It is indeed an undeniable fact that food plays an important role in physical as well as emotional well being of a person. Even scientific studies have accredited this observation. Mood enhancing foods are those foods that contain essential nutrients. These foods can influence your mood. It can make a person feel happier and healthier.
Mood enhancing foods affect in two ways; by enhancing the chemical activity in brain and secondly, elevating the level of sugar in blood with the purpose of energizing the body.
Though there are many commercial supplementary products available to elevate your mood, there is no substitute for natural food.
Eating food loaded with essential nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates is therefore important for your emotional wellness. Avoiding foods that have too much sugar, white flour and saturated fats can be a blessing in disguise to keep you away from stress and depression.
List Of Foods That Enhance Your Mood Naturally
Here are some of the foods that may play pivotal role in enhancing your mood. You may munch these foods whenever you feel stressed, anxious or fatigued.
Salmon fish: it is a good source of omega 3 fatty acid and vitamin D. These essential nutrients have been associated with a feel good sensation due to their influence on feel good hormone ‘serotonin’ in the brain. Studies have suggested link between low level of vitamin D and depression, especially when there is very less exposure to sunlight during some season.
Yogurt and dairy products: including milk in breakfast has proved to be a great mood booster. With additional breakfast cereal it may show decrease in anxiety and frustration throughout the day. Yogurt is considered to assist a woman to overcome her PMS related depression. Studies have suggested that women who had consumed calcium rich diet before menses felt less irritable and weepy before their periods.
Walnut: walnut is rich in magnesium and essential fatty acids. Magnesium stabilizes mood by regulating the blood sugar level. Lack of magnesium and excess of stress may cause irritability, and anxiety. Sufficient magnesium is known to boost the production of serotonin.
Dark chocolate: it contains phenylalanine a substance that accelerates the secretion of dopamine and serotonin in the brain. Clinical studies have suggested important role of phenylalanine in treating depression and weepy mood.
Besides this, several other foods such a banana, oysters, spinach, lean meat, green leafy vegetables containing several vitamins and nutrients may play important role in reducing mood swing and elevating mood.
Mood Enhancing Drinks
There are several mood enhancing drinks available in stores, but they all contain sugar and caffeine. No doubt both are instant enhancers; caffeine can also increase irritability at night time if you take this caffeinated drink in evening hours or in the afternoon. Secondly caffeine in some soft drink colas can be addictive. Caffeine is also present in tea and coffee. Drinking any of these beverages may uplift the mood temporarily.
One of the best liquid mood enhancer is water. Water is the chief source of electrical energy required by the brain to perform its function. Water is also important for secretion of hormones in the brain. It helps to regulate the brain function. Adequate amount of hydration in the body prevents symptoms of irritation, anxiety and restlessness. It also plays a role in normalizing hormones in females during menses, menopause and pregnancy.
Herbs That Can Enhance Your Mood
Besides foods and mood enhancing drinks, there are certain natural herbs that have capability of elevating serotonin level and mood elevation.
These herbs include: St. John’s wort, oat straw, roses, skullcap, red clover, chamomile, rosemary, ginseng etc.
- Rosemary plays an important role in lifting the depressed spirit of a person. It energizes the body and mind.
- Red clover is nourishing for the brain as it provides B vitamins that are necessary for vital functions of brain. They are also necessary for reducing depression and feeling of despair. Besides, red clover also contains protein and calcium. They both are necessary for boosting the hormone secretion.
- Ginkgo biloba is a great nervine booster. It reduces stress and anxiety. It also helps to invigorate the mood of a person.
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