Did you know that there is a dramatic
connection between your diet and your emotions?
Foods you eat can influence your mood, by affecting the body’s metabolism,
hormones and neurotransmitters (mood chemicals that are produced in the brain),
and these in turn influence your emotions and energy. Here are some examples:
Consuming strawberries and magnesium
rich foods such as pumpkin seeds, bananas, leafy greens and almonds can
keep you calm and relaxed when you feel stressed. Also drinking a glass of wine
can help reduce the fight-or-flight hormone adrenaline and results in a more
relaxed mood and an improved memory.
On the other hand, eating complex
carbohydrates, fruits, foods rich in
folic acid (asparagus, beans, peas, egg yolks, spinach and liver), foods
rich in vitamin B6 (green leafy vegetables and seeds), foods rich in
vitamin B12 (fish, poultry and meat), and foods rich in Omega 3 (fish,
flaxseeds and oils) can make you happier and relieve depression by keeping
homocysteine levels low and adrenaline levels high.
In addition to that, eating chocolate can
also stimulate the release of serotonin into the body which produces a relaxed
and happy feeling. This may explain why some people crave chocolate when they
feel depressed!
In contrast, consuming too much sugar, white bread and
pasta, alcohol and caffeine can cause low moods and make you feel sad by
bringing on an inflammatory response in the nervous system.
Finally, a cup of warm milk or chamomile tea
with cinnamon before bedtime can help you feel relaxed and sleep well.
To stay healthy and happy choose foods that
keep you in a good mood.
Dietitian Dina
Moghraby
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