Chronic stress linked to heart damage, other risks in new imaging study

 

Don't let your incompetent? doctor stress you out by NOT HAVING EXACT 100% RECOVERY PROTOCOLS! You doctor has known of this fucking failure since medical school and DONE NOTHING! THAT IS PURE INCOMPETENCE! Get that doctor fired!

Chronic stress linked to heart damage, other risks in new imaging study

Chronic stress is associated with an increased risk of heart damage, according to new data published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.[1] The same study linked living a stressful life to a significantly higher risk of experiencing a heart attack or stroke.

Researchers tracked data from more than 480,000 U.K. Biobank participants, using cardiac MRI scans to identify signs of chronic inflammation. The group then used artificial intelligence to learn more about how such inflammation impacts the heart and impacts a person risk of experiencing a major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE).

Overall, the group found that larger amounts of chronic inflammation—a low-level activation of a person’s immune system—were linked to reduced left ventricular volumes and an increased MACE risk. 

“Our study, which is the largest of its kind, suggests that millions of people could be living with hidden inflammation, which is slowly changing their heart and causing long-term damage—increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke,” corresponding author Declan O’Regan, PhD, a researcher with the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences and Imperial College London, explained in a statement. “Chronic inflammation is complicated, but we know it’s tied to our health and driven by a range of lifestyle and economic factors—meaning people may be at more risk just because of their surroundings, their economic status, their family’s health and their lifestyle.”

Chronic inflammation has previously been linked to an increased risk of diabetes and certain cancers. O’Regan noted that a large number of things can contribute to chronic inflammation, including everything from smoking and inactivity, to a person’s genetics.

Bryan Williams, chief scientific officer and chief medical officer of the British Heart Foundation, was not involved in this analysis, but he provided his own perspective in the same statement.

“The research provides valuable insights into how our genes and lifestyle factors, such as smoking, poor mental health and socioeconomic status, can converge to trigger inflammation,” he said. “It also identifies several inflammatory proteins that appear to play a key role in the heart changes linked to chronic inflammation, and it is to be hoped that anti-inflammatory medicines could become an important tool in preventing cardiovascular disease.”

Research teams all over the world have been hard working to develop new ways to reduce inflammation as a way to potentially improve cardiovascular outcomes. These findings help make the case that such studies could be potential game-changers in the years ahead.

Click here to read the full analysis.

4 habits you need to break to help slow aging, according to doctors

 Oh, your competent? doctor didn't give you 'the talk' on healthy aging? I'm good at these.

4 habits you need to break to help slow aging, according to doctors

These daily behaviors may be working against your internal clock.

Reviewed by Dietitian Lisa Valente, M.S., RD

Key Points

• Habits like sitting all day and not getting enough sleep can impact your health as you age.
• Chronic stress and eating too many ultra-processed foods can also speed up aging.
• Small changes add up over time to improve your health as you get older.

Bombarded with ads promising “miracle” antiaging supplements and skin-care routines? There’s more to aging gracefully than popping pills or slathering on creams. While many of us hope to live well into our 90s—or even reach 100—wouldn’t it be better to reach these milestones in good health? Experts now say we shouldn’t focus just on lifespan, but also on healthspan, the number of years living in good health.And that’s where daily habits can make all the difference. Some behaviors that may feel “normal” to you, like consistently sleeping only five hours per night, may actually be working against long-term health. If your goal is to age well, longevity experts say there are a few behaviors worth breaking.

1. Sitting Too Much

Let’s face it: Most of us spend most of the day sitting, whether at our desk, in the car or on the couch to unwind. But these hours can add up quickly and may be silently impacting your long-term health.

“Studies show that total sedentary time over 10-11 hours a day or screen time over 5-6 hours a day increases the risk of cardiovascular disease significantly—even in individuals who exercise regularly,” says Jennifer Chung, M.D. “Not only that, prolonged inactivity contributes to insulin resistance, impaired circulation and has also been linked to cognitive decline.”

 Related video

: Research reveals the habits scientifically proven to add a decade to your lifespan (Talking With Docs)

“Inactivity quietly erodes muscle quality and mitochondrial function over time,” explains Pablo Prichard, M.D. Muscle is one of the strongest predictors of healthy aging, independence and resilience, he adds. Additionally, being sedentary slows metabolism, decreases circulation and heart function and disrupts hormone balance.

So what can we do instead? Focus on getting movement throughout the day. Standing up frequently, walking around for a five-minute break and doing light body-weight movements every hour can dramatically improve metabolic health without adding stress, says Prichard. “Even taking a two-minute walk after every 30 minutes of sitting can improve blood flow and support healthier blood glucose regulation,” adds Chung.

2. Not Sleeping Enough

Ever binge a new show and stay up well past your intended bedtime? Have a new little one who interrupts your sleep? Or wake up early to squeeze in a quick workout?

Many of us don’t get enough sleep and assume it’s not a big deal, but it is. “Getting too little sleep at night is associated with roughly a 15% increase in all-cause mortality,” says Julia Cooney, M.D. Sleeping less than six to seven hours per night is also consistently linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, depression and dementia, she adds.

Sleep deserves a place at the top of your daily to-do list. It functions as your body’s nightly repair system, affecting everything from metabolism and stress levels to hormone balance and muscle recovery. “Over time, poor sleep can even speed up your biological clock by increasing inflammation and oxidative stress—two major contributors to premature aging. Prioritizing high-quality sleep is one of the most effective strategies for maintaining long-term health and slowing the aging process,” explains Chukwuemeka Enwezor, M.D.

So how can we get more zzz’s? Experts recommend sticking to a consistent bedtime schedule, ending screen time at least one hour before bed and creating a quiet, cool and comfortable sleep environment.

3. Being Chronically Stressed

Your incompetent? doctor failed at preventing your stress by NOT HAVING 100% RECOVERY PROTOCOLS! Get that doctor fired!

We all have those days when stress feels out of control. While having stressful days is a normal part of life, living in a constant state of stress without finding waves of calm can take a serious toll on our health.

“Chronic stress speeds up biological aging across nearly every organ system. Ongoing stress keeps cortisol elevated, which accelerates muscle loss, insulin resistance, immune dysfunction and even skin aging,” says Prichard.

Over time, stress can also drive unhealthy coping behaviors, such as non-nutritious food choices, poor sleep or inactivity, which can worsen its effects.

“Persistent stress is linked with higher rates of cardiovascular disease, depression, immune aging and cognitive decline, shortening overall healthspan,” adds Joseph Purita, M.D.

Instead, build short “stress resets” into each day. “Five minutes of slow breathing, a short walk outside, brief mindfulness or a social check-in—which are associated with lower inflammation and healthier aging,” he adds.

4. Eating Too Many Ultra-Processed Foods

Processed foods get an unfair reputation. Most foods undergo some form of processing before reaching your grocery store or kitchen. The key is to differentiate between processed foods and ultra-processed foods. Ultra-processed options are made with refined ingredients, additives and little to no whole foods. Think sodas, fast-food meals, processed meats and candy.

“Diets heavy in ultra-processed foods and added sugars accelerate cellular damage through oxidative stress and inflammation and are linked to faster biological aging and higher mortality. These foods crowd out nutrients that protect the heart, brain and immune system,” advises Purita. He adds that regularly consuming these foods is associated with increased risk of heart disease, weight gain, hypertension, fatty liver and cognitive decline.

However, making small swaps can make a meaningful difference. Instead of reaching for bacon or sausage, try baked turkey breast; instead of a fast-food meal, try making your own homemade pita pizza. Or, instead of grabbing a bag of candy, reach for dried fruit. If sugary drinks are your weakness, Chung suggests: “Gradually decreasing the sweetness of your preferred drink and then transitioning to water, sparkling water or unsweetened tea can be a gentler way to shift this habit.”

Why Small Changes Matter More Than Big Overhauls

Completely overhauling your habits might sound motivating, but drastic changes often are hard to stick to, especially when behaviors are deeply ingrained. Long-term health is built on small, consistent changes that add up over time.

“Aging well isn’t about doing everything perfectly; it’s about stacking small, sustainable wins over time,” says Prichard. “When habits support recovery, movement, metabolic balance and emotional resilience, the body does much of the work for you. The goal isn’t just a longer life, but a life with more energy, clarity and strength at every age.”

Start where you are and pick one thing to focus on. For example, if you’re averaging five hours of sleep per night, aim for five and a half hours. Once that feels doable after a week or two, slowly increase it.

Our Expert Take

While it may be tempting to fill your cabinets with every supplement or serum that promises antiaging benefits, slowing aging comes down to mastering the basics first. Longevity physicians say breaking these four habits can have the biggest impact on long-term health: sitting too long, not getting enough sleep, being chronically stressed and eating too many ultra-processed foods.

Experts emphasize that small changes matter more than bigger overhauls. The focus should be gently shifting everyday habits that may speed up aging and creating healthier routines that support long-term health.

Read the original article on EatingWell

7 daily habits researchers link to a sharper memory as you age

 Your incompetent? doctor failed at reliving your stress by NOT HAVING 100% RECOVERY PROTOCOLS! Get that doctor fired!

7 daily habits researchers link to a sharper memory as you age

Older adults facing memory loss now have stronger evidence than ever that a handful of repeatable daily actions can slow cognitive decline. A two-year randomized trial of diet, exercise, cognitive training, and vascular risk monitoring found that participants who combined all four elements improved their overall cognitive scores compared with a control group receiving standard health advice. Separate large trials have tied tighter blood pressure targets to lower rates of mild cognitive impairment, while meta-analyses drawing on longitudinal data from more than 600,000 individuals linked reduced loneliness to lower dementia risk. The research points in a consistent direction: small, stackable habits outperform any single intervention, and the window for adopting them is open right now.

Why bundled daily habits beat single fixes for aging brains

The clearest signal comes from the FINGER trial, a two-year randomized controlled trial published in The Lancet. Researchers assigned at-risk older adults to either a structured program of dietary guidance, physical activity, cognitive training, and vascular risk monitoring or to a control group that received general health advice alone. The multidomain group showed measurably better cognitive performance across several domains, not just one. That result matters because it suggests the benefits of daily habits are additive: stacking movement on top of diet on top of brain exercises produces gains that no single change delivers by itself.

Blood pressure control adds another layer. The SPRINT MIND trial, a randomized clinical study published in JAMA, tested intensive versus standard blood pressure targets in adults at cardiovascular risk. Intensive control reduced the risk of mild cognitive impairment, a frequent precursor to dementia. An NIH summary of those results confirmed the finding while noting that the trial was stopped early for other benefits, which limited the statistical power for a probable-dementia endpoint. Still, the direction of the data was clear: keeping blood pressure lower protected the brain.

What about this?

New study results published online today in Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association suggest that onset of high blood pressure later in life is associated with lower dementia risk after age 90, especially if hypertension is developed at age 80 or older.

Low blood pressure potential driver of Alzheimer’s disease risk

Related video: Research reveals the habits scientifically proven to add a decade to your lifespan (Talking With Docs)

A testable hypothesis emerges from combining these two lines of evidence. Adults who pair daily blood pressure monitoring with a brief, structured social-contact goal may show slower memory decline over five years than those who adopt either habit alone, independent of changes in diet or exercise. No single trial has tested that exact combination head to head, but the underlying mechanisms are well supported by separate bodies of research, and the FINGER model demonstrates that bundling works.

From loneliness data to mindfulness trials: what the numbers show

Social isolation is not just an emotional burden. A systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies found a significant association between loneliness and later dementia risk. A separate, larger meta-analysis using longitudinal data from more than 600,000 individuals across well-known cohort studies, including HRS, ELSA, SHARE, and TILDA, reinforced that finding and provided pooled hazard ratios for dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and vascular dementia. The consistency across datasets and countries strengthens the case that maintaining regular social contact is a protective habit, not merely a feel-good recommendation.

Diet-focused trials add a more cautious note. A randomized controlled trial of the MIND diet, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, tested a well-known brain-healthy eating pattern over multiple years using cognitive scores and brain MRI as outcomes. The results were mixed, a reminder that dietary patterns alone may not move the needle as dramatically as bundled interventions. That does not invalidate dietary changes; it means diet works best as one piece of a larger daily routine rather than a standalone strategy.

(The MIND diet has NO specifics, so you don't even know if you are following it correctly!)

Stress management rounds out the evidence base. A randomized clinical trial testing mindfulness-based stress reduction and exercise in older adults with subjective cognitive concerns measured episodic memory and executive function. Separately, an earlier randomized controlled trial of mindfulness-based stress reduction in community-dwelling older adults examined executive function and frontal alpha asymmetry, a neurophysiological marker of attention. Both trials reported improvements in executive-function measures, though neither included adjudicated dementia incidence as a primary outcome. The practical takeaway is that even brief daily mindfulness practice appears to support the cognitive processes most vulnerable to aging, but researchers have not yet proven it prevents dementia itself.

Gaps in the research and what to watch next

Several limits in the current evidence deserve attention. The FINGER trial ran for two years, and no primary longitudinal data track how participants actually maintained the seven target habits after the formal intervention ended. Long-term adherence is the central unknown. A habit that works in a supervised trial may lose its effect when people are left on their own.

The SPRINT MIND and FINGER trials also lack a direct head-to-head comparison. No single study has randomized participants to intensive blood pressure control versus a full multidomain lifestyle program within the same cohort, so the relative contribution of each approach remains an open question. The loneliness meta-analyses, meanwhile, rely on self-reported measures of social contact. The largest cohorts did not include linked biomarker or brain-imaging confirmation, which means the association between isolation and dementia is still partly inferred from behavior rather than directly observed brain changes.

Mindfulness and stress-reduction trials raise additional questions. Most were conducted in relatively healthy volunteers who were motivated enough to enroll and attend multiple sessions. That makes it hard to generalize the results to older adults with mobility limitations, untreated depression, or advanced vascular disease. Sample sizes were modest, and follow-up periods were short, often less than a year. Until larger, longer studies confirm durable benefits, mindfulness should be viewed as a promising support tool rather than a proven shield against dementia.

Dietary research faces its own constraints. Even when participants are randomized, adherence to complex diets tends to wane over time, and control groups often improve their eating patterns simply by being observed. That “spillover” effect can dilute differences between groups and make effective diets look weaker than they are. At the same time, mixed results from the MIND diet trial underscore that no single eating pattern has yet shown large, consistent cognitive benefits on its own. Future work will need to test diet within broader lifestyle packages that more closely resemble real life.

Turning evidence into a realistic daily routine

Despite these gaps, the converging findings point toward a practical framework for older adults who want to act now. Rather than chasing a perfect diet or a single “brain game,” the evidence favors a short list of repeatable, stackable behaviors that together support vascular health, social connection, and cognitive reserve.

One realistic approach is to build a daily checklist around four pillars. First, move most days, aiming for a mix of walking, light strength work, and balance exercises that are safe for existing mobility levels. Second, eat in a pattern that emphasizes vegetables, whole grains, and unsalted nuts while limiting highly processed foods, treating diet as a gradual shift rather than an all-or-nothing overhaul. Third, schedule at least one meaningful social contact-whether by phone, online, or in person-to counter loneliness and maintain engagement. Fourth, add a brief, consistent stress-management practice such as mindful breathing, a body scan, or guided meditation, starting with just a few minutes.

Layered on top of these pillars, regular blood pressure monitoring and appropriate medical care can extend the brain-protective effects seen in SPRINT MIND. For many people, that means checking blood pressure at home several times a week, sharing readings with a clinician, and adjusting medications or lifestyle factors as needed to stay within agreed-upon targets. The goal is not perfection but steady control over time.

Crucially, this kind of routine does not require dramatic life changes. The trials that inform it were built around modest, repeatable actions that participants could integrate into ordinary days. While researchers continue to refine which combinations matter most and how long benefits last, the current evidence supports a simple message: small, consistent habits, bundled together, offer the strongest available defense against age-related cognitive decline-and they are available to start today.

More from Morning Overview

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• 5,000-year-old wolves on remote island upend domestication theory
• Scientists may have found a Type II civilization
• EPA finally kills ‘stupid feature’ in 60% of U.S. cars after 14 years of driver rage

*This article was researched with the help of AI, with human editors creating the final content.

Stress can age you. A cardiologist explains 3 simple ways to protect your heart in 10 minutes a day

 Don't let your incompetent? doctor stress you out by NOT HAVING EXACT 100% RECOVERY PROTOCOLS! You doctor has known of this fucking failure since medical school and DONE NOTHING! THAT IS PURE INCOMPETENCE!

And your doctor did nothing with all this meditation research, right? 

meditation (66 posts to January 2012)

Stress can age you. A cardiologist explains 3 simple ways to protect your heart in 10 minutes a day

• A cardiologist said most of us have too much stress, an underrated risk factor for heart health.
• Heart disease is on the rise on young patients. Managing stress is key in your 20s, 30s, and beyond.
• A few minutes of meditation, movement, or social connection each day helps protect your heart.

In over a decade as a cardiologist, Dr. Tara Narula has seen a major risk factor for heart disease in 90% of her patients. It's completely preventable — but we're not talking about it enough.

"My patients are walking around with this level of chronic stress that is unimaginable," she told Business Insider. "And most of my patients don't know how damaging it can be."

Chronic stress can be a silent killer, putting strain on your heart that can prompt serious or even life-threatening conditions like a heart attack or stroke. These risks are on the rise in younger people, with heart disease increasingly being diagnosed among patients in their 30s or even younger.

A recent report from the American Heart Association found that women between the ages of 20 and 44 are likely to see the biggest increase in risk of heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular disease in the next few decades.

"This is a disease that cuts across every age, and in many ways it can be silent until it's not," said Narula, chief medical correspondent for ABC News and cardiologist at Northwell Health. "Prevention is key, and that means you have to start in your 20s thinking about heart health."

Her new book, "The Healing Power of Resilience," focuses on steps we can take to reduce stress and the crucial connection between physical and mental health.

Narula's book focuses on how building psychological resilience can improve physical health through habits such as reducing stress, exercising regularly, and building social connections. ABC/Heidi Gutman© ABC/Heidi Gutman

She said a few simple strategies can help reduce stress in a few minutes each day, adding up to major benefits for long-term health.

"We are not going to be able to tackle someone's heart health or their risk factors unless we address stress," Narula said.

Have an exercise snack

About 80% of the risk of heart disease can be prevented with lifestyle changes, Narula said, and stress can make it harder to keep up healthy habits.

"If you're under stress, you may not exercise, you may drink more alcohol, you may smoke, you may eat more unhealthy. So it's driving up a lot of those risk factors, but also having direct effects on the cardiovascular system," she said.

Related video: Ways to reduce stress and 

improve overall health (KHOU-TV Houston)

To break the cycle, start small, Narula said.

You don't need to hit the gym for an hour a day to see the benefits. 

She recommends adding a few minutes of activity at a time.

Sometimes called "exercise snacks," 

these small doses of movement can relieve stress 

and strengthen your heart at the same time, studies suggest. 

As few as 500 extra steps a day can boost longevity.

"I'm taking the stairs. I'm parking a little farther away. 

I'm taking a walk on my lunch break. 

All of those micro-movements add up over time," Narula said.

Take a meditation break

Another habit Narula swears by is a regular mindfulness practice. Setting aside a few minutes during the day to breathe deeply and calm your thoughts can quickly change your mood.

"You can sit at your desk in the middle of your office workday and do a meditation for 10 minutes that is going to get your mind in a different space than it was before," she said.

stressful habits, such as doom-scrolling.

"You want to be invested and involved, but at some point, you don't want to be inundated with stuff that's making you feel bad. I think dialing off things that you know upset you is a good thing," Narula said.

Phone a friend

One of the biggest ways to boost longevity is a strong social life. Narula said reaching out to loved ones for support is a great way to ease stress. If you have a packed schedule and tend to postpone social calls, making time for even a quick message can help.

"So many of us have people that, gosh, I've been meaning to call this person in my life, and I'm so busy, I haven't done it," she said. "We put off a lot of the social stuff that we could easily find 10 minutes in the day to connect with another human being."

As you build on your support network, she also recommends finding a qualified therapist. While it takes a bit more time and effort to get started, therapy can help you work through larger issues or stress patterns in your life. Narula said it's been crucial in helping her tackle her fears about the future and let go of past events.

When it comes to heart health and overall wellness, sometimes the biggest benefits come from facing the things you struggle with the most.

"It's an investment," she said. "The more you invest in it, the bigger the payoff is going to be."

If you enjoyed this story, be sure to follow Business Insider on MSN.

8 Calming Foods That Help Fight Stress Naturally, According to Experts

 Since your incompetent? doctor has no clue on getting you 100% recovered at least s/he could provide this diet protocol to alleviate your stress of not recovering. But NOTHING WILL OCCUR,  your stress is your own to handle. My relief would be a screaming match with my doctor!

8 Calming Foods That Help Fight Stress Naturally, According to Experts

What you eat can shape how you feel—here’s how gut-friendly foods like berries, salmon, oats, and even dark chocolate can help calm your mind and ease everyday stress.

By

Betty Gold

 

 

Published on December 9, 2025

The gut and brain are deeply connected, meaning what you eat can directly impact how your body manages stress and anxiety.

• A diet rich in fiber, lean proteins, and probiotic or prebiotic foods—like berries, chickpeas, salmon, and oats—can help stabilize mood and support gut health.
• Small, smart food choices like sipping chamomile tea, enjoying dark chocolate, or adding more citrus and whole grains to meals can make a real difference in how you feel day-to-day.

Between endless errands, coping with financial concerns, or solving the ultimate quandary of how to keep your home tidy while working full-time and/or raising a family, it's no wonder that stress symptoms are soaring these days. Chronic stress and anxiety can negatively affect your overall health—both physical and mental—in more ways than you might realize, and learning how to deal with it and prevent it in the future is an important part of taking care of yourself and your short- and long-term health. 

Nutrition is one of the fundamental factors that can affect the way your brain and body handle stress. The foods you put on your plate really can help you feel a little less stressed and a little more zen. A key piece of the food-meets-mood puzzle is actually your gut microbiome, and so most gut-healthy foods and eating habits are also stress-fighting foods and eating habits.

The Link Between Food, Stress, and Gut Health

According to Ian Smith, MD, a physician, gut-health expert, and bestselling author, your gut health is very closely linked to your brain and nervous system, and therefore your body's ability to manage stress.

"The connection between anxiety and the gut runs deep," he says. "Distress or anxiety can trigger the immune system to send out signals to break down the gut lining. An imbalanced or damaged gut can then drive a chronic stress response, which stimulates our body to end fight-or-flight mode."1

The result? More gut damage. Clearly, it's a vicious cycle. The good news is that there are endless, probiotic-rich ingredients that'll help you eat your way to a happier, healthier gut—and hopefully lower your stress level in the process.

"Research has shown that all roads lead to the health of our gut microbiome—our well-being depends on it," adds Raphael Kellman, MD, a physician of integrative and functional medicine in New York City. The microbes residing in our intestines are intimately connected to our mood, yes, but also our metabolism, immune function, digestion, hormones, inflammation, and even gene expression.1

The most effective way to make over your intestinal bacteria is by changing what you feed them—and yourself. "Diet is key,” Dr. Kellman says. “It should include lots of fresh prebiotic foods with plenty of probiotic foods as well."

Best Stress-Fighting Foods and Nutrients

Here are the top stress-relieving foods and nutrients that experts recommend to support your gut health—and therefore your mental health.

01of 08

Salmon and Other Lean Proteins Rich in Omega-3s

A prime example is salmon, which contains plenty of omega-3 fatty acids. These have been shown to improve brain health, and you can find them in other fatty fish, as well as plant sources like nuts, seeds, and soy products.2 Other lean proteins like chicken are great too: The amino acids they contain can help with mood, says Dr. Smith.3 Avoid meats with high amounts of saturated fat.

02of 08

Fiber-Filled Fruits—Especially Berries

It’s all about fiber, folks. According to Dr. Smith, fiber is a massive driver of good bacteria in the gut, and most Americans get way too little of it. The best way to get more fiber is to eat foods that are grown from the ground. This includes everything from nuts and seeds to lentils and popcorn, to, of course, vegetables and fruits. Berries are an incredibly fiber-rich food source, especially raspberries, blackberries, and wild blueberries.4 Plus, some berries (like blueberries) have also been shown to reduce cortisol, a stress hormone that can negatively affect your mood.

03of 08

Oranges

Speaking of stress-busting fruits, oranges are rich in vitamin C—one orange contains 82 milligrams of the vitamin, filling almost your entire day's needs.5 Perhaps best known for its immune-boosting powers, vitamin C can help alleviate stress (even the aroma is calming).

In one study that subjected volunteers to a stressful task, those who took the vitamin fared better on measurements of stress than those who received a placebo. The vitamin had a subjective effect on participants (subjects reported feeling better), and it also worked on the cardiovascular (heart) and neuroendocrine (brain and hormones) systems.6

"Start your day with an orange at breakfast or have one as a tasty afternoon snack paired with almonds or yogurt," Bauer recommends. "Add one to your salad for a bit of tart sweetness, incorporate one into salsa, or use one as a topper for chicken or fish. Try tossing orange sections into smoothies—it's great paired with other vitamin-C-rich fruits, such as strawberries, lemon, mango, pineapple, papaya, kiwi, or grapefruit."

04

of 08

Chickpeas

Chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) are rich in tryptophan, an essential amino acid that plays a role in the gut-brain connection since the body uses it to help produce serotonin, a mood-stabilizing, feel-good chemical in the brain. Studies have shown that tryptophan depletion may be linked to anxiety.7 "It's just one amino acid (and the least abundant) that competes to get into the brain," Bauer explains. "And adding some carbs helps move the powerful amino acid along. Chickpeas provide tryptophan and slow-burning carbs, a winning combo for squashing stress in one convenient package."

This versatile legume also contains folate, a B vitamin that helps regulate mood; a cup of cooked chickpeas provides more than 70% of the daily recommended intake.8 Plus, the high protein (14.5 g per cooked cup) and fiber (12.5 g per cooked cup) content can help steady blood sugars and stabilize mood.9

05of 08

Eggs, Nuts, and Turkey

All of these ingredients also provide a tryptophan-heavy punch, which, again, is essential to making serotonin: a key good-mood enabler.

06of 08

Chamomile Tea

Chamomile acts as a mild sedative, and it may ease muscle tension and tame anxiety or irritability.10 Chamomile is among the most widely used and well-known medicinal plants in the world—so much so that over 1 million cups are consumed each day, Bauer says. It's also caffeine-free, so you can drink a soothing cup of it before you head to bed. For a more flavorful way to destress, try a tea recipe that blends chamomile with cinnamon, apple cider, and lemon.

07of 08

Steel-Cut Oats

A warm bowl of oatmeal has many health benefits. It delivers a solid dose of tryptophan, helping the body produce serotonin.11 “All types of oats are terrific, but I'm a fan of steel-cut in particular because they're minimally processed, which results in a slower increase in blood sugar and helps stabilize your mood," Bauer says.12 Oats also contain magnesium; people who are deficient in this essential mineral may be more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety.13 Magnesium has a large impact on our stress levels and sleep, helping to regulate a particular neurotransmitter that calms the mind. It’s also responsible for activating the benefits of vitamin D in the body. 

Steel-cut oats take longer to cook than quick-cooking oats. Two shortcuts: Use a slow cooker to whip up an overnight version, or prepare steel-cut oats in advance (on the stovetop or using the slow-cooker method), and freeze individual 1-cup portions. When you wake up, just pop a container out of the freezer, microwave it (you may need to add a splash of water or milk to thin it out), and enjoy it like regular oatmeal. Think you'll get bored of this breakfast staple? There are tons of delicious oatmeal recipes that are as simple as mixing up a batch and changing out your toppings.

08of 08

Dark Chocolate

Great news: Chocolate contains polyphenols, which are great antioxidants that have been shown to improve brain function and mood.14 "But I really mean dark—not milk [chocolate]!" Dr. Smith emphasizes. The darker the chocolate, the less added sugar it contains—an ingredient that, sadly, has been found to impact mood and stress regulation more negatively than you might have thought.15

Focus on Plant-Based Foods for Stress Relief

When it comes to stress-relieving foods, here's the bottom line: Eat a variety of mostly plant-based foods, and your gut health—and by extension your mental health—will be on its way to better shape. Limit foods that can exacerbate stress and anxiety (think: sugar, saturated fats, alcohol), and prioritize produce, legumes, whole grains, and lean proteins and seafood. Vary the fruits and vegetables you're eating too, as each one will contain its own uniquely beneficial species of bacteria that your system needs to thrive.