The season’s limited sunshine and cold can make some of us more prone to the blues. Maintaining a healthy diet and staying active are the best ways to help yourself through the gloomy months.
If you still feel your mood is falling a bit short, certain foods can help provide your body with the building blocks it needs to produce more feel-good chemicals.
Dark Chocolate
PMS suffers don’t crave chocolate just because it’s tasty. Seratonin, a mood-boosting hormone, can drop a week or two before your period. Since cocoa found in chocolate helps to stimulate serotonin production, women often crave food to boost serotonin. Why wait until PMS time to boost your mood? A few squares of dark chocolate will help boost your mood and will not give you the sugar crash that regular chocolate does.
Flaxseeds
Flaxseeds are not only rich in fibre, but they contain essential fat that the body needs but cannot manufacture from other fats. Flax is a rich plant source of omega 3 fatty acids that the brain utilizes as building blocks for nerves. 1 – 2 tbsp per day of fresh ground flax or flaxseed oil is a great addition to your diet.
Wild fish
Wild fish is an even better source of omega 3 fatty acids. These longer chain fatty acids have been shown to be useful in treating clinical depression. Some people find it more effective to supplement with an omega 3 fish oil that is rich in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA).
Turkey
Tryptophan is a protein building block that is present in all protein-rich foods. It is used to manufacture serotonin. Turkey is a protein rich food that contains the most tryptophan per serving relative to other sources.
Bananas
Not only are bananas rich in potassium, but, for a fruit, they are high in tryptophan. If you are trying to be conscious about your blood sugar levels, a whole banana contains almost twice the natural sugars as an apple. One fruit serving of banana is actually half a banana.
Buckwheat
This grain is not only rich in tryptophan, but it also contains a lot of B vitamins. These vitamins are used to improve energy and are found to be low in people who suffer from depression. Vitamin B6 is even used in the pathway for creating serotonin.
Sour Cherries
Getting a good night sleep not only allows you to feel more rested, but it also allows your body to heal itself and replenish neurochemicals while you are at rest. Melatonin, a hormone that helps you sleep, is contained within sour cherries. Try eating a few of these before bed to ensure that you have a restful night.
For more information on mood support, please contact our Oakville clinic to book an appointment with one of our Naturopathic Doctors.