Feeling stressed out? Remember: you are what you eat. But you also feel how you eat, so if stress is getting you down, it may be time to examine what’s fueling your body and give that junk food diet the nutritional boot!

Stress can lead to poor eating habits, and poor eating habits can exacerbate stress – a downward nutritional spiral that can leave you feeling increasingly frazzled and ill prepared for the challenges of a hectic day.

By making a few small changes to your diet, you will see some substantial gains in mood stability, energy levels and tolerance for frustration.

5 Easy Changes,

1. Cut out coffee. Caffeine alone, in high doses, can lead to anxiety and even panic attacks, so it’s no surprise that caffeine can worsen the way you handle stress. The body reacts to stress by releasing stimulant-like chemicals. Limiting your intake of outside stimulants like caffeine (or nicotine) is a great way to start feeling a bit more balanced. You don’t need to give up coffee entirely, but when feeling stressed, limit your consumption to a couple of normal-sized cups per day.

2. Eat “whole” foods. We need to eat for two reasons: for energy and for nutrients. Processed foods may provide you with ample energy (they tend to be high calorie), but they are often deficient in nutrients. Why eat foods that have been stripped of their nutritional goodness?

Eat whole foods and get the nutrients you need to stay healthy, functioning and happy. Instead of white flour, try whole wheat. Make sure to enjoy lots of seasonal vegetables and fruits as well! Eating whole foods keeps you feeling better, and avoiding the sugars inherent in processed foods keeps your energy levels more stable and your blood sugar more balanced. Whole foods keep your emotions steady and help you cope with the trials of a busy day.

3. Don’t skip meals. When time pressures pull us in two directions at once, it can be tempting to skip meals (or take them at a run and not eat well). But it doesn’t take that long to stop for a proper healthy meal, and it will make a big difference in the way you handle the day.

Skipping meals can lead to fatigue and concentration deficits, and will often send you stretching toward the coffee pot or craving sugary snacks just to provide some needed energy to keep the engine running! Caffeine and sugar do provide temporary energy but at a cost — they will worsen your ability to handle stress.

4. Drink water. Keep a bottle of water at your desk and make an effort to stay hydrated throughout the day. Dehydration can lead to irritability and can also have you craving sugary or caffeinated drinks (or overeating), all of which can decrease your ability to manage stress.

5. Maintain a healthy weight. Stress can lead to stress eating — the soothing consumption of high fat or sugar comfort foods — but stress eating promotes weight gain, which leads to reduced health and well being. Eat with awareness and avoid eating as a way to manage stress. If you know you snack as a coping mechanism, try to have healthy option snacks at your disposal throughout the day.

To feel well, eat well. Stress can lead to poor health and well being, but through healthy lifestyle choices that include exercise, a healthy diet, good sleeping habits and wellness activities, you can learn to cope effectively with the stress you must face on a daily basis.