There’s a lot going on that’s awfully scary — unless you think the Earth isn’t warming quickly enough, have a grudge against National Park rangers and Smokey the Bear, or find the college application process so stressful, you’re convinced the best way to deal with it is to shutter every Ivy League university. “Trump Anxiety Disorder” is a real thing.
Are you stress eating? If so, what?
Foods like ice cream, potato chips and doughnuts are, for many, go-to stress-reduction foods. But while they may be a (very) short-term panacea, in fact, foods with added sugar and refined carbohydrates can make anxiety worse, by leading to spikes in blood sugar. When should you eat them? Not after doomscrolling.
Research has demonstrated time and again that antioxidant-rich plant foods are associated with lower depression and anxiety. For the next 1,332 days (not that I’m counting), keep these foods on hand, so that when do have the strength to tap into the news, you’ll have the foods on hand to squelch, rather than spike, your psychological distress.
- Dark chocolate
- Berries
- Tomatoes
- Dark leafy green vegetables
- Sweet potatoes
Embrace Food as a Valuable Component of Your Resistance Toolkit
Reach for antioxidant-rich foods — especially those with dark green, orange, and red pigments. Try some, or all, of the Resistance Recipes below. As you’re cooking and eating, do so with the knowledge that you’re fighting back. How? #1. Helping to save the planet by eating plant-based foods. #2. Improving your physical and mental health. Resistance takes energy, so do what you can to keep it up!
Vote to save Democracy, by enjoying these simple-to-make, easy-to-love, stress-reducing treats.
Blueberry Chia Jam: This amazing-for-your-body jar of sweetness takes 5 minutes to make, just long enough to heat the berries to a spreadable, jammy consistency. Any kind of antioxidant-rich fresh or frozen berries will do (I mix and match). Add a spoonful of heart-health-boosting chia seeds, a smidgeon of lemon juice and maple syrup, and you’re done. Slather it on toast, and feel your anxiety melt away. I double the recipe, and (no exaggeration) eat it every morning. With flax seed peanut butter.
Dark Chocolate Mousse: The gateway food to plant-based living. NO one will be able to identify the secret ingredient. Just make it.
Creamy Tomato Soup: A study of nearly 1,000 senior citizens found that those who ate dishes with tomatoes daily had half the amount of depression as those who ate tomatoes once a week or less.♦ (Thanks to lycopene, the red pigment). While we may feel like pelting Trump with tomatoes, it’s a lot easier, healthier — and delicious — to eat them instead. The way to eat a lot of any vegetable? Soup!
Spinach Balls: A comfort food that’s good for you. Coat these yummy balls of spinach and chia seeds with crispy breadcrumbs or Panko, and use just as you’d use a meatball. They’re better for you, the planet, and the cows — a foodie trifecta!
Kale Pesto with Pumpkin Seeds: I’m skeptical of any pesto that isn’t traditional, i.e., the only green involved is basil, and the only nuts are pine nuts. Loving this pesto was a real shocker — it is every bit as good as traditional, basil-based pesto, yet the copious amount of kale, paired with antioxidant-rich pumpkin seeds, makes it way more nutritious. Smother it over noodles, and enjoy a healthful, stress-reducing bowl of comfort.
♦ “How Not to Die,” Michael Greger, M.D., with Gene Stone.
This post speaks to me! Although Hail the Humble Potato is probably my all time favorite….thanks to my lifelong love affair with those Spuds.