Abstracto

Role of food and nutrition in reducing stress during pandemic situations

Thennavan J

Stress is a biological reaction of the body to the disturbance of equilibrium by a particular stimuli. Exposure to stressors triggers an adaptive mechanism for stress response. Reaction to stressors are of several types mainly, ‘active fight or flight’ pattern composed of the sympathetic adrenal medullary system and the ‘passive’ pattern of the pituitary adrenal cortical system. The response to stress varies among individuals depending upon their tolerance to stress, environmental condition etc. Stress affects eating behavior and proper dietary intake can help mitigate stress. Management of stress can be done by intake of complex carbohydrates, whole grains, vegetables and fruits which are part of a balanced diet. Here we try to understand the relationship between eating habits and behavior, physical activities to the development of stress. This preliminary study was performed by collecting data through online questionnaire of various individuals during the pandemic lockdown working in Essential and Non – Essential services. The data indicates that people with higher health scores displayed lower tress levels. This study indicates the importance of stress management through balanced dietary intake during these difficult situations like the COVID – 19 Pandemic.