Saturday 12 May 2012

Eat Healthy-Be Happy

Our "special relationship" with the U.S is unfortunately having more of an adverse impact that just a political one. Wherever America goes the UK it appears will follow and now this has become evident with our health.

We are rapidly becoming a nation of high trans-fat (man made fat linked to just about every major life threatening disease!), high artificial sugar, fast food comfort eaters just like many of our friends over the pond! The health risks are far too many to name but one that is often forgot is that of the effect these foods have on our mood and mind set. Junk food can be a contributor to low energy and low moods leading to potential depression. So let's change this and get some mood enhancing foods back into your diet!

Mussels: an alternative protein loaded with vit B12 a brain protecting vitamin as well as high in zinc, iodine and selenium all of which help hormone fiction and stabilize your mood.

Green Lead Veg: high in magnesium which is one of our main minerals linked to hormone production of serotonin- the happy drug!

Organic Dark Chocolate: don't fill up on the sugary rubbish that will give you an instant kick BUT a very sharp step fall in energy, mood later. Instead go for just a few squares of organic dark chocolate (make sure the coco content is high) that has anti oxidant properties but all heightens mood without a shape fall!

Asparagus: alkaline balanced and a good source of tryptophan which helps the process of the body creating its serotonin-happy hormone!

Greek Yoghurt: low fat, easy to prepare into a meal (just add some almonds, fruit and cinnamon) and this little baby is packed with calcium-one of our main minerals responsible for balancing our blood pH and therefore helps correct hormone function.

Honey: this is the reason Winnie the poo was such a happy bear! Honey contains 2 compounds-kaempferol and quercetin which basically mop up free radicals bouncing about your body. These free radicals reduce the bodies stable production of hormones and can lead to an energy and mood drop.

Tomatoes (cherry best!): it's often the skin of the tomato that contains the vital ingredient to enhancing our moods and so cherry tomatoes with a greater surface area are a good option. The enzyme I refer to is called lycopene and new studies have shown this compound is increased when a tomato is cooked.

So there's a few mood enhancing super foods to add to you shopping basket this wknd.

See you next time

Stuart

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