The teen stress should be dealt with both at home and outside home in school.

• There is a wrong notion among adults that there is no earthly reason for stress in teens. This should be avoided.
• The first step in tackling teen stress is to identify the signs and symptoms of stress in the teens. The teens should be allowed to talk freely about their problems.
• Parents and teachers should teach them stress relief methods.
• They should set only reasonable goals in both curricular and extra curricular activities

There are several treatment models to help the teens cope up with stress. The steps of one such model -

• Ask the teenager about what bothers them.
• Ask the teens about the their response to that stressful event
• Explain to the teens about normal stress response and ways of tackling stress
• Identify the source of stress in teens and help them understand that the same event incites different responses in different persons
• Teach the teen the best stress relieving techniques.
• Advise them to avoid unhealthy methods of tackling stress like aggression, avoidance etc.

Researches show that stress is the most common health disorder in the United States. There are various options available for the relief of stress. A balanced nutritious food and simple deep breathing exercises are the simplest methods for stress relief. They are cost effective, easily available and are without side effects. Food that reduces stress acts mainly by their vitamins and mineral contents.

Healthy stress relieving methods

• Eat a well balanced nutritious diet
• Exercise regularly
• Avoid caffeine, tobacco and substance of abuse like alcohol, drugs etc
• Follow simple stress relief methods like deep breathing, listening to music, recreational sports
• Develop assertiveness training skills
• Learn to be practical. Look for an alternative if the task is very stressful.
• Have high self esteem
• Learn to say no. By doing this a teenager can sort out important things in his life.
• Have good sense of humor
• Watching stress relief cartoon

 Food and Stress Relief

The changes associated with stress are

• Increase in the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol
• Increase in blood sugar and cholesterol
• Increase in the heart rate and blood pressure
• Increase in the respiration
• Accumulation of toxins like carbon dioxide and lactates
• Emotional changes due to alteration in the brain chemistry
• Gastro intestinal disorders like irritable bowel syndrome
• Suppression of immunity

The principle of stress management programs is to reverse all these changes. Among these changes the levels of the already increased hormones cannot be brought down. The stimulus which increases their production can be controlled. All the other changes can be reversed using various stress relief options. One of the simplest options is the dietary changes. Avoid over working in kitchen for dinner parties, Caviar, hamper or family favorites, yet you can turn an ordinary meal into a culinary work of art. You can do that by exploring new exotic cuisine.The role of food items in the stress management programs are discussed under the following headings

• Food items that reduces stress which should be included
• Foods items that aggravates stress which should be avoid

Food Items to be Avoided

Food items which aggravate the signs and symptoms are to be avoided. These include

• Tea, coffee, cocoa
• Junk foods and fast foods
• Egg yolks
• Butter, cheese , shrimps and meat
• Coconut oil
• Cashews almonds and other nuts
• Beverages including soda, chocolate drinks and soft drinks.
• Sugar
• Alcohol

Tea, coffee, cocoa including chocolate drinks contain neuro stimulators like, caffeine and Theo bromine. Though these substances refresh a tired person, it is better to avoid all these items in stress. In stress the patients will be already anxious and further stimulation results in aggravation of anxiety and worsen sleeplessness. Moreover tea and coffee worsens peptic ulcer associated with stress. But the controversy is that chocolates contain more of magnesium which helps in calming down an agitated person during stress.Egg yolks contain high percentage of cholesterol and should be avoided in stress which itself increase the cholesterol levels. Butter, cheese, coconut oil cashews, almonds and meat are to be avoided for similar reasons.

Junk foods and fast foods are highly delicious food items are not balanced diets. They contain protein, fats and carbohydrates in inappropriate proportions and moreover they don’t contain the essential vitamins and minerals. Stress needs more of energy, vitamins and minerals also but in a balanced proportion.

Beverages including soda and soft drinks contain ‘empty calories’ which are useless and they also don’t contain vitamins and minerals. In stress there is accumulation of carbon dioxide and lactates resulting in a condition called acidosis which is detrimental to health. The high content of carbon dioxide in beverages aggravates it. Sodium benzoate is also more in beverages which should be avoided in hypertension associated with stress. Sugar should be avoided in stress as the person will be already having increased blood glucose levels with a higher risk of getting diabetes.

However, shopping and gifting can help reduce stress of both the donor and the receiver, for example stationery.