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Top 5 Mood-Boosting Nutrition Tips
- Eat early, eat often. Low blood sugar causes fatigue, irritability, and can often mimic anxiety or panic attacks. Skipping breakfast and going for long periods of time without eating is a sure-fire way to crash and burn. Be sure to start the day off with a balanced breakfast within one hour of rising and have small meals or healthy snacks every 3-4 hours.
- Eat your greens. Green veggies, such as chard, kale
 , broccoli and Brussels sprouts are great sources of B vitamins and folate. Folate is critical for seratonin and dopamine production, two neurotransmitters that elevate mood. Aim for at least two servings of greens as part of your 4-5 servings of vegetables every day. - Cool down the inflammation. Inflammation in the body has been linked to depression and a number of other disease states. Omega-3s found in fish, flax and some nuts and seeds, have an anti-inflammatory effect and can help down regulate glutamate, which is an excitatory neurotransmitter. Too much glutamate can lead to anxiety, agitation, and nervousness. Try to eat wild-caught fish, like salmon or halibut, at least 2-3 times per week. Vegetarians, go for flaxseed oil and walnuts.
- Don't forget the zinc. Zinc is an important mineral that's a cofactor in over 200 enzymes. It also helps block dopamine reuptake, which is the mechanism of some of the prescription anti-depressants. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter associated with pleasure. It's no wonder that zinc deficiency has been linked to depression. Eat foods that are rich in zinc, including grass-fed beef, bison, lamb, legumes and nuts/seeds.
- Ditch the sugar. Eating sugary "treats" may feel like a temporary mood enhancer, but the backlash is never good. Refined sugar elevates blood sugar, which is followed by a blood sugar crash that generally leaves you wanting more sugar and/or more carbohydrates. Sugar is also pro-inflammatory and has a negative impact on the immune system. Experiment with keeping sugar completely out of your diet for one week and see how you feel. Rely on fruit when you need a sweet snack.
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Featured Recipes:
Foods to Beat the Blues These recipes came from the PCC Cooks class that I taught this quarter with Dr. Katherine Oldfield. They were developed with the food-mood theme in mind. Happy eating!
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