There have been a number of studies into the benefits of sound nutrition and, like most things in life, these studies often contradict one another leaving us wondering where the truth actually lies. In general however there is agreement that a healthy and balanced diet does have an important role to play in lowering levels of stress.

It is also generally agreed that, where a diet is not very well balanced, the use of supplements can be helpful. For example, serotonin is a chemical produced in the brain which aids in inducing calm and, with a poor diet, taking a supplement which helps the brain to produce serotonin can assist the body to reduce stress.

Timing is however also important and, as serotonin levels are usually naturally raised in the morning and reduced in the late afternoon, you can assist your body by either by taking supplements in the late afternoon or by enjoying a late afternoon snack which will aid the body's natural production of serotonin. Try some pretzels or a baked potato, both of which are low in fat but healthy.

For a few people excessive eating, especially of foods which are high in fat, is the answer to stress. However, high fat foods tend to slow down or inhibit serotonin levels and so usually have just the opposite effect to that which you want.

Another side effect of over-eating is that of weight gain and, as more and more people are finding today, being overweight is a sure road to stress and even to depression. The answer is thus both a sensible, balanced diet and a reasonable amount of exercise.

Eating sensibly and exercising will have the combined benefits of both lowering the production of stress-inducing chemicals by the body and of improving the way you both feel and look, which will certainly raise your mood and provide a sound barrier against stress.

Another to watch out for is the habit of skipping meals. When you are stressed you will usually find that this lowers your appetite and it is very easy to begin skipping meals. Stressed or not, try to set yourself a regular routine for mealtimes and then stick to it.

Also, try to make mealtimes into a 'break' in your day and leave your problems to one side while you are enjoying a meal. Use this as time, specifically set aside for relaxation and to focus your mind on the good things of life. You will invariable find that when you have finished your meal the world will be a lot calmer.