Healthy Monday: In The Food for Mood

Stress can lead to fat and mood swings!? Yep! That's what Rachel Katz says, an eco-loving bride-to-be and owner of Natural Zest Health Counseling in Plantation, Florida. She was kind enough to write up a guest post on how to eat better during high stress times and satisfy the sweet tooth.

The thing you've dreamt about since you were a little girl is finally here, you're planning a wedding!! All your dreams are coming true! And all of the stress is beginning to build up. Not only do you have the anticipation of a single day that is life-changing, but you want to make sure that every single, little thing goes according to plan. Stress happens, but you can (and should) take steps to take care of yourself.

Did you know that stress can lead to weight gain and prevent you from losing weight? If you're stressed out, the body thinks it needs to hold on to all that stored up energy (aka fat). So take a chill pill, a yoga class, get a massage, drink a glass of wine with a good friend - do what you need to do to take care of yourself.

Eat right. The food we eat can affect how we feel. Stress usually drives us towards sweets, cookies and ice cream (Ben and Jerry's anyone?). But for some people (and I'm one of them) eating sugar (and that includes breads and pastas which turn into sugar) makes my mood go up and down. So what should you eat? (Be sure to check out all the awesome links and recipes Rachel included!)

• green - as many leafy green vegetables as you can handle - think salads, soups and omelets (or quiche)
• veggies, veggies, veggies - veggie sticks and hummus/guacamole, marinated veggie salad (make it once, eat it for days), fresh sprouts (quick and easy on your countertop), roasted veggies are easy, healthy and have a sweet taste
• whole grains - ditch your pasta and try some brown rice or quinoa (full of protein and nutrients), quinoa tabbouleh is great to keep in the fridge and grab when you need a bite
• if you get that sweet craving and gotta do something about it, try fruit or dark chocolate, did you know there is chocolate mint tea out there? try some for dessert!

Remember to visit Rachel at her website, NaturalZest.com!