I tend to hold onto stress like anxiety and often feel off physically, so I decided to improve my diet by focusing on “no additives” as much as possible. It’s not fully achievable, but I’ve been making my own mentsuyu and dressings, and recently, I’ve felt much better.
That said, things that aren’t great for your body can be so tasty. Being too strict sometimes backfires and adds its own stress. When that coincides with my husband coming home stressed from work and feeling down, it becomes unbearable. In those moments, I invoke my “forget the rules once” strategy.
Truthfully, I’ve loved retort meat sauce since I was a kid—add grated cheese, and it’s heaven. But with all the additives in retort foods, I usually avoid buying them.
When I hit “I can’t take it anymore!”, I declare it open season. I make meat sauce spaghetti, piling on the grated cheese like there’s no tomorrow, ignoring thoughts like “I won’t have room for dinner…” and just eating until I’m full.
As I eat, I feel, “Ahh, so delicious. Totally delicious~~. Happiness~~.” I do this secretly when my husband’s not home. The sense of liberation from doing what I want leaves me refreshed.
Later, I learned that cheese contains serotonin, a brain neurotransmitter that boosts happiness! I was amazed to realize I’d been following my instincts without knowing. By the way, serotonin is also found in red meat, soybeans, and other dairy products, making it easy to incorporate—highly recommended!
※本記事は個人の実体験に基づくストレス解消法に関する情報ですが、記載内容は医療アドバイスではありません。専門的なアドバイスを希望する場合は医師へ相談を。
※This article provides information on stress relief methods. The content is not medical advice. Consult a doctor for professional advice.