20 Foods That Will Help You Relax! - Part Two

Posted on May 30, 2007
Filed Under Your Health |

How did adding protein, calcium foods (milk), oats and basil help you relax?

Just a note on the calcium foods - apparently eating large quantities of cheese is not good for relaxing even though it is high in calcium. Mature cheeses in particluar are not good for relaxing. They contain Tyramine which sometimes induce migraines and nightmares! So no cheese and crackers for supper!

Ok here’s the next 5 foods!

20 Foods That Will Help You Relax - Part Two

6. Calming herb teas. Stay away from the coffee! The author suggests - chamomile, lemon balm and lavender. The BEST herbal tea that I have tasted is Red Bush Tea OR Rooibos Tea from South Africa. It actually is the closest tasting to regular tea that I can find BUT it is also VERY calming and induces sleep - It really works. Apparently it is a very tradditional remendy for those babies crying in the night - either the mum drinks the tea and breastfeeds her baby or you mix some in with the milk.

7. Molasses is high in minerals, including calcium and magnesium which balance out the nervous system. It has a strong flavour so only use a small amount. Hands up those who rememeber their mother giving them molasses on a spoon? - Now I know that she was only trying to calm my nervous system (or maybe hers!)

8. Other sugar subsitutes - like Honey (Manuka honey is high in compounds that fight infections), dried fruit which is high in magnesium and iron and sweet fruits like bananas (high in nerve-balancing potassium) .

9.CHOCOLATE - guess which is my favourite calming food! Eat a modest (now that is hard!) amount of high-quality chocolate, one with 60 - 70 % cocoa solids. It certainly makes me relax but NOT if I eat it after 7pm - it is hard to get to sleep. So here is my fix on that - eat the chocolate and relax then have a Red Bush tea before bed and sleep!!

10.Lose the alcohol and choose orange juice with sparkling water. I have to be careful with the orange though - it seems to induce headaches for me. I love the Soda water with a twist of lemon or lime - not sure whether this does the same thing or not!