Perhaps it
shows through your fidgeting, your nail-biting, or your sleepless nights. You feel as if you are under a great deal of
stress, and you are searching for relief.
While there are many stress reduction strategies you could use, perhaps
one of the best is one of the easiest:
cooking.
Cooking is an
art as well as a science. It takes a
great deal of patience and persistence to become an excellent cook, and some of
your experiments will inevitably end up in the wastebasket or down the garbage
disposal. Yet, there is something
incredibly relaxing about sautéing onions, grilling chicken, or barbecuing
pork. You can become mesmerized by the
scent of your culinary sensations. The
process of stirring, chopping, or slicing can be highly therapeutic. You can feel a sense of accomplishment at the
end of a good meal which can further reduce your stress level.
If you plan to
take up cooking as a serious hobby, it is best if you begin by purchasing a
good cookbook. There are even cookbooks
that promise you stress-free entertaining.
Selecting the cookbook can be a relaxing experience in and of itself. Usually, cookbooks are loaded with
interesting, eye-catching pictures. You
can also pore over delicious recipes, imagining how to prepare them in your
kitchen.
Next, you might
want to invest in some sensible cooking supplies. This will help to alleviate your stress when
the time to cook arrives. Make sure that
you have aprons, a grater, a good set of knives, a colander, an array of sauce
pans and skillets, and a collection of interesting plates to set your creations
on. The better prepared you are, the
less stress you will experience in the kitchen.
Then, it’s time
to head to the grocery store. It’s best
if you have prepared a list in advance based upon the recipes you hope to
make. This will save you time, stress,
and possibly money at the supermarket.
Make sure that you schedule enough time to go through the grocery
store—you don’t want to be rushed. In
addition to the items needed for your recipes, it’s a good idea to pick up some
staples. For instance, you should always
have flour, sugar, milk, eggs, and a collection of spices on hand.
In order to
minimize your stress level, it’s best if you can start by preparing meals for
yourself or for close family members.
After you become proficient, you might want to graduate to dinner
parties, but don’t expect to produce a seven-course meal during your first few
attempts at gourmet cooking. Select menu
items that appeal to you; chances are they will appeal to your family as well.
Another possible
stress-reducer is a cooking class. Such
classes are often offered at local community centers, YWCAs, or community
colleges. Don’t take the course for
credit—take it for fun. The idea is to
have a relaxing time by the stove.
You’ll enjoy camaraderie with other students and you might even
socialize with them after class. Taking
a course can expand your horizons, helping you to become a well-rounded
person.
It is true
that cooking can be stressful. After
all, if you have five children to feed, you’re low on food, and you have a baby
who’s crying, meal time can be stress time.
However, if you permit yourself plenty of time to cook, you choose
recipes that you enjoy, and you look at it as a hobby rather than drudgery,
cooking can be quite relaxing and can actually help lower your blood pressure.
One thing
you’ll want to watch when cooking is portion control. If you make too much pasta, you might be
tempted to overeat, causing health problems on down the road. Also, it can be important to cook meals that
are heart-healthy and that are not loaded with sugar and calories. Otherwise, you could face the stress of
battling a weight problem. However, if
you make sure that you cook plenty of vegetable dishes, you limit the number of
desserts you prepare, and you keep close track of your carbohydrate intake,
cooking can be a pleasant, stress-reducing experience. The more practiced you become at gourmet
cooking, the more you will look forward to it, and the less stressed you will
feel.
