The Anti-Stress Diet

Overwhelmed? Irritated? Can't Think Straight? You Need to Eat

Monday
9 A.M. — The Big Meeting

Certain foods, such as chocolate, taste so darn (=damn) good that they stimulate the production of endorphins (内啡呔)— chemicals your brain makes to relieve stress.

Eat your favorite candy bar before a meeting or speech that will be over in an hour or less. If you need the effect to last longer, more sweet stuff won't do the trick; the extra sugar will leave you feeling drained and sluggish. Instead, pair your snack with a bit of fat and protein — an 8-ounce low-fat yogurt, a pint of milk, or a small piece of cheese. 

Tip: The darker and richer the chocolate, the more endorphins your brain will produce.

Tuesday

2 P.M. — The Afternoon of Insanity (疯狂)

"Carbohydrates (碳水化合物)perform a simple trick: They enhance your brain's uptake of the amino acid(氨基酸) tryptophan(色氨酸)," says Judith Wurtman, author of The Serotonin Solution. "Once it enters your brain, tryptophan is converted into serotonin (含于血液中的复合胺), which makes you feel calmer and more at ease." 

This carb-induced high will last roughly three hours, so eat a late lunch of carbs (head for the potato bar) to survive till quitting time. About 3 1/2 ounces of carbohydrates should do the trick. More will cause a serotonin overload that will leave you feeling lethargic(瞌睡的). And mix those carbs with fruits and vegetables: You'll need the vitamins and nutrients to continue producing serotonin.

Wednesday

8 A.M. — The Workday From Hell

As you already know, stress can make you stupid. And what's more stressful than not being able to think straight under pressure? Protein can help; it jump-starts your brain's production of dopamine(多巴胺(一种治脑神经病的药物)) and norepinephrine(. 降肾上腺素, 去甲肾上腺素), two chemicals that keep you attentive and alert. 

Because it takes roughly hours for your body to break down protein, the best way to prepare for daylong stress is to start with a high-protein breakfast (eggs, hold the Benedict(原来似乎坚决抱独身主义而新近结婚的男子)) and follow it up with a protein lunch (lean roast beef will do nicely) and a protein snack (a glass of milk or some low-fat jerky牛肉干). 

Thursday

3 P.M. — The Coffee Break

Too much caffeine can increase your heart rate, making your body feel more stress than the boss is actually inflicting. The best advice: Drink the same amount of coffee every day. Two cups won't hurt you, but no more. If you have a late-afternoon meeting scheduled, drink one cup in the morning, and down the other cup half an hour or so before the meeting. 

Friday 1 P.M. — The Three Martini Lunch

When you're under stress, your legal limit for alcohol is 0.00. Besides making you drowsy and fuzzing up your thinking, one drink may dehydrate (使脱水)you. That'll give you one more thing to worry about — thirst. 

Another problem: When even a little alcohol enters your body, your brain automatically starts working on ways to get rid of it instead of trying to fight off stress.

The upshot? Though one beer may not make you drunk enough to forget your stress, it could be enough to make your body forget about trying to deal with it. It's best to avoid alcohol until you've dealt with whatever's stressing you out. Then, happy hour!