Stress is known to be an
independent risk factor for many chronic diseases including heart disease and
diabetes. An interesting new study indicates
that one of the ways stress impacts health is by diminishing the positive effects
of healthy foods.
To evaluate the interactions
between diet and stress, researchers recruited 58 healthy women with an average
age of 53. On two different days,
participants consumed a high fat breakfast of biscuits and gravy. Both days the breakfasts contained 930
calories and 60 grams of fat but on one day the fat came from unhealthy
saturated fats and, on the other day, the fat came from healthy monounsaturated
fat. On both occasions the women
completed detailed interviews to assess the stress they experienced on the
previous day. Their blood was drawn
multiple times during their visits. The researchers looked at two markers of
inflammation -- C-reactive protein and serum amyloid A. They also evaluated two
markers of cell adhesion molecules, indicators of how readily arterial plaques
form. The research team controlled for
blood levels before the meals, age differences, abdominal fat and physical
activity -- all factors that could impact the physiological response to the
meal.
Previous research has shown
that saturated fats increase inflammation in the body, which has been linked
with heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and a host of other chronic health
problems. Saturated fats mainly come
from the fats in dairy and meat. Conversely,
monounsaturated fats such as those found in olives and nuts are associated with
lower levels of inflammation and better heart health.
The trial found that
participants with low recent stress levels exhibited lower levels of
inflammation and cell adhesion after they ate the monounsaturated fat biscuits
and gravy, compared with when they ate the saturated fat-laden alternative. But, for participants with higher levels of
recent stress, the monounsaturated fat meal did not confer physiological
advantages. Their levels of inflammation
and cell adhesion were comparable to when they had the high saturated fat meal.
These findings add to the
evidence that stress, even moderate, short-term stress exerts a powerful role
on our health. Exactly how stress interacts with the physiological effects of
foods is not known. It is possible that
the harmful effects of stress overwhelm the potential benefits of a healthy
meal, or it may be that stress itself alters the body's processing of the meal. Other studies have shown that a person's
metabolic rate is lower and insulin levels are higher following a stressful
day.
What
to do: Because food is tangible and stress is not, it is sometimes harder to recognize an unhealthy stress response than an unhealthy food. These results
underscore the importance of developing healthy strategies to cope with stress
and they hint at the fact that in order for us to realize the full benefits of
a healthy diet, we must first manage our stress. Regular sleep, regular physical activity, journaling, talking with others, practicing mindfulness, and cognitive behavioral therapy can all help to support better stress management.
Source:
Kiecolt-Glaser JK, Fagundes CP,
Andridge C et al. Depression, daily
stressors and inflammatory responses to high-fat meals: when stress overrides
healthier food choices. Molecular Psychiatry,
2016. DOI: 10.1038/mp.2016.149
Information
adapted from articles available at:
https://consumer.healthday.com/mental-health-information-25/stress-health-news-640/stress-might-undercut-benefits-of-healthy-diet-for-women-715012.html
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/09/160920083529.htm
