Download Boost Your Mood With Food

Food to Boost Your Mood
We are coming into the colder days, and shorter nights. The clocks change at the end of this month.
It is not only people who are diagnosed with Seasonally Affected Disorder (SAD) who are prone to
feeling down at this time of year. There can be an air of doom surrounding many of us. Our moods
most definitely affect our choice of food but also our choice of foods can affect our moods.
There is a chemical in our brains called serotonin. This chemical lifts our mood and makes us feel
better. Serotonin is made when more of an amino acid, a building block of proteins, called
tryptophan enters the brain. Meat, poultry, eggs, fish, low fat dairy and bananas are all good sources
of tryptophan. Prevention is better than cure and this is a case in point with depression. It has been
shown to help prevent depression but not to manage it.
Oil rich fish are a good source of omega 3 fatty acids shown to help lift moods and prevent
depression. Include an oil rich fish into your diet a couple of times a week including mackerel,
herring, sardines, fresh tuna or salmon. Oil rich fish also contain a source of vitamin D, which has
also been shown to boost our mood. Other sources would include eggs which are also a good source
of tryptophan.
To prevent any blood sugar highs and lows, and dips in energy, it is important to eat regular meals.
Include a low glycaemic index (GI) carbohydrate source with each meal. Examples include; porridge,
oatcakes, wholegrain or seeded type breads, wholemeal pastas, and pulses such as lentils, chick or
yellow peas or butter beans. The body will digest these foods more slowly leaving you fuller for
longer and stabilise blood sugars. This prevents swings in blood sugars which can affect mood,
energy levels and food cravings.
Snack on fruits such as plums, apples, apricots fresh or dried, oranges and strawberries which are all
low GI. Having a small handful of walnuts several times a week will also provide a valuable source
mood boosting omega 3 fatty acids.
Foods rich in tryptophan, omega 3 fatty acids and vitamin D have been shown to help boost our
moods. Oil rich fish, eggs and walnuts appear to be an excellent source of all three nutrients. It is
important to remember that a little of what you fancy also does you good. Try to enjoy what you
are eating, savour every bit and take time over your meals. Food is a pleasure to be enjoyed and not
made to feel guilty about. Combine this advice with a good night’s sleep, relaxation and aerobic
exercise and you have a perfect prescription to banish the winter blues.
Enjoy those starry winter nights and fresh mornings!