Want to Change Your Mood? Do it With Food!

Feeling Foggy?Having trouble concentrating? Snack on some protein rich foods like low cal string cheese or some lean skinless chicken or turkey breast.

   Stop Feeling Sluggish!

Are you tired and lethargic? Can’t get going in the morning? Whip up some scrambled eggs or an omelette. Eggs are a great source of zinc, a substance that makes you feel more awake, energized, and engaged by regulating your blood sugar. For a lower calorie boost, try using Egg Beaters.

Are You Stressed or Nervous?

Soothe your nerves with some skim milk or a handful of almonds. Both are rich in calcium and calcium is great for reducing anxiety, making you calm and relaxed.

Stabilize your Mood Swings

Do you go from laughing to crying in a matter of seconds? Curbing mood swings might be as east as drinking water. Dehydration plays a big part in emotional instability. If you don’t drink enough water, you might find yourself sweating the small stuff.

I am So ANGRY!!

Reach for a grapefruit, some grapes, an apple, or some carrots. All four of these are rich in pectin, a fiber that lowers cholesterol. When you are angry your heart rate, adrenaline levels and blood pressure tend to increase. Pectin reverses these effects and helps your system return to normal.

 

Snack Happy!

Salmon and Strawberries may be nature’s equivalent of Prozac and Zoloft. Folate rich foods boost serotonin levels in the brain, much like anti-depressants do. The next time you feel down, grill some salmon or treat yourself to a bowl of strawberries and turn that frown upside down!

The Ultimate Mood Lifter:

CHOCOLATE! The fat, sugar, and high amounts of tryptophan found in dark chocolate work together to raise serotonin and endorphin levels in the brain making you feel happy, content and soothed. Just be careful not to eat to much- a 1 oz square of dark chocolate is all you need! More than that and you are adding unnecessary calories.