THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, July 3, 1996 TAG: 9607020076
SECTION: FLAVOR PAGE: F2 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: 79 lines
TO REDUCE stress, eat foods that are not difficult to digest, says Harsh Luthar, a professor of management at Bryant College in Smithfield, R.I.
Foods high in fat or protein such as pizza, meat and some dairy products can be hard to digest, says Luthar, who lectures on ways to cut stress.
Here are some of Luthar's other suggestions:
Eat foods high in carbohydrates, with low to moderate protein, such as boiled brown rice with boiled legumes.
Don't eat a big, heavy breakfast. ``While you've been sleeping, your body hasn't been doing anything, so have something light, such as fruit or soy milk'' Luthar says.
Eat your largest meal of the day at midday. ``According to Eastern tradition, you have your heavier meal when the sun is the brightest, because that's when your digestive fires are at their peak.''
Don't stay up too late, which lowers performance the next day. Most people need between six and eight hours of sleep for the body to repair itself.
Go to bed on a relatively empty stomach, ``so your body is not spending energy on digesting when it needs to be resting.'' Try to eat four or five hours before you go to bed.
Walk. ``It is the only universal exercise, and when it's combined with deep yoga-type breathing, it can help to immunize the body against stress,'' Luthar says.
Test yourself
If you suspect you might have an intolerance to dairy products, there's a test to help you find out.
A professionally administered breath test measures the amount of excess hydrogen produced in the body as a result of sugar being improperly digested.
But Barbara Levine, a clinical professor of nutrition at Cornell University, says there is an easier, at-home test: Drink a quart of skim milk first thing in the morning.
``And don't go out for the rest of the day,'' she warns.
If you exhibit any of the symptoms - bloating, nausea, abdominal cramps, severe gas or diarrhea - chances are you're lactose-intolerant.
If you are, nutritionists suggest some of these strategies for eating dairy products and getting enough calcium and nutrients:
Drink and eat smaller quantities of dairy products at one sitting and with other foods.
Try whole or chocolate milk. The fat and sugar slow digestion.
Eat dairy foods with lower lactose levels, such as aged cheese. Yogurt with active cultures also may be easier to digest.
Watch for hidden lactose in products such as non-dairy creamers, prescription drugs and baked goods.
In addition to lactase supplements, look for lactose-reduced foods in grocery and health-food stores.
Eat and drink calcium-fortified products such as orange juice and breads. Unhealthful mixture
Over-the-counter pain relievers can cause problems in people who regularly drink alcohol, studies indicate.
Taken with acetaminophen (most often sold as the brand name Tylenol), alcohol can increase the risk of damage to the liver.
Taken with ibuprofen (sold as Actron, Advil, Aleve, Motrin, Nuprin and Orudis), alcohol can increase the risk of damage to the stomach.
The Federal Drug Administration now requires an alcohol warning before approval of any new over-the-counter pain reliever.
And the agency is considering a warning label on all existing products. (Tylenol carries a warning label about alcohol and liver toxicity.)
The proposed warning would be for people who regularly consume three or more alcoholic drinks a day.
Researchers haven't determined a safe dose of a pain reliever for chronic alcohol drinkers, but some experts say that if you drink regularly, don't take more than one dose of a pain reliever a day without medical advice.
Talk to your pharmacist or doctor about any concerns you have. MEMO: Staff writer Pat Dooley compiled this column. Sources included
Knight-Ridder Newspapers and the Providence Journal-Bulletin. ILLUSTRATION: FILE photo
Boiled brown rice is a good food for reducing stress, says Harsh
Luthar, a professor at Bryant College in Rhode Island, because it is
high in carbohydrates and low in protein. by CNB