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| Top 10 Foods That Boost Your Mood Related Links Does Vitamin D Boost Your Mood?-A Comprehensive Review Salt May Boost Your Mood -But Health Authorities Don't Recommend It How to Feel Better -10 Great Tips Avoid These Foods If You Want to Boost Your Mood Something So Right-Get Used to Happiness Self-Confidence -How to Feel Better About Yourself How to Deal with Burnout?-Causes and Top 10 Natural Remedies How Much Is Too Much Salt? Foods That Help You Lose Weight How to Get Rid of Those Dark Circles Foods That Help Treat Acne Natural Home Remedies for Headaches Quick Start Diet Small Steps to Lose Big Pounds June 1, 2008, Last Updated July 26, 2010 By Sarah Norton, Staff Columnist Have you ever noticed that after you eat certain foods in the morning that you feel better all day? Well, it was not your imagination. Research has shown that certain foods have the ability to act directly on the brain's mood centers, making us feel good all day. Here is the list of the top 10 foods that have been shown to elevate your mood: 1. Salmon. Salmon is rich in omega-3s, powerful anti-oxidants which have also been shown to elevate mood. 2. Strawberries, Oranges and Other Citrus. Citrus are rich in Vitamin C which plays an important role in the synthesis of the neurotransmitter, norepinephrine. Neurotransmitters are critical to brain function and are known to affect mood. 3. Red and Green Bell peppers. Few people know that bell peppers help to lift your mood. Bell peppers are even richer in Vitamin C than citrus fruit. As we have said, Vitamin C helps to regulate the neurotransmitter norepinephrin which affects your mood. 4. Brazil nuts. These contain selenium a mineral known to elevate mood and decrease depression. 5. Green Leafy vegetables. Load up on spinach, kale, cabbage, all the leafy greens because they are rich in folate. Low folate levels have been linked with depression. 6. Turkey. Turkey has an amino acid called phenylalanine, which the brain converts to dopamine, a "feel good" compound. 7. Low-fat Milk. Low-fat dairy contains tryptophan which your brain uses to boost seratonin levels. Seratonin is a concentrated "feel good" hormone, the one that is also released when you exercise. Milk is also rich in lithium, a trace mineral which several studies have found is effective in treating depression. A study from the University of Oito in Japan discovered that even small amounts of lithium can help to lower your risk for depression and lift your mood. 8. Peanuts. Peanuts also contain tryptophan which helps the body make serotonin, its natural feel good drug. 9. Liver. Liver contains Vitamin B-6 which the body uses to convert phenylalanine into dopamine, a feel good compound. 10. Whole grains. Whole grains-- oats, wheat, barley to name a few-- boost serotonin levels. Many of you may have read that Vitamin D boosts your mood. However, a controversy is currently raging in the scientific community over whether Vitamin D actually improves your mood. New research completed in 2010 has thrown serious doubt on the usefulness of Vitamin D in treating depression. We will continue to follow developments and update this article as new studies on this issue are completed. Another food we do not include in our list of recommended foods to boost your mood is salt. Salt may in fact boost your mood, according to a 2009 study from the University of Iowa. However, medical authorities such as the American Heart Association do not recommend the use of excess salt, because of excess salt's harmful role in raising your risk for hypertension (high blood pressure), heart disease and stroke. Foods You Should Avoid Now that we have covered the foods that help to improve your mood, it is important to also review the foods you should avoid. Are there foods that can adversely affect your mood? The answer appears to be yes. In particular, refined sugar and carbohydrates appear to have an impact on your mood. Does Sugar Depress Your Mood? Sugar’s impact on your mood is complex. There is some evidence to suggest that, if you are already depressed, the depression itself predisposes you to insulin resistance. In other words, depression impairs your body’s ability to handle intakes of sugar. A study presented at the 2002 Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association by Dr. Faiz Cheema discovered an intimate connection between depression and impaired blood sugar control. Up to 35% of all depressed people also have impaired glucose tolerance -- meaning their bodies cannot properly process sugar. Moreover, only 6 to 7% of all Americans are diabetics, while 21% of those with depression are diabetic. In other words, depression makes you 3 times more likely to develop diabetes. Scientists do not yet fully understand the chemical processes that link depression to blood sugar. But they have found that certain kinds of meals increase your risk of becoming irritable or moody. A series of studies from the University of Texas have discovered a link between food and mood. In 2009, the University of Texas researchers studied 20 people to determine whether a diet free of refined sugar and caffeine could help depression. The 20 people, all of whom had suffered from at least one episode of major depression, were divided into 2 groups. The first group followed a diet free of caffeine and refined sugar. The second group eliminated red meat and artificial sweeteners from their diet. After 3 days, the participants were again evaluated for signs of depression. The results were startling. The researchers found, surprisingly, that the participants who had eliminated all sugar,other refined carbohydrates and caffeine from their diets had significant improvements in their levels of depression. Little change was seen from the other group. What is perhaps more impressive is that the improvements in mood seen in the caffeine and sugar-free group continued for the entire 3-month follow-up period. Ideal Meals to Help Improve Your Mood Drawing from all of the existing research, you should avoid both refined sugar and caffeine to prevent mood swings and decrease your risk for developing depression. You should include the 10 foods that have been found effective in boosting your natural levels of serotonin, dopamine, tryptophan, phenylalanine and norepinephrine in your body. Here are suggested ideal meals to help improve your mood: Breakfast -lox (salmon has high concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids) -whole grain toast (high in fiber, promotes slow uptake of blood sugar, thus avoiding hypoglycemia and drops in mood) -caffeine- free tea with artificial sweetener or plain Lunch Large salad of mixed dark and red greens (contain folate), tomatoes (tend to be high in lithium) Topped with brazel nuts or walnuts (contain selenium) Add turkey (high in tryptophan which boosts serotonin) Dinner Salmon or Halibut (high in omega -3 fatty acids) Whole grain dinner rolls Spinach, Kale, broccoli , bok cho or another dark green vegetable (high in folate) Dessert of yogurt or sugar free gelatin( if desired, topped with sugar- free low fat whipped cream) You're just getting started. Find out more foods that keep you healthy, your skin young, and that speed up your metabolism: How to Feel Better - 10 Tips That Work /Foods That Speed Up Your Metabolism / Foods That Fight Wrinkles/ Does Vitamin D Boost Your Mood -A Comprehensive Review / What to Eat for Flawless Skin /Natural Body Cleanses |
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