Everyone experiences mood swings now and then. We can feel happy one day and depressed the next. One thing that can influence our mood is the weather. The good news is that there are foods which can help to improve our mood.
Eat Fish to Improve Your Mood
Fish is a great mood food such as fresh tuna, sardines, herrings, mackerel, and salmon. Your mood can greatly improve if you have at least one serving of fish a week. If you are not a big fan of fish you can make tasty tuna salad and you can even take a can of sardines mix them with mayonnaise and spread on a piece of toast. These make delicious snacks. Your diet should include Omega-3 Fatty Acids to make you start feeling much better. These kinds of acids improve circulation and provide protection for your heart. Fatty acids are also beneficial for our mental ability and memories. Increasing our supply of Omega-3 we have a fighting chance to manage depression including certain specific kinds such as bipolar disorder and postnatal depression. It is advisable to include at least 8 oz. of oily fish to your weekly diet. Omega-3 can also be obtained from flaxseed, canola and walnut oils.
A Link between Vitamin D Deficiency and Depression
One of the best ways to obtain Vitamin D is through sunlight. During seasons when sunlight is scarce you can get Vitamin D from egg yolk and fortified foods like margarine, breakfast cereals and milk. It is also a good idea to take Vitamin D supplements. Another nutrient that benefits mental health is selenium. Studies have shown that low levels of selenium in the diet can be associated with depression. It is also an antioxidant working to protect brain cells. Taking selenium supplements can be beneficial in the prevention of postnatal depression.
Eating a Full Breakfast
There might be mornings when you are not very hungry however, it has been shown that if you regularly eat breakfast your mood will certainly improve and you’ll have a better memory, more energy to get through your day, and you’ll feel less stressed. Besides having some breakfast will mean you won’t be starving by lunchtime. So the best thing you can do is to make sure that you have time in the mornings for something to eat to make for a better day.
Foods Rich in Selenium Improve Mood
Studies have shown that by eating foods rich in selenium not only will your mood uplift but your brain will develop more thinking power. The foods that contain selenium include Brazil nuts, oysters, albacore tuna, clams, sardines, pork tenderloin, crab, saltwater and freshwater fish, whole-wheat and regular pastas, lean pork chops, chicken (dark and light meat), lean lamb, sunflower seeds, whole-wheat bread, plain bagels, brown rice, oatmeal, flour tortillas, soynuts, eggs, low-fat cottage cheese, tofu, pinto beans, and low-fat yogurt.
So make sure that you eat a well-balanced diet and include all that is beneficial for improving your mood and you will be much happier.
I always find eating therapeutic. When I feel depressed, I walk into the kitchen an make a nice meal for myself. Eating always lifts my mood. Fats are good for your brain and I believe fatty foods will always improve your mood. By the way chocolates and coffee are also good to lift your mood.
When I was growing up I always heard the old folks insist that fish was brain food. I was glad that we lived in Miami, Florida because we could either buy fish from the store and go fishing.