Tuesday, 14 July 2009

• Modifying your Diet to Boost your Mood

  
  

  
  WebMD article here!
  
  Feeling a little down or sleepy? Well, according to WebMD, there are certain things too look for in your diet that will help make you feel better - or worse - in the short term and long term of things!
  
  One of the more basic things to look for is to minimize the variance in your blood sugar (no rollercoasting blood sugar please), and to keep your G.I. tract smooth and clear (meaning poo more). But if it's not enough, go ahead and look at these 6 tips!
  
  1. Seek out foods rich in vitamin B12 and folic acid (folate).Folic acid is usually found in beans and greens. Vitamin B12 is found in meats, fish, poultry, and dairy.
  
  "These two vitamins appear to help prevent disorders of the central nervous system, mood disorders, and dementias, says Edward Reynolds, MD, at the Institute of Epileptology, King’s College, London." (WebMD)
  
  So make sure you eat black beans, spinach (yum), and egg whites! Sounds delicious now that I think about it.
  
  2. Enjoy fruits and vegetables in a big way.Self explanatory, anti-oxidants and the like are a huge presence in fruit, so make sure you eat two servings of fruits and veggies a day. If anything, the fact that you ate veggies will make you think that you are healthier, which is always a good thing.
   
  3. Eat selenium-rich foods every day.According to research, selenium acts as an anti-oxidant in your body, which is a good thing because research suggests that the presence of oxidative stress in the brain is associated with some cases of mild to moderate depression in the elderly population.
  
  "One study evaluated the depression scores of elderly people whose daily diet was either supplemented with 200 micrograms of selenium a day or a placebo. Although more research is needed to confirm the findings, the group taking selenium had higher amounts of selenium circulating in their blood and significant decreases in their depression symptoms."

  Whole grains are an excellent source of selenium. By eating several servings a day of whole grains such as oatmeal, whole-grain bread, and brown rice, you can easily get 70 micrograms of selenium. Other foods rich in selenium include:

  Beans and legumes, Lean meat (lean pork or beef, skinless chicken or turkey), Low-fat dairy foods, Nuts and seeds (especially Brazil nuts), Seafood (oysters, clams, crab, sardines, and fish)
  
  4. Eat fish several times a week.
  Omega-3 fatty acids are the wonder oils of the new health crazed world. And they are good for you too! Fish oil (which by the way is freaking delicious on Pho) is great for the heart, and according to research:
  
  "Omega-3s from fish seem to have positive effects on clinically defined mood swings such as postpartum depression, says Jay Whelan, PhD, head of the department of nutrition at the University of Tennessee" (WebMD).
  
  5. Get a daily dose of vitamin D.Getting a little sun every day makes everyone feel better, right? At least your bones will be stronger. That's because when you go outside, vitamin D gets produced, which moves calcium into your bones. But that's not all it does, according to "recent studies, there was an association between low serum levels of vitamin D and higher incidences of four mood disorders: PMS, seasonal affective disorder, nonspecified mood disorder, and major depressive disorder.

  Researcher Pamela K. Murphy, PhD, at the Medical University of South Carolina says people can help manage their moods by getting at least 1,000 to 2,000 IU of vitamin D a day." (WebMD)

  Pretty much the studies showed that a lack of Vitamin D means you get moody! So get out and walk, it's good for you.
  

  6. Treat Yourself to 1 oz of ChocolateA no brainer. Research shows that dark chocolate increases endorphines in the brain, which is good thing for our moods, because it makes us happy. Not only that, but research also shows that chocolate may have heart healthy chemicals that we all know and love!
  
  Plus who doesn't love chocolate?
  
  You can check out the article here!
  
  

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