By Morgan Lord 

Nine foods that'll keep you jolly during the hell-idays

Forget everything you've heard about stress-eating being a bad thing. If you put the right foods in your pie hole (i.e., not pie), noshing when your nerves are jangling more than the bells on Santa's sleigh can actually calm you down. And that's great news, because the last thing you need is more stress, which over time can increase your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and obesity--and the odds that you'll go ballistic on Mom when she asks, for the third time, what your unemployed fianc¨¦ does for a living. These yummy, easy-to-find foods soothe stress and can counteract the damage that chronic pressure does to your bod. Stock up on the lot of them so that when the tension rises along with the temperature in Grandma's kitchen, you can eat instead of freak.

Almonds, Pistachios & Walnuts

When all hell breaks loose, reach for a handful of almonds. They're bursting with vitamin E, an antioxidant that bolsters the immune system. Almonds also contain B vitamins, which may help your body hold up during seriously unpleasant events (like getting a year's membership to Match.com as a present). About a quarter cup every day is all you need. Another easy way to get a fix is to switch from traditional PB to almond butter on high-tension days. (We like All Natural Barney Butter Almond Butter, $7, barneybutter.com.)