I am sure that everyone reading this has heard of stress eating; you know, where you get so stressed from your day that you sit down after work and eat a bucket of ice cream. With some crisps. And some cakes. At the time, it makes you feel good, but later, you feel even worse than before because this food didn’t satisfy your body’s need to de-stress.

It’s obvious that the foods we eat do have a profound effect on our bodies and our minds, but did you know that there are certain foods we can eat that will actually help us wash away the stress of our busy day? No, it’s not some exotic fruit from the rainforests of South America; it’s food that many of us should already have in our pantry or refrigerator.

We have decided to put together a list of foods that, when eaten regularly, will help you de-stress and feel better.

First on our list are nuts. When eaten regularly, nuts can increase your selenium levels and help reduce anxiety, depression and fatigue. Just a handful is all it takes to feel better and reduce those stress levels.

Next up is spinach; that leafy green veg that you might not have liked much as a child. Spinach contains magnesium which helps keep our nerves and muscles relaxed. It’s also a good source of vitamin A, C, iron and folate and to benefit from this array of vitamins and minerals, you just need a half cup of spinach a day.

Basil makes our list due to its anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that also help relax blood vessels leading to a more calm feeling. To add more basil to your diet, simply throw a handful into your salads or pasta and enjoy the added boost of iron, calcium, potassium and vitamin C.

Here is one food that you are sure to like and that will have you on the road to less stress in no time. Eat dark chocolate for its tryptophan; this ingredient is an essential amino acid which is used by the body to create serotonin, a neuro-chemical that relaxes the brain.

A food that will aid in the body’s absorption of that tryptophan is oats. The complex carbs contained in oats helps turn tryptophan into serotonin which has been hailed as nature’s Prozac.

Finally, we have milk. Again, working on the tryptophan angle (are we sensing a trend here?), milk contains the protein tryptophan, which we already have learned gets converted into serotonin. Serotonin has a calming effect and that overall calm feeling leads to less stress.

There you have it, a short list of foods that you can start eating today to de-stress and live a healthier, happier life. Print out this list and make a trip to the market today. The next time you team gets together, serve them snacks that include these foods and show them how much you care about their health. Coupled with a session of Return to Glory onsite massages your co-workers, teammates and colleagues will feel less stressed and have you to thank for it.