You’ve tried jogging, punching the heavy bag, lifting heavy weights and you’re moments away from purchasing your first MMA membership but you still can’t find a way to reduce your stress. Have you thought about the food you’ve been eating?

When you’re stressed your body releases adrenaline and cortisol, increases blood sugar levels, raises blood pressure and increases your heart-beat. All of this may have you sweating and even bring about involuntary body movement.

As you’ve come to know, not all foods are equal. Some foods are known to decrease stress levels more than others so here is a rundown of the top foods to put in your basket next shop to cool the stress naturally.

Dark Green Leafy Vegetables

Spinach and those other dark greens contain magnesium which helps to regulate cortisol and blood sugar levels. They also contain folate which produces dopamine (a brain chemical) that calms you and induces pleasure.

The full benefit of dark greens comes about while their intrinsic properties are still present. This means rather than boiling the life out of them you should stick to steaming your veg.​​

Yoghurt

It has been found that the brain and your gut communicate forward and back. Researchers from the University of Missouri have suggested a probiotic, composed of live but beneficial bacteria meant to improve digestive health, can reduce both anxiety and stress-related behaviour.

I consume around 30g at a time with Honey but you could also add in Blueberries which fight free-radicals linked to stress.

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Dark Chocolate

Another cortisol suppressor is dark chocolate which has the ability to calm stress levels. It also reduces blood pressure and improves blood circulation but this is in relation to dark chocolate and not milk chocolate so put away the snickers and flake. Go for 70% and above to feel that euphoric feeling and get over that stress but eat in moderation, break off a block each day and ‘chill out’.