Everyone deals with daily stresses- jobs, family, housework, cooking meals, shuttling kids to practice and finding time to get all the errands done too. Here's some foods that help you manage your stress levels when combined with other stress management techniques.

Choosing healthy foods when you’re stressed can impact your mood on a positive note, helping to relieve tension, stabilize blood sugar, and send your stress packing.

Tea

Whether you like peppermint, herbal, green or black, Tea can be a relaxing way to unwind after a long day.

Coming home, getting everything done and the kids to bed, and sitting down to some quiet time with your favorite tea can be a great way to calm down before bed. Tea is full of antioxidants, helps to rehydrate you, has trace minerals and vitamins, and can lower your cortisol levels (your stress hormone).

Dark leafy vegetables

Choosing spinach or kale in your evening meal can help to lighten your mood. Dark leafy vegetables contain folate, which helps your body produce mood-regulating neurotransmitters, including serotonin and dopamine. One 2012 study found people who consumed the most folate had a lower risk of depression than those who ate the least.

Organic Turkey breast

There's a reason we all get sleepy after Thanksgiving dinner, and it's not the boring dinner conversation either.

Turkey meat contains tryptophan, an amino acid (protein building block) that your body converts into serotonin, the neurotransmitter that makes us feel happy. Pumpkin seeds, nuts, and free range eggs also contains high amounts of tryptophan.

Fresh Water Salmon

The omega-3 fatty acids in salmon have anti-inflammatory properties that may help counteract the negative effects of stress hormones. Not to mention, the healthy fats in salmon helps to regulate your blood sugar as well, giving you a steadier mood throughout the day.

Blueberries

Blueberries are chocked full of antioxidants and phytonutrients, helping your body respond to stress and fight stress-causing free radicals. Fresh, in season berries are the best, but flash frozen berries also have high numbers of these healthy nutrients.

Pistachios

The healthy fats in pistachios support a healthy cardiovascular system, putting less stress on your heart and vessels to pump blood throughout your body. Not to mention, you might find the rhythmic act of shelling pistachios therapeutic, as doing a repetitive activity can help quiet racing thoughts in your head and calm you down.

Dark Chocolate

Eating dark chocolate ( in small amounts, not a whole chocolate bar!) can help to reduce stress hormones, relax blood vessels, and improve circulation. It also can trigger us to release dopamine, which is the love hormone, making you feel happier and more at ease.

Avocado

Eating half an avocado provides you with over 20 vitamins and mineral and contains health fats which help to regulate blood sugar, giving you steadier energy and moods. The healthy fats also help you feel fuller longer, leading to less stress eating of unhealthy foods later in the day that will put your blood sugar on a rollercoaster of ups and downs.

Cashews

Just one ounce of cashews contains 11% of the daily value of zinc, a mineral which helps reduce anxiety. They're also full of healthy fats and protein to help keep you satiated longer and balance your mood and energy.

Garlic

Garlic is jam-packed with antioxidant compounds and free radical scavengers. Among the compounds in garlic is allicin, which has been linked to fending off heart disease, cancer, and even the common cold. Because stress weakens our immune system, we need friends like garlic, which can toughen it back up.