Five Foods to Help You Fight Stress from Joy Bauer

When we’re stressed out, the foods we typically think of reaching for are not the healthiest, from chips to ice cream. These foods made “feel good” as we eat them, but they’re probably not doing much for biological factors that make us feel stressed out. Instead, try these five foods from Today Show nutritionist Joy Bauer.
1. Grapefruit
We all know vitamin C is important for the immune system, but did you know it can help fight stress? Research has shown that this vitamin can help reduce the affects stress have on the body, such as raising blood pressure. Fresh grapefruit is one of the best ways to get a daily dose.
2. Steel Cut Oats
The carbohydrate in oatmeal stimulates the production of serotonin, which helps you relax and feel good. Steel-cut oats are best because they’re minimally processed, and cause a slow rise in blood sugar, not a spike.
3. Chamomile Tea
Instead of a caffeinated beverage, sip on a cup of chamomile tea. It’s a mild sedative that can ease irritability and even help relieve muscle tension.
4. Dark Hot Chocolate
More than a sweet treat, milk and dark chocolate make for an excellent stress-busting combo. One study found that consuming 1.4 ounces of dark chocolate per day reduces stress hormones, while the peptides found in milk may reduce anxiety by increasing serotonin and lowering blood pressure.
5. Salmon and Chickpea Salad
Folate and Omega-3s are also important for maintaining mental health, and this salad is a great source of both. The salmon provides the omega-3s, while one cup of chickpeas makes up 70 pence of the daily recommended intake for folate.

Fatty Foods That Promote Weight Loss

Snacks rich in healthy fats are good for you and can help shrink your waistline.

 

You already know that foods rich in saturated fats are about as good for your arteries as pouring superglue in them. But not all fats deserve a bad rap.

Foods with healthy fats are not only good for your heart, but they also make the best go-to snacks for controlling hunger and promoting weight loss, according to chief medical consultant for “The Dr. Oz Show” and co-founder of YouBeauty, Mike Roizen, M.D. This includes the healthy fats found in safflower, coconut, cod liver, olive and canola oils, as well as omega-3 DHA, walnuts, macadamia nuts and chia seeds. In short, these oils and the foods that contain them can promote weight loss and waist loss.

After reviewing findings with the Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Roizen says that your best bet is to have these oils before a meal. “My best estimate and that of the Cleveland Clinic committee were that two tablespoons of these oils first thing in the morning and at the start of every meal works,” he says. “All data look similar for weight and waist loss and appetite control using oils and non-cooked foods with these oils in this way, whether safflower, coconut, walnut, fish, olive or macadamia oil.”

See the slimming snacks you should be snacking on.

Craving a snack? Put down that bag of chips and step away from that chocolate chip cookie. Instead, try these eats, which are loaded with healthy fats that help control hunger and promote weight loss.

Hard-Boiled Omega-3-Enriched Egg

These eggs come from hens fed an omega-3 enriched diet, typically from flaxseeds. You can find omega-rich eggs at most grocery stores. Simply boil a small batch and enjoy one for a satisfying snack.

Trail Mix

Make your own healthy-fats trail mix by combining walnuts with dried fruit like raisins, cranberries and apricots. Walnuts are comprised of 15 percent protein, 15 percent carbs and 65 percent healthy oils. They also have an ideal ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids for your body.

Flaxseeds Sprinkled On Salad

Just 2 tablespoons of flaxseeds contain nearly 200 percent of your recommended daily value of omega-3 fatty acids. Bonus: Make your own olive-oil salad dressing by combining 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon agave nectar, 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard and sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Macadamia Nuts, On Non-fat or Greek Yogurt

A whopping 83 percent of fats found in macadamia nuts are the “good fats,” making this one of Dr. Roizen’s favorites for getting a dose of healthy fats. Add 1/4 cup of these nuts to your favorite yogurt and top with fresh berries for an extra healthy punch.

Mini bruschetta

Take a slice of whole-wheat toast, brush it with 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil and top with diced tomatoes and diced olives. You’ll get a dose of healthy fats from both the olive oil and the olives (three-quarters of the fat found in olives is from “good” fats). Plus, olives are a great source of iron.

Handful of Almonds

For a quick, on-the-go snack, there’s nothing easier than grabbing a bunch of almonds. Not only are they satisfying and chock-full of healthy fats and vitamin E, but 23 almonds only has 162 calories. The nuts are also packed with alpha-linolenic acid, which revs your body’s fat-burning ability.

Greek Guacamole

Puree an avocado, add chopped olives and tomatoes, sprinkle with feta cheese and you have a healthy guacamole that you can serve on whole-wheat pita slices. Avocados are one of the few fruits that provide "good" fats, with 3 grams of monounsaturated fat and 0.5 grams of polyunsaturated fat per ounce.

Tropical Green Smoothie

In a blender, combine 2 cups fresh almond milk, 1 tablespoon coconut oil, 1 tablespoon raw cacao powder, 1/2 cup fresh spinach leaves and 1/2 cup ice cubes. Blend until smooth and garnish with shredded coconut. Serves 2. Coconut oil is a healthy fat, according to Dr. Roizen, and spinach is packed with omega-3 fatty acids, so you get two doses of healthy fats in one delicious serving.

 

Natural Relief for Upset Stomachs

From caraway to charcoal, we suss out which natural treatments really work.

 

Having an upset stomach is not only uncomfortable—it can also be downright embarrassing. But you’re obviously not alone. Indigestion, or dyspepsia in medical lingo, strikes millions of Americans every day.

The culprit can be as simple as eating too much too fast or a more serious problem such as an ulcer, gastrointestinal disease or irritable bowel syndrome. 

While over-the-counter treatments abound at local pharmacies, there are also several natural and home remedies that can be just as effective at soothing an upset stomach. We’ve separated fact from fiction when it comes to which of these therapies actually work and which ones are rooted in old wives’ tales rather than science.

Caraway

This popular cooking spice native to Europe and western Asia has been used to treat gastrointestinal issues since as early as 1500 BC. Recent studies have shown that when taken with peppermint, as much as 95 percent of people suffering from dyspepsia experienced improvement in symptoms.

Caraway appears to help to inhibit smooth muscle contractions, which may reduce diarrhea. The caveat: Most studies have looked at the effectiveness of caraway in combination with another ingredient, so its sole benefit is unknown.

Peppermint

 Peppermint and other members of the same plant family, including spearmint, were used to treat upset stomachs in ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. Today, peppermint oil and leaf are often paired with caraway to relieve irritable bowel and dyspeptic symptoms. The compounds menthol and menthone in peppermint may inhibit smooth muscle contractions, reducing gastrointestinal spasms.

Peppermint oil is an ingredient in most chewing gum, so you might try popping a piece at the onset of indigestion, or brewing a cup of peppermint tea.

Ginger

A 2011 Taiwanese study found that this popular home remedy helps move food through the digestive tract quickly. But surprisingly, the researchers found it does nothing to alleviate the symptoms of an upset stomach.

Ginger may be more effective for symptoms when paired with peppermint. One study found that 74 percent of patients’ dyspeptic symptoms improved after being given a combo of ginger and peppermint.

Baking Soda

Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, is a common home remedy for indigestion. One 2009 study found that it may help eliminate gas and rebalance pH, but otherwise there is little scientific evidence that backs up its effectiveness in treating upset stomachs.

Also, the risks of consuming too much baking soda may outweigh any benefits. Several medical studies chronicling emergency room visits found that it can be toxic in high quantities.

Banana

Banana powder helped relieve upset stomach symptoms in 75 percent of patients in a 1990 study in the journal Lancet, although the mechanism driving this relief is not yet known.

Charcoal

Although it sounds odd, charcoal may play a role in soothing an upset stomach. A recent French study found that Carbosymag—a drug made of charcoal, simethicone and magnesium oxide—helped significantly reduce fullness, pain and bloating compared to a placebo.

Cinnamon

Some studies show that, when mixed with other herbs such as ginger, cinnamon can be effective in reducing dyspeptic symptoms.