There is no doubt that our food and our inner state are in close relationship. There are foods that noticeably improve our mood, but there are also foods that, on the contrary, can lead to stress, with all its consequences.
You wake up in great spirits. You took a shower, had breakfast, and went outside. You think about something and suddenly realize that your mood has evaporated or simply disappeared.
Have you ever thought that a bad mood can be connected with your breakfast? And lunch can affect how you speak to the board and whether you can learn the next nursery rhyme with your son? Scientific research proves that there is a direct link between food and mood, so perhaps the phrase "You are what you eat" is not without meaning.
What is the relationship between food and good mood
Don't believe that a trivial combination of protein, fats and carbohydrates can affect your ability to enjoy the world and that mood-boosting foods are not the tricks of shrewd marketers, but the very reality? There's nothing easier - do an experiment of your own.
The next time you eat refined products with sugar (yes, yes, the supposedly healthy cereals from cardboard packaging also applies), pay attention to how you feel after a couple of hours. And you'll understand everything yourself. Yes, for a short time, you really feel a burst of strength, it is likely that you will feel that your head has become "clearer," and your thoughts are more creative. But you will soon have to pay for these bonuses with a decline in your mood.
Processed foods are nothing. They are so poor in minerals, vitamins, and nutrients that they are absolutely useless to the body. A lack of vitamins and essential fatty acids can affect our mental health. And our relationships with loved ones, our ability to work, and our ability to enjoy life depend on it.
So instead of making your mood "jump" after a cup of hot chocolate or a carton of ice cream, think about how you can return the mood by eating something healthy.Yes, there is no mistake - the food to lift your mood, as well as non-cooking flysch to improve the "tuning" of harmony inside - exist.
What should contain foods for a good mood
You may be surprised, but the main ingredient of good mood is not sugar and food that is generously flavored with it (by the way, the addiction to sugar is several times stronger than a painful attachment to powerful drugs), and not a cutlet of beef on a soft flavored bun from the nearest fast food restaurant. Yes, for some, profiteroles and a cheeseburger are the most delicious food in the world. But it is refined. Uplifting foods contain more valuable treasures.
- Probiotics.
Foods rich in probiotics are loved by our stomach. They allow the good bacteria to feel great in the body. And "great" means without heartburn, flatulence and other troubles.
- Tryptophan
Tryptophan is an amino acid, one of the main tasks of which is to monitor the process of serotonin production in the brain. And serotonin, as someone calls it: and the hormone of light joy and happiness, and the hormone of pleasure, and the hormone of euphoria.
- B vitamins
This group of vitamins is considered one of the most powerful and effective ways to combat chronic fatigue, degression and decadent moods.
- Protein
Foods rich in protein are necessary not only for the muscles, but also to stimulate the production of dopamine It is this hormone that keeps us from turning into moody hypochondriacs.
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids can be called the food for a good mood. More than 10 years ago the American researchers from the University of Pittsburg found out that the development of the brain areas connected with emotions directly depends on human consumption of omega-3 fatty acids.
- Antioxidants
Free radicals "poison" the life of not only our skin, adding wrinkles and depriving it of elasticity. Free radicals also steal energy from our cells, which means they are the culprits of bad moods, chronic lack of sleep, apathy, and the proverbial "no more energy.
The scope of antioxidants is to protect cells from the aggressive mission of free radicals. Neutralizing their action, antioxidants give the body a bonus - a charge of energy and, accordingly, a positive attitude.
Top 10 foods that are effective for uplifting
Water or green tea
Drink as soon as you wake up, before and between each meal. This healthy habit will help you feel more awake and keep you from overeating. We often confuse feeling hungry with dehydration. Drink a glass of water and listen to how you feel. It may have been just what your body needed.
Whole foods
Your body needs fresh vegetables, fruits, herbs, nuts, and seeds first. You can snack on them in between a full hot meal or consume them before a meal. Fiber flushes toxins out of your body and balances out your blood insulin levels. It also draws in water, increasing in size, resulting in you staying fuller longer. And that means you're satisfied.
Green Leafy Vegetables
Consider green leafy vegetables.Eat what you like best from this category of plants: lettuce, onions, arugula, parsley, kale, or spinach. The magnesium in lettuce leaves, for example, is necessary for the nervous system. Spinach is high in protein and very high in vitamins A and B6.
Arugula is high in iodine and vitamin C. It is great for improving your metabolism and speeds up weight loss. And when our own reflection in the mirror pleases us, our mood becomes better.
All these leafy vegetables are low-calorie, so you can not limit the portions.
Fatty Fish
Oily fish (especially not those grown in artificial waters, but wild fish) contain the most potent forms of omega-3 fatty acids. We're talking about eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids. So try to make anchovies, sardines, herring, mackerel, fish of the salmon family (trout, salmon, coho salmon) a frequent guest in your diet.
Dairy products
Natural yoghurt (without fruit additives), buttermilk, buttermilk and soft cheese contain plenty of probiotics (and these are the very bacteria responsible for settling and multiplying beneficial bacteria in the intestines).
Foods with a low glycemic index
The glycemic index of foods is an indicator that tells how a particular food affects blood sugar levels. It is believed that foods with a low glycemic index (in the tables it is a score between 0 and 55) are minimally processed, they have little effect on glucose levels. This means that they do not allow our mood to jump from a state of total bliss to a feeling of global emptiness. Apples, oranges, pomegranates, apricots, gooseberries, cherries, eggplants, celery are just in this category of foods.
Cabbage
Do not laugh if asking your doctor the question "What food makes you feel better", you will hear the answer - "Cabbage"! Cabbage is not called a superfood for nothing-it's a treasure trove of nutrients and a powerful charge of antioxidants.
All of its varieties - from white cabbage to Savoy cabbage - contain an incredible amount of phytonutrients that work on almost all fronts of health (beneficial to the cardiovascular system, protect against damage to the retina, help strengthen the immune system. But B vitamins are essential for improving your mood (they regulate the production of the adrenaline hormone), and cabbage is abundant with them.
Eggs
In addition to tryptophan (from which serotonin is formed), eggs are rich in fatty acids and vitamins, the lack of which can lead to loss of strength and depression.
Coffee
Caffeine, which is rich in coffee, activates the production of dopamine. Experts from the Harvard School of Public Health discovered this pattern. During the decade on the basis of data of 50 thousand women of mature age scientists made a parallel between food cravings and mood, and came to a conclusion that fans of coffee less often face depressive states, than those who don't use it in principle.
Home-cooked food
We are referring not just to doughnuts baked in the oven at home, but to food that you cook yourself. It is no coincidence that home-cooked meals are the healthiest way to eat, and the more plant-based ingredients they contain, the better. If you're not sure where to start, if you're looking for inspiration, and if you dream of becoming an ace at mood food, the LIVE UP! app with recipes based on plants and ingredients will help you. Discover your culinary talents and go through life with a smile.
You must be logged in to post a comment.