6 Foods Proven to Boost Your Happiness! ☀️

6 Foods Proven to Boost Your Happiness! ☀️

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Many of us who suffer from a low mood, whether it be daily or from time to time, often look at our external environment and think about what we need to change. In doing so, we neglect reflecting inwars and focusing on what we are actually putting in to our body and what affect this is having. There is an undeniable connection between food and mood, making food the ultimate starting place to help us feel more at ease and happier. If this resonates with you and you are guilty of looking outwards and not in, here are some foods to focus on to help support a happier mood.

Brown Rice

If you are familiar with the term ‘neurotransmitter’ but not sure what exactly it means, essentially, neurotransmitters act as chemical messengers within the brain and are responsible for mood. Ideally, our diet should be rich in foods which our body can use to synthesise neurotransmitters. A very important one is Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). GABA promotes feelings of calmness and focus and is built from the amino acid glutamine, found abundantly in brown rice.

Bananas

Similar to GABA, another neurotransmitter which helps to promote feelings of wellbeing and happiness is serotonin. It is made from the amino acid tryptophan of which banana is a good source. In addition, banana contains complex carbs, which helps the brain to receive neurotransmitters.

Hemp Seeds

The brain is mostly made from fat so it’s important to eat adequate daily fat to help support brain health. Hemp seeds are rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids, which are critical for the proper functioning of the chemical messengers in our brain, controlling mood and emotions. Other sources of omega-3 essential fats include chia seeds, salmon, sardines, flaxseeds and walnuts.

Seafood

Seafood such as oysters and prawns are a great source of the mineral zinc. Many of us are zinc deficient due to poor quality soil. Low zinc levels have been associated with low mood. Signs of zinc deficiency are low immunity, brittle nails, lowered sense of taste and smell, hair loss and low appetite. Aim to eat seafood a few times per week to help boost zinc levels. If you are vegetarian, pumpkin seeds are another good source.

Brazil Nuts

Brazil nuts contain a high level of selenium, a potent antioxidant. Selenium has been shown to exert a significant mood boost. A bonus of using brazil nuts to increase selenium intake is that only 2-3 nuts are needed!

Legumes

Legumes (chickpeas, lentils, red kidney beans, black beans, cannellini beans) are the ultimate all rounder when it comes to mood. They contain plant-based protein to aid neurotransmitter production, complex carbs to provide a sustained release of energy, fibre to promote a healthy gut, vitamins and minerals to also support neurotransmitter production and antioxidants which helps to reduce oxidative stress, linked to poor mood. Ideally legumes should be consumed 3-4 x per week to get the most benefit.

Zoe Bingley-Pullin’s 8 week Falling In Love With Food program is available now, for more information head over to her website or Zoe’s IG @zoebingleypullin

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