicate. They are supported by nutritious foods and are depleted by lack of sleep, poor eating habits, and certain drugs and environmental toxins. The important thing that caregivers need to know is that we can support our neurotransmitters with healthy eating habits. In turn, our neurotransmitters will help support our mood, energy, ability to sleep well, and perform at our best.

Here are the most important neurotransmitters and the foods that support them

1. Serotonin is necessary for a stable mood.

A deficiency can result in:

  • Depressed or irritable mood, sudden tears
  • Insomnia and anxiety
  • Binge eating
  • Overactive mind
  • Low tolerance to stress
  • Decreased immune function

Foods that enhance serotonin: Soy, turkey, cheese, cottage cheese, avocado, meat, comfort food (mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese)

2. Dopamine keeps us focused and motivated.

A deficiency can result in:

  • Depressed mood
  • Excessive sleeping
  • Weight gain, obesity
  • Lack of energy
  • Lack of enjoyment
  • Low libido
  • Nicotine addiction

Foods that enhance dopamine: Meat, wild game, eggs, chocolate, blueberries, yoghurt, milk, soy, cheese, seeds and nuts, beans and legumes

3. Norepinephrine is responsiblie for stimulatory responses in the body.

A deficiency can result in:

  • Depressed mood
  • Poor sleep
  • Fatigue, low energy
  • Poor memory/focus
  • Apathy

Foods that enhance norepinephrine: almonds, apples, avocado, bananas, beef liver, cheese, fish, green veggies, lean meat, nuts, grains, pineapple, poultry, tofu

4. GABA is responsible for helping us to relax and reduce anxiety.

A deficiency can result in:

  • High anxiety, panic, worry
  • “Monkey mind”
  • Difficulty falling and staying asleep

Foods that enhance GABA: Green tea, almonds, bananas, beef liver, broccoli, brown rice, halibut, lentils, oats, oranges, spinach, walnuts, whole grains

How to boost your neurotransmitters

  • Eat a serving of high-quality protein with every meal and snack. Focus on complex carbohydrates, and eliminate junk foods (refined carbs).
  • Enjoy unlimited amounts of fresh veggies.
  • Eat a good breakfast!
  • Eat 3 balanced meals and 1-2 healthy snacks per day.

Recommended Reading

  1. The Mood Cure, Julia Ross, MA
  2. The Edge Effect: Achieve Total Health and Longevity with the Balanced Brain, Eric Braverman, MD
  3. The Chemistry of Joy, Henry Emmons, MD