Proper Nutrition Is Essential in Stress Management in Our Bodies Response

A brief description of two nutritional approaches I selected for stress management.

Good nutrition is an important stress management tool. When our bodies are poorly fed, stress takes an even greater toll on our health. Nutrition and stress are interlinked. For stress management, the nutritional approaches I selected are (1) Magnesium: Magnesium is needed for a variety of tasks such as muscle relaxation, fatty acid formation, making new cells and heartbeat regulation. Stress and magnesium are said to be interrelated. Both physical and psychological stress may stimulate the stress hormones. This, in turn, increases magnesium loss from the cells (especially from the heart and other vital organs), stimulate urinary excretion and increase dietary requirements for the magnesium (Singh (2016). (2) Protein is needed to initiate the brain’s synthesis of dopamine and norepinephrine. Animal protein is best for providing tryptophan needed to synthesize serotonin. Red meats and similar high protein foods elevate the levels of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain. High levels of dopamine and norepinephrine mimic higher levels of stress (Laureate Education, Inc. (2012). Replacing protein sources with fish, chicken, and low-fat dairy foods can enhance stress resilience. Consumers should be taught to choose meats that do not contain high levels of stress hormones. Stress hormones flood into the bloodstream when an animal is slaughtered, which in turn saturates the meat. These stress hormones, in addition to the growth hormones used in most industrial farms, may be minimized with longer cooking times. Another choice is kosher meat, where available. No hormones are used in raising the cattle, and the slaughter process is said to be less stressful on the animal.

Some sources of protein include the following:

Animal and animal by-products—Cows, pigs, chickens, turkeys, buffalo, fish, cheese, milk, yogurt, eggs, Plant protein—Vegetables, seeds, nuts (Laureate Education, Inc. (2012).

Explain why these approaches might be effective.

Protein catabolism is a normal response to stress and cannot be prevented, although an adequate intake can help to replenish the lost protein. Nitrogen losses usually peak five to ten days after the stress. Serotonin inhibits stress, eating by controlling the alarm hormone serotonin and can be increased choosing tryptophan rich food. Protein supplies the body with the important amino acids needed for mental health (Emma et al., 1997; Wattoo et al., 2007).Secondly, since diet is influenced by and in turn influences patterns of stress, a holistic approach to stress management requires nutrition assessment and education. For instance, minerals such as copper and zinc influence stress, and research shows that magnesium deficiencies are also linked. In the digestive system, stress can reduce the effectiveness of nutrient absorption, thereby increasing blood sugar, insulin, and cortisol levels. Also, stress depletes vitamins B and C, which are necessary for immune function, and a diet deficient in B vitamins increases anxiety and stress. In addition, caffeine and sugar consumption may induce the stress response, while alcohol diminishes the body’s ability to regulate stress. A proper nutritional approach enhances the body’s ability to manage stress and contribute significantly to overall well-being. (Laureate Education, Inc. (2012).

Explain any contraindications or cautions to using these two approaches and explain why

Although oral magnesium supplementation is well-tolerated, magnesium can cause gastrointestinal symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Overdose of magnesium may cause thirst, hypotension, drowsiness, muscle weakness, respiratory depression, cardiac arrhythmia, coma, and death. Concomitant use of magnesium and urinary excretion-reducing drugs, such as calcitonin, glucagon (Glucagen), and potassium-sparing diuretics, may increase serum magnesium levels, as may doxercalciferol (Hectorol). Concomitant oral intake of magnesium may influence the absorption of fluoroquinolones, aminoglycosides, bisphosphonates, calcium channel blockers, tetracyclines, and skeletal muscle relaxants. Because of this, concomitant use should be monitored or avoided when possible. Additionally, because magnesium is cleared renally, patients with renal insufficiency (creatinine clearance of less than 30 mL per minute [0.50 mL per second]) may be at increased risk of heart block or hypermagnesemia; therefore, magnesium levels should be monitored. As with any dietary supplement, the quality of the product is important. Some magnesium products were found to contain lead (Guerrera, et al., 2009). Finally, according to (Delimaris (2013), protein is an essential macronutrient needed by the human body for growth and maintenance. Foods rich in animal protein are meat, fish, eggs, poultry, and dairy products, while plant foods high in protein are mainly legumes, nuts, and grains. The current recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 g protein/kg body weight/day for adults (for children 1.5 g protein/kg body weight/day, and for adolescents 1.0 g protein/kg body weight/day). However, high protein diets (defined as an intake above the current RDA) are promoted intensively by the nutritional supplements industry and they are considered to be “the gold standard” by many athletes (especially bodybuilders) for muscle development and/or body fat loss. On the other hand, several scientists claim that the overuse of protein supplements or high dietary protein intake could cause disorders to human health. The aim of this review study is to determine the potential

health dangers due to high protein/high meat intake obtained from diet or nutritional supplements based on the human studies existent in the literature. During the period of October 2012–May 2013, a search was carried out in the databases PubMed (1967 to present) and Google Scholar (1966 to present). There were included studies in English language which had analyzed the potential health dangers due to long-term high protein intake obtained from diet or nutritional supplements in humans (Delimaris (2013).

References:

Guerrera, M. P., M.D., Volpe, S. L., PhD., & Mao, J. J., M.D. (2009). Therapeutic uses of magnesium. American Family Physician, 80(2), 157-62. Retrieved from https://ezp.waldenulibrary.org/login?qurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.proquest.com%2Fdocview%2F234313013%3Faccountid%3D14872

Delimaris I. (2013). Adverse Effects Associated with Protein Intake above the Recommended Dietary Allowance for Adults. ISRN nutrition, 2013, 126929. https://doi.org/10.5402/2013/126929

Laureate Education, Inc. (2012). Stress and its impact on nutrient processing and absorption Unpublished Document

Laureate Education, Inc. (2012). Nutrition, Stress, and your cell. Unpublished document.

Singh K (2016) Nutrient and Stress Management. J Nutr Food Sci 6: 528. doi:10.4172/2155-9600.1000528

Wattoo, F. H., Memon, M. S., Memon, A. N., Wattoo, M. H., Asad, M. J., & Siddique, F. (2011). Protein intake and stress levels in nurses and housewives of Pakistan. Saudi journal of biological sciences, 18(3), 305–309. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sjbs.2011.02.002