Photo credit bigpicturelonglife.com

So...you're stressed out.

Most people in this world, at this very moment, are in the same boat.

That's probably why it seems the older we get, the less sleep we get. Because the older we get, the more daily stresses we have to think about that prevent us from sleeping. From the simple — did I lock the front door? To the more plaguing thoughts — Why did I say that to him? How am I going to afford my bills? Am I going to get laid off? Did I do good enough at work today? Did I get everything done that I had to?

I don't know about you, but when I'm stressed out, I tend to go home from work, get out a carton of ice cream or candy bar and start chowing down. Either that or a bottle of beer. Stress expert Paul Huljich says this does not help.

Huljich has recently released a book titled "Stress Pandemic" about how he has overcome his stress drug-free. He said, in order to become less stressed, we need to cut out the C-R-A-P (an acronym for coffee, refined sugar, alcohol and processed food and drinks).

He says you need to have a healthy and balanced diet — and eat small amounts of "good mood foods" throughout the day (no, I'm not talking about Arby's) instead of three big meals.

Foods that help put your stress and anxiety at bay are high in serotonin. This makes sense considering anti-depressant meds help raise serotonin levels in the brains of people suffering from depression. The following foods are high in serotonin: bananas, salmon, almonds, spinach, blueberries, mandarins, kiwi fruit and green tea. 

Turkey, chicken and fish also boost serotonin levels. Livestrong website reports that walnuts are especially beneficial for serotonin production. Egg whites are also ranked very high in the list of foods with high serotonin.

Omega-3 and vitamin B-complex supplements taken daily will also increase the amount of serotonin in the body. And so will regular aerobic exercises.

White flour and sugar carbohydrates will boost serotonin levels on a short-term basis, but then the levels will quickly drop, causing you to feel tired. So no on that.

The book states: (Foods with high serotonin) deliver several key nutrients that play a vital role in supporting brain chemistry to reduce the risk of anger, fatigue and irritability. They also do something equally important as well: powerful combinations of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants help you build up your energy and capacity to handle life from your body’s deepest levels (your cell’s metabolic and energy pathways). This is what we should all aim for, rather than a quick burst of stimulation from a sugar, carb, or caffeine fix that ultimately leaves you feeling tired and cranky.

I don't know about you, but I plan to go to the grocery store and buy some of these foods today — making a list of high serotonin foods and trading in my daily cup of coffee for green tea.