How Food affects Mood, Just Eat yourself Happy!

Understanding how food affects mood can help us stay in a happy state of mind and enjoy this phase of our lives.

As we get older, moods or even mild depression can strike and rob us of quality time.

You might be able to name a few possible causes without ever considering the food you eat.

Good Mood Food!

We see how food affects mood when we consider what happens when we have been busy doing something and haven't eaten for hours.

We are tired, irritable even weepy. A sure sign that blood sugar levels are low.

A Simple Guide

Use this guide to experiment with the right foods and watch your mood lift and stabilize for good.

• Eat A little Protein With Every Meal
Proteins like fish, chicken, eggs, yoghurt, milk and nuts last longer in your stomach and help prevent the peaks and troughs of blood sugar levels.
• Low GI Carbs
Carbs are natural good mood foods but it's important to choose whole grain and high fibre varieties that keep the blood sugar level stable. Whole grain breads and pasta and high fibre vegetables and fruits.
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Our brain needs Omega-3 Fatty Acids found in fish and seafood. These affect the levels of the feel good brain chemical Seretonin. Anti depressants raise the level of Serotonin so why not just eat some Salmon, mackerel, herrings or tuna it works in the same way. Vegetarians can get Omega-3 fatty acids from flaxseed, walnuts and dark green vegetables but to a lesser degree.

• B Vitamins
Vitamin B6 helps to balance chemicals in the brain responsible for feelings of anxiety, mood and depression.Sweet potato and spinach are rich in Vitamin B6. Folate, another B vitamin found in most fruit and vegetables especially spinach, avocados and asparagus is also known to promote good mood. Juicing is a delicious way to get your 5 a day, try it. Vitamin B1 or Thiamin found in whole wheat bread and meats can boost energy and keep you clear headed.
• Iron
Often bad moods are simply caused by lack of iron. Eating dark meats can turn this around and pulses and leafy vegetables are excellent too. To help the body absorb the iron eat these foods with some vitamin C rich food.
• Selenium
Best known for it's cancer fighting properties Selenium has been found to help elevate mood. Try some seafood, poultry, mushrooms or sea vegetables.

Energy & Enthusiasm

Try to incorporate some of these good mood foods into your daily diet and reduce the bad mood culprits. You'll see how food affects mood and be amazed at the side benefits. More energy, eagerness, enthusiasm!

There are many other natural mood enhancers such as sleep, exercise, sunshine, hobbies and aromatherapy mood boosting remedies. Perhaps that daily walk would be a good idea after all. Why not buy yourself a pedometer and challenge yourself to build up to a thousand steps, then 2000...

Losing weight could be a mere side effect of eating good mood foods!

Supplements are a possible alternative if there are some foods that you don't like. A little caution is necessary here though as fish oil for instance has blood thinning effects so if you take medication for this you should speak to your doctor.

Understanding How Food Affects Mood could change your life.For more tips and inspiration read The definition of wellness and take your life off hold for good!

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