Add these 4 “better mood foods” to your daily diet regimen for a happier you.
1) Probiotic-Rich Foods
Probiotics have been found to be promising treatments for anxiety & depression. Fascinating! Build an army of good gut bacteria by becoming a fermented foodie. Stock up on probiotic powerhouses including: miso, sauerkraut, kefir & kombucha. Ideas–> Miso Dressing: Mix miso paste (fermented soybeans) w/ tahini & warm water. Perfect for salads. Kombucha Margarita: Mix kombucha (fermented tea), tequila & fresh lime juice. Cheers!
2) Fruits & Veggies
Researchers found that a higher intake of produce resulted in more energy, calm, and a greater sense of happiness with the magic number being 7 daily servings. To use produce to elevate your mood, start early. Add-on a low sugar green juice along side your usual AM brewing routine. Next morning, repeat!
3) Dark Chocolate
As if you even needed a reason to indulge in decadent dark chocolate, researchers found eating an ounce and a half of dark chocolate daily for 2 weeks reduced levels of stress hormones in people who rated themselves as highly stressed. 1) The flavonoids in dark chocolate relax blood vessels & improve circulation. 2) Dark chocolate contains magnesium, a mighty mineral that has been shown to help fight depression and relieve irritability. 3) Dark chocolate’s unique natural substances trigger a sense of euphoria that’s similar to the fabulous feeling of being in love! Smear 1 tsp. of raw almond butter on a dark chocolate square as a daily conscious indulgence. PS: be sure it’s at least 70% cacao to reap the bountiful benefits.
4) Green Tea
Researchers found that levels of psychological stress were 20% lower in people who consistently drank green tea daily. Meet matcha: green tea’s peppy cousin. It’s more concentrated, which means higher amounts of nutrients, antioxidants, fiber, and chlorophyll. Try these oh so trendy coconut matcha energy bars!
Each of us has talents which, when used to our full potential, can really change the world and those around us. To fully utilize these talents, we all need to be good stewards of our bodies. By taking care of ourselves we place and keep ourselves in a healthy place. Subsequently, we can be more selfless by caring and supporting those we truly love and fulfilling our purpose and passions in life. As a RD, I advocate a holistic lifestyle. Of course, exercise is essential but we need the killer combination of sufficient sleep, finding ways to stress less, moving daily and nourishing our bodies with wholesome foods. When we eat real foods and are able to bring hormones into balance, then weight loss will soon be effortless. While nutrition can help one reach their weight loss goals or overall desired body composition, food is so much more than that. It is a powerful medicine that can: ease anxiety, enhance energy, boost immunity, help one sleep deep, provide focus-inducing mental clarity, you name it!
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