Note: These ten steps are listed in order of their importance for the average adult. If you have any medical conditions, please consult your doctor before making dietary changes.

1. Eat a Variety of Foods
A balanced diet includes vegetables, fruit, meat or protein alternatives, rice and carbohydrate alternatives, and fat. The greater the variety, the less likely you are to develop either a deficiency or an excess of any single nutrient.

2. Maintain Ideal Weight
Obesity is associated with high blood pressure, increased levels of blood fats and cholesterol, and the most common type of diabetes. All of these in turn are associated with increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Being overweight puts stress on your body and interferes with your ability to cope with environmental stresses.

3. Avoid Fats
Fat is an essential nutrient, but we tend to eat too much. There are three kinds of fat. Saturated fat is solid at room temperature (animal products). Unsaturated fat is liquid at room temperature but solidifies when chilled (olive oil). Poly-unsaturated fat remains liquid even when chilled (sunflower, corn and canola oils).

4. Eat More Whole Food
Whole food for good nutrition includes raw or lightly steamed vegetables, fruits, whole grain and cereals, brown rice, beans, dried peas, lentils, nuts and seeds. Fibre has a laxative effect and helps control weight by absorbing excess fats in diet.

5. Avoid Sugar
Avoiding sugar is especially important if you are under stress and are one of three out of five people who are pre-diabetic or hypoglycaemic. When you eat foods high in refined sugar, your blood sugar level shoots up, giving you a little boost and perhaps a restless feeling.

6. Avoid Sodium
Sodium is present in table salt, processed foods, sauces, pickled foods, baking powder, monosodium glutamate, and soft drinks, among other foods. It is an essential food but no more than five grams per day should be consumed.

7. Avoid Alcohol
Alcohol is high in calories and low in other nutrients. It depletes your system of B vitamins. If you are going to drink, stick to one or two glasses of beer or wine a day.

8. Avoid Caffeine
Coffee, black tea, chocolate and colas are high in caffeine. Caffeine is a stimulant that chemically induces a ‘fight or flight’ response in your body and depletes it of Vitamin B. If you are having trouble coping with stress already, caffeine will make matters worse.

9. Take Vitamin and Mineral Supplements
When you are under stress you require more of all vitamins and minerals, especially the B vitamins. Deficiencies in the B vitamins, C vitamins, and calcium/magnesium have been linked to stress-related symptoms such as insomnia, irritability, depression, and fatigue.

10. Eat Frequent, Calm Meals
Frequent, small meals – four or five a day – are better than two or three large meals, especially if you are under stress. Frequent meals avoid the stresses associated with the hunger state and maintain a more constant blood sugar level to avoid hypoglycaemic symptoms. Take time for meals. Eat slowly and enjoy natural relaxation that comes from nutritious food eaten in peaceful surroundings.

Adapted from Davis M. Eshelman E.R. & McKay M. (1982). The relaxation & stress reduction workbook (2nd. ed.). Oakland, CA: Ne