STRESSED? TRY THIS...

Your body needs extra TLC during tense times. Here's how to give it the best possible support

- Trudie McConno chie

A little stress can be a good thing, firing you up to nail your goals. Too much for too long, however, can wreak havoc on your physical and mental health.

“When we're going through periods of stress, activities we would normally do day-to-day can become a lot more challenging," says accredited dietitian Milly Smith. “So it is incredibly important to put new behaviours in place to support our bodies because otherwise we can fall into habits that can then have a further impact on our long-term health and mental health."

Here are some great ways to support your body during short-term stress...

Keep healthy food staples handy

Often we reach for fast food or highly processed options when we're under pressure, but Milly says that will leave us feeling much worse. Instead, she suggests having healthy ingredients on hand so you can whip up something nutritious, even when you're tired and time-poor - think frozen vegetables, microwaveable rice cups and tins of tuna or legumes.