A certain amount of stress is good — as it keeps you motivated and on your toes — but pushing yourself too hard can damage your health. Scientists agree that stress can have a negative impact on your overall health. Studies have shown that stress is or may be a contributing factor in everything from backaches and insomnia to cancer and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Heart disease is the number one killer of women. High blood pressure, heart attacks, heart palpitations, and stroke may be stress-related cardiovascular conditions. Some women experience changes in their sexuality and encounter various sexual dysfunctions such as loss of sex drive and vaginal dryness as a result of stress.

Often people feel the effects of stress as fatigue, various aches and pains, headaches, or as emotional disorders such as anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances. Stress affects others by causing gastrointestinal disorders such as ulcers, lower abdominal cramps, colitis, and irritable bowel syndrome. Frequently people under the effects of over-stress will have more colds and infections due to lowered immune system responses and suffer from dermatological conditions such as itchy skin and rashes. Stress is also a key factor when women experience either absence of menstruation or abnormal bleeding. Hormonal imbalances caused by stress may trigger the symptoms of fibroid tumours and endometriosis, as well as make pregnancy difficult to achieve for couples with fertility problems.

And if all that isn’t enough stress can also make you fat! When you are stressed your adrenal glands pump out stress hormones such as cortisol which can trigger blood sugar imbalances that can trigger weight gain especially around the middle. Abdominal fat is a predictor of diabetes, cancer and heart disease and studies show that women with belly fat whether overweight or not produce more of the stress hormone cortisol than women without belly fat. Women with high levels of cortisol are also more likely to overeat than women without these high levels.

So any woman watching her health and her weight, especially those worried about midlife waist gain, needs to keep a very, very careful eye on her stress levels. Eliminating stress completely from your life is impossible. However, implementing some stress management techniques can reduce most of its harmful effects. Stress management includes following a healthy diet, getting regular exercise and plenty of relaxation. Use the stress management techniques below to beat your stress triggers and spring clean your body and mind so you feel happier, healthier and lighter.

Stress management
Certain nutrients such as the B vitamins — especially B5 and B6 — vitamin C and the essential fatty acids can be extremely helpful if stress is a problem as they will help boost the functioning of your adrenal glands. You should be getting these nutrients from your healthy menopause diet but if you are under stress you might want to add in more B vitamins, found in nuts and whole grains, essential fats found in oily fish, nuts and seeds and plenty of vitamin C found in citrus fruits, as when you are stressed you lose more vitamin C than at any other time and vitamin C is vital for keeping your immune system strong. (Check out the list of anti-anxiety foods at the end of this article).

• Concentrate on your breathing and slow it down to a 10-second cycle, six breaths a minute. Inhale for five seconds and then exhale for five seconds. Do this for about 2 to 5 minutes. If this doesn’t work jog on the spot, punch something like a cushion or count to ten.
• Talk to friends, family or partners. If you don’t feel you can talk to anyone a trained counsellor may help you get in touch with your feelings and give you tips on how to deal with stress.
• Try the herbal remedy Valerian for stress-related anxiety and insomnia. This sedative has been shown to help people fall asleep faster, sleep better and longer without causing loss of concentration.
• Take time out. For five minutes every hour, try to ‘shut down’ and think of nothing but your perfect situation. This could be a dream holiday, ideal partner or simply thinking about doing nothing at all. You will be surprised at how effectively this can lower stress levels. Daydreaming is a natural stress busting technique. Allow your mind to wander for five minutes if you feel tense; maybe using your favourite picture or happy memory to help you drift off.
• Try this Indian massage technique for soothing the brain; for as long as possible gently massage the point above your nose in the middle of the forehead in a very light circular movement. Pressing the loose skin between your thumb and forefinger is also good for reducing stress and convenient to reach when you are on the phone.
• Walking meditation: Simply go for a walk to clear your mind of stress. Focus on your body and its every movement and breathe in deeply to let go of tension. If your mind wanders focus on the feeling of your feet moving heel to toe as you walk.
• Release the tension: Do you hunch your shoulders when you are stressed? Do you tighten your fists? Do you cross your arms? Do you wrap your legs around each other?
• Chamomile: One of the best herbs for relieving tension is chamomile as it has a gentle sedative effect. Drink a cup anytime you feel tense to help you relax. If you drink a cup before you go to bed this can help you sleep.
• Get a good night’s sleep: Women, especially when they are approaching the menopause often get disrupted sleep caused by hormonal fluctuations and when you are tired it is harder to deal with stress. Lack of sleep can also be a trigger for weight gain. For advice and tips on getting a good night’s sleep see the feature above.
• Beat your stress triggers: If you are losing sleep over a never-ending to do list or sick of losing your temper at the slightest little thing then you are probably suffering from brain overload. Use the techniques in the spring clean your mind article to help you deal with habitual stress triggers for good and you will feel much happier, healthier and lighter.

Anti-anxiety foods

Bananas:
Women who are depressed or anxious tend to have lower levels of vitamin B6, which is needed for the production of serotonin, the brain chemical that lifts mood. Low levels of vitamin B12 and folic acid can also cause anxiety. To boost your B vitamins, eat plenty of fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, beans like chickpeas and soya, bananas, and leafy green vegetables.

Nuts and seeds:
Foods rich in complex carbohydrates, such as wholegrains and beans, increase brain levels of tryptophan and, in turn, serotonin. A small amount of dietary carbohydrates, such as a handful of nuts and seeds eaten 30 minutes before a stressful situation, can help lower anxiety levels.

Whole grains:
Women who are deficient in the antioxidant mineral selenium also experience feelings of depression and anxiety. Selenium is found in fish and shellfish, whole grains, avocados.

Eggs:
Zinc is essential for the body to convert tryptophan into serotonin, the feel good chemical that can induce feelings of calm. Zinc is found in eggs and also in nuts, seeds, peanuts and sunflower seeds.

Oily fish:
Not only does eating oily fish reduce your risk for Alzheimer’s disease, but according to studies reported in 2003 by the US National Institute of Health, it reduces anxiety and depression as well.

• Stress trigger: I’ve got so much to do I end up feeling hopeless and doing nothing
  Solution: Make a list of the things you need to do. This will help you prioritise and when your thoughts are down on paper there is more room in your head. Once you’ve written your list, tear it up and write it again. This time for every item you want to put down ask yourself if you really need to do that and make sure your final list is not longer than 10 points.
• Stress trigger: Can’t stop worrying
  Worrying achieves nothing but we all do it. Ask yourself if you can change anything by worrying about it — if you can take positive action, then do it. If you can’t do anything take a deep breath and counteract your worry habit with a more positive habit. For example, instead of worrying you could take a walk in the park, or chat to a friend or read an inspiring book.
• Stress trigger: I can’t say no when people ask me to do things
  Solution: Contrary to popular opinion ‘no’ doesn’t have to be a negative — if your habit is to say yes to everything then drown in stress, spring cleaning your mind is all about learning to take on less and saying no is crucial. Start by saying no at least once a day but don’t just blurt out no in an angry voice, explain why or even say, ‘I can’t do it now but I could do it later,’ and see what happens. Soon you’ll be confident enough to say no whenever you need to and you’ll start to see that it has an instant calming effect.
• Stress trigger: Flying off the handle
  Solution: Break the habit of flying off the handle when people upset or criticise you by taking a few deep breaths. The best revenge if someone is driving you mad is to stay cool and in control so they look like a stressed out child and you look like the adult. If you are still feeling wound up some stress busting Siberian ginseng tea, with 2-6 gram of the dried root per day boiled in water and drunk three times a day may help.
• Stress trigger: Information overload
  If there is too much going on in your head take a break for a day from the TV and newspapers. Instead of taking in more information it gives you time to deal with your own mental clutter. Next detox your home — a tidy environment means a tidy mind. Start by having a bin bag day where you chuck all your junk and see how much more in control of your life you feel. Finally, lighten up your thoughts with humour and fun. Yes life is difficult and the world can be a scary and stressful place. But in your own mind you are in charge. You decide what to think about. You decide when to laugh, you decide what to read, what to listen to, what to think about. So lighten your load with some laughter, fun and relaxation every day.

Most people know that we should be eating more fruit and vegetables. But most of us aren’t eating enough and we should be eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day.

Fruit and vegetables are brimming with fibre, plus a whole range of vitamins and minerals, and because they’re low in calories, they make an important and healthy addition to any diet. Scientific studies have shown that people who eat a lot of fruit and vegetables have a lower risk of getting illnesses, such as heart disease and some cancers.

For this reason, health authorities recommend that you eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day — and it doesn’t matter whether they’re fresh, tinned, frozen, cooked, juiced or dried. If you buy tinned fruit or vegetables make sure that no sugar or artificial sweeteners have been added and buy organic where possible. Remember that potatoes don’t count because they’re a starchy food.

How much is a portion?

• One piece of medium-sized fruit – eg, an apple, peach, banana or orange
• One slice of large fruit, such as melon, mango or pineapple
• One handful of grapes or two handfuls of cherries or berry fruits
• One tablespoon of dried fruit
• A glass (roughly 100ml) of fruit or vegetable juice
• A small tin (roughly 200g) of fruit
• A side salad
• A serving (roughly 100g) of vegetables – eg, peas, boiled carrots or stir-fried broccoli
• The vegetables served in a portion of vegetable curry, lasagne, stir-fry or casserole

Fruit and vegetables should make up about a third of the food you eat each day, even more if you can manage it. And it’s also important to eat a variety. Five-a-day is a good, achievable target. If you count your portions each day it might help you to increase the amount you eat. And if you still find this hard to get your head around here are some tips on how to get your daily quota without too much preparation:

Juice
A glass of fruit or vegetable juice counts as one serving. However, as the juice doesn’t contain the pulp of the actual fruit, you can only count this once, no matter how many glasses of juice you consume.

Fruit with Cereal
If you have a bowl of cereal for breakfast, add a chopped banana or some strawberries for a fruity twist — there’s another one.

Sip on Soup
Here’s a healthy and cheap option for lunch. Make a big pot of homemade vegetable soup at the beginning of the week. Keep it in the fridge and dip in for lunch every day. Pack it full of any veggies you’ve got in the kitchen, as well as beans.

Cans Count
Fresh is obviously healthier but canned vegetables count as a portion so dig out those organic tinned beans and add some chickpeas or kidney beans to a salad, or throw a handful of diced carrots into a casserole. Frozen vegetables are also acceptable so there’s no excuse if there’s nothing fresh in the fridge.

Fruit Snacks
Carry a couple of pieces of fruit in your bag for a snack during the day. Use it as an excuse to try fruit you wouldn’t normally choose.

Salad Starter
Get into the habit of making yourself a side salad to eat with dinner. It doesn’t need to be anything fancy, just some leaves and sliced cucumber.

Stick to these tips and you should have no problem getting your five a day. Hopefully you’ll feel the benefits, especially through the colder months when everyone around you will be coughing and sneezing.