Seeing the back of depressing January may have slightly uplifted our spirits, but with the never ending dismal weather, the failed New Year’s resolutions and Valentine’s Day looming for those singletons, there are still plenty of reasons why many of us still feel a little down in the dumps. But fear not, here is a cheery guide to help you eat your way to a little slice of happiness in these dreary months.
Pizza, chips and all things sweet may often be the cure to feeling sorry for ourselves, but in the long run we will only become more depressed about the extra weight gained from binging. As a solution, why not try these 4 mood boosting foods to help you stay happy as well as healthy!
Yogurt
While still pleasing your sweet tooth, yogurt contains a rich source of vitamin D. The best source of vitamin D is sunlight, but clearly our weather isn’t providing us with much of that, so why not indulge in a bowl of yoghurt and fresh fruit to fulfil your vitamin D intake. Vitamin D has been proven to reduce the chances of depression, anxiety and stress, therefore making it the perfect snack or breakfast in these early months of the year.
Dark Chocolate
Yes, you read it correctly; chocolate can boost your mood and have health benefits if you’re willing to cut out the sugary part! Dark chocolate can cause endorphins to be released by the brain and boost serotonin levels (an imbalance of this level can lead to depression). It can also improve blood flow to the brain and help you to feel more energised and upbeat. Try having a square after each meal to see the effects!
Chicken
Odd, though it may seem, eating chicken can have significant effects on preventing mood swings and reducing the blues. This is because it increases your intake of the amino acid, tryptophan. This type of amino acid helps to produce serotonin which is the main cause of depression and stress if there is a lack of this in our brains. So, if the blues haven’t hit quite yet, be sure to add chicken into your diet to keep them at bay.
Green Tea
There’s always a point in our stressful weeks where all we want to do is snuggle down with a cuppa. However the caffeine content in a cup of tea is not doing us any favours for our moods. Caffeine has been proven to actually make us anxious and angry while it gives us our energy quick fix. With a cup of green tea, this is far from the case. Green tea has a whole list of health benefits but in terms of how it helps our mood, nutrition experts have claimed that green tea is much gentler for our bodies. The theanine in the tea helps to calm us and allows us to keep clear concentration and focus. Say goodbye to the PG tip’s ladies!
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