A recipe for reducing stress

Keep December stress at bay with these simple tips for healthy living
Dec. 14, 2009 | By: Primacy Dietitians

It’s December, and that makes most people busier than usual with work obligations, family activities and all the holiday festivities. In the midst of all this, many people – especially women – forget to take time for themselves.

That’s why it’s important to maintain a healthy diet to reduce stress and boost your energy levels, your mood and even the shape of your body. So wait no longer – pick a few tips and start today!

• Boost your daily intake of vegetables. Aim for at least four servings each day (1/2 cup per serving, 1 cup per serving for salad) of dark green, bright orange and red coloured veggies.
• Boost your daily intake of fruits. Choose multi-coloured fruits and be adventurous with fruits you have never tasted before. Aim for at least three servings of fruit per day.
• Go vegetarian for a day. Enjoy beans, lentils or tofu as the main protein source at least once per week.
• Skip the white bread and the white rice, and choose whole grains, whole wheat pasta and brown rice more often.
• Toss the fried foods; instead broil or bake items in the oven.
• Include fatty fish as a weekly lunch or dinner feature (salmon, trout, sardines, mackerel, or herring) to boost your omega-3 fatty acid intake.
• Enjoy yogurt and fresh/frozen berries as a snack.

Preventing iron deficiency (anemia)

Anemia is a condition where there is a decrease in the amount of red blood cells in your body. Red blood cells carry oxygen and nutrients throughout the body and play a vital role in your health. If you lack red blood cells in your body, you will feel tired and may experience shortness of breath. Anemia is more common in women due to the loss of blood through monthly menstruation and greater needs during pregnancy.

Iron, folate and B12 are important vitamins that make up your red blood cells. A lack of these nutrients will lead to anemia. Iron-deficiency anemia is the most common type of anemia as many women do not consume adequate amounts of iron in their diets.

Iron is best absorbed from red meats and other animal products. Examples of vegetarian sources are grains, dried beans and lentils, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds. Vegetarian sources are not as well absorbed as animal sources, but you can enhance iron absorption in the following ways:

• Vitamin C helps with iron absorption. Include foods that are high in vitamin C at mealtime. For example, try tomato sauce (vitamin C source) with pasta and beans (iron source).
• Cook with cast iron.
• Enjoy your coffee or tea between meals rather than with your meals as these beverages interfere with the absorption of iron.

If you feel you may have symptoms of low iron, talk to your doctor about getting tested for iron deficiency.