Eat yourself less stressed
james duigan, flat tummy, diet tips, 080711
flat tummy fast book james duigan
\"I can’t advise my clients on how to deal with their stressful jobs, family lives or even the traffic jams that they encounter on their way to work every day. But what I can do is to help them reduce stress in a few other ways – firstly, by eating themselves less stressed. The food we eat has a huge impact on our stress levels – some foods calm our bodies down, helping to lower levels of cortisol and reduce the amount of fat we lay down on our tummies. Other foods, however, do the opposite and cause our bodies to feel even more stressed, which increases cortisol levels and fat distribution.\"
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Tummy-toning foods
\r\nAll of the following foods reduce stress which, in turn, will keep your tummy nice and flat...
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Buy a copy of James Duigan\'s clean & Lean Flat Tummy Fast book.
Blueberries
Blueberries, clean and lean, flat stomach, 080711
Blueberries
These are top of my list because they’re a low GI (glycaemic index) food, which means they keep your blood-sugar (and energy) levels nice and steady. Eat a handful of blueberries every single day, if you can.
Green vegetables
green vegetables, flat stomach, diet tips, 080711
Green vegetables
Broccoli, kale, asparagus – it doesn’t matter which ones\r\nyou go for – all green vegetables are packed with vitamins\r\nthat help to replenish and soothe a stressed body.\r\nRemember: the darker the better (so, for example, dark\r\ngreen rocket contains more goodness than a pale green\r\niceberg lettuce). Most green vegetables also contain\r\npotassium, which, according to studies, calms the nerves.\r\nMy two favourite green vegetables are spinach and\r\nbroccoli. Just 30g of spinach gives you 40 per cent of\r\nyour daily magnesium requirement (insufficient\r\nmagnesium leads to headaches and fatigue). Broccoli\r\nis full of stress-relieving B vitamins; it also contains folic acid which can reduce feelings of stress and depression.
Red, yellow and orange vegetables
peppers, diet tips, flat stomach, 080711
Red, yellow and orange vegetables
These include tomatoes, carrots and peppers, which are\r\nrich in vitamins and minerals and are shown to lower\r\nstress levels. They also contain lots of fibre; this is helpful in treating both constipation and loose bowels, which are often caused by irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), one of the most common side effects of too much stress.
Turkey
Turkey, diet tips, flat stomach, 080711
Turkey
Turkey contains an amino acid called L-tryptophan, which triggers the release of serotonin (a relaxing feelgood brain chemical). Chicken is also high in this amino acid.
Water
Water, diet tips, flat stomach, 080711
Water
Even mild dehydration stresses your body out, so it’s important to drink at least 2–3 litres of still, room temperature water every single day. Sip it regularly throughout the day. Filtered is best; tap water is less good.
Yogurt
Yogurt, diet tips, flat stomach, 080711
Yogurt
This provides a good hit of minerals, including calcium which is important for your nerves. Yogurt also neutralises the acidity caused by stress. Don’t go for the low-fat stuff though (it’s often packed full or sugar and sweeteners, which stress out your body) – choose a natural and organic one instead.
Oily fish
Oily fish,diet tips, flat stomach, 080711
Oily fish
Salmon, tuna and mackerel contain lots of Omega fatty acids which protect your heart (your heart can also get a battering from too much stress). Omega fatty acids also control levels of cortisol and adrenaline (another stress hormone) in the body, plus they contain choline, which is great for your improving memory and concentration. Limit your tuna intake to one fresh steak (or three tins) a week though, as it contains mercury, too much of which is bad for you.
Chocolate
Chocolate,flat stomach, diet tips, 080711
Chocolate
Chocolate acts as a mood elevator. It also contains magnesium which calms and soothes fragile nerves. The key here, however, is in the portion size: a little bit, like one or two squares, once or twice a week is OK; too much definitely isn’t, however, because it’s packed with sugar.
Almonds, pistachios and walnuts
nuts, flat stomach, diet tips, 080711
Almonds, pistachios and walnuts
These are full of vitamins B and E, which boost your immune system (whereas stress weakens it). Plus, pistachios lower your blood pressure (whereas stress raises it). Have a small handful of nuts every day.
Avocados
Avocados,flat stomach, diet tips, 080711
Avocados
These help to lower blood pressure because of all the monounsaturated fat and potassium they contain. They have more potassium than bananas, according to several studies, plus they satisfy creamy/sweet cravings better.
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Cantaloupe melon
melon, flat stomach, diet tips, 080711
Cantaloupe melon
This is an excellent source of vitamin C, which is great for beating stress.
Beef
Beef, flat stomach, diet tips, 080711
Beef
Beef is full of iron, zinc and B vitamins, all of which have been shown to chill you out. However, you should limit yourself to one or two portions a week.
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Does your stomach churn when you’re stressed? Your digestive system starts working erratically or shuts down completely when you’re anxious, which is why highly stressed people often get stomach ulcers. Stress impacts hugely on the health and appearance of your tummy, so if you want a flat stomach you really need to tackle your stress levels.
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Clean & Lean Flat Tummy Fast, by James Duigan, amazon.co.uk.
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