Being stressed out can have a detrimental effect on our health, as well as put a damper on our weight loss goals.  At a basic level, stress is our body’s reaction to a situation that is seen as potentially dangerous.  This is fine once in a while, but when the body is bombarded with stress signals over a long period of time, health issues like heart problems, excess weight, stomach and digestive problems can ensue.  As you can see the effects of stress affect the entire body, not just one area.

When we are stressed out, one of the hormones the body releases is cortisol.  Cortisol, is the primary stress hormone and acts to inhibit functions that impair the “fight or flight” response.  Cortisol increases the levels of glucose in your blood in order to enhance the brain’s use of glucose.  This sounds beneficial, but it will likely leaving you craving unhealthy, fatty carbohydrates which over the long term is really bad.  This could be one reason it is known as the “the belly fat hormone”. 

What we put into our bodies can help us protect against the negative effects of stress.  Different teas can help our bodies manage chronic stress and combat negative health effects and weight gain.

VALERIAN TEA:

Valerian tea is known to bring on deeper, more restive sleep.   This herb is a mild sedative, which can reduce stress by combating insomnia and bringing on sleep. Researchers are still unsure exactly what it is in valerian that makes us sleepy, but they believe that whatever it is, is interacting with receptors in the brain that stimulate sleep. 

KAVA KAVA:

This root from the South Pacific islands creates relaxing and calming effect on the brain and muscles.   The calming effect has been found to reduce anxiety, restlessness and insomnia.  Some research has found that kava kava actually reduces anxiety levels by improving sleep and general mood when awake as well.

CHAMOMILE & LAVENDER TEA:

Both these teas reduce fatigue, tension, and have a relaxing effect on the body.  Neither necessarily improves sleep length or quality – but they do make it easier to get to calm and happier place before bed.  Hence why they have the reputations as bedtime teas.  The anxiety reducing effect of both chamomile and lavender can also help reduce feelings of nausea and indigestion associated with stress.  Balancing the negative effects of stress can reduce the risk for weight gain and other health issues.

ROOIBOS TEA:

Rooibos is great because it combats chronic stress at the source by reducing cortisol levels.  The active ingredient in the tea is a flavonoid called Aspalathin.  By reducing levels of the stress hormone in the body, the effects cortisol has on fat storage and hunger triggers are diminished.  This also means that the risk of hypertension, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance and diabetes – all linked to stress – is reduced as well.

PASSIONFLOWER TEA:

Passionflower is also a mild sedative, whose active ingredient is chrysin, a type of flavonoid.  It works by boosting the levels of GABA in the brain, which reduces brain activity and can help you rest.  Besides making you sleepy, passionflower tea also clams nerves and anxiety which might be keeping you up at night or stressing you out through the day.  In general it is safe to use, but has not been approved for use by women or children – so be mindful of this ahead of time.