Good Mood Foods

Lots of things put me in a good mood: Vacation, a completed project, my son’s laugh, petting my dog, coffee with a friend, 80s music and yoga to name a few. Now I’m excited because I get to add food to my list. Yes, what you eat can affect how you feel! There are foods that are nourishing and vitalizing to our brain and our gut, both of which are involved with our mood. Keep your eyes peeled for foods that contain antioxidants, calcium, chromium, fiber, folate, iron, magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, selenium, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin D and zinc. Where do we find these nutrients? Check it out…

Avocado:  Avocados are truly a wonder food. In addition to supporting heart health, containing loads of important nutrients and lots of fiber, the healthy fats in avocados, specifically oleic acid, provide your brain with what it needs to function at its best. Whether it’s on toast or your tortilla chips (baked and organic, of course), feel free to load up!

Raw nuts: If you’ve heard of serotonin, you might know that it’s a chemical associated with mood regulation and social behavior. Nuts can help increase serotonin levels, so grabbing a handful of walnuts, cashews, almonds or Brazil nuts could be just the thing you need for a mid-day boost. In addition, nuts contain healthy fats, fiber and antioxidants.  

Wild caught salmon: Vitamin B12 and Omega 3 fatty acids make this fish an excellent choice if you want to go from bleak to blissful.

Coconut:  Once again, we see healthy fats take center stage in supporting brain function. In addition, a study has shown that the scent of coconut may curb your stress response. Imagine yourself soaking up some rays on a tropical island and try not to be happy!

Raw Cacao:  Finally! The perfect excuse to consume chocolate. As long as you don’t overdo it, look for something that is at least 70% cacao, lightly and naturally sweetened (stevia leaf and monkfruit are two of my favorite sweeteners). Raw cacao contains serotonin, antioxidants, PEA (phenethylamine) and anandamide – all connected to enhanced mood.

Just trying to decide which good mood food I'm gonna eat next!

Berries: Thanks to high antioxidant levels, berries are a great good mood food. In addition, they are high in fiber and low in sugar, which makes them great for digestion. As we learn more about the link between the gut and the brain, it’s becoming clear that a happy tummy = happy person

What’s on the avoid list? Steer clear of alcohol, caffeine, refined sugars, unhealthy fats (fried foods), artificial sweeteners, processed and packaged foods as much as possible to remain your glass-half-full self.

So, next time you’re feeling a little “blah” (or better yet, before you feel blah), grab some of these feel good foods and go from gloomy to groovy!

What's Not To Love?

When I say the word healthy, what comes to mind?

Fun? Happiness? Love?

Probably not. Typically, it's more like difficult, boring and the exact opposite of a good time. I'm here to tell you it doesn’t have to be that way. What if, instead of saying "I have to go to the gym" or "I know I shouldn't eat those fries", we shifted our perspective a bit and focused on what we DO want, what we DO love or how we DO want to feel? For example, I do want to feel energetic enough to play tag with my kids, I would love if my kids could escape cold and flu season unscathed and I do want my family to feel less stressed. It's much easier and a lot more fun to make choices with an awesome goal in mind.

Whatever your goal is, we can figure out how to get there.

Now, how in the world do we do this?

Let’s explore a few key elements of health that we all want - energy, positive mood and avoiding illness - and some steps you can take to get there. These tips work for adults and kids alike, so why not make it a family affair?

I want (and need) more energy:

Let's face it, almost all parents (author included) could benefit from a bit more energy in their lives. We've got a lot going on these days and it seems as though every day, we are asked to do more and more. To my knowledge, they aren't adding any more hours to the day (even though I ask daily), so let's figure out how to make the best of the hours we have. And in the meantime, we can help our kids even out their energy peaks and valleys.

·        Water, water and more water. Fatigue is one way our body handles dehydration. Take small sips of water throughout the day to keep your body happy. Although everyone is different, set your goal to be about half your body weight in ounces per day. Kids should have about one 8 oz. cup of water multiplied by their age per day (5 years old = 5 cups of water)

·        High quality proteins and complex carbohydrates. High quality proteins can help stabilize blood sugar and therefore energy levels. They include organic, pasture raised or grass fed meats, eggs, wild caught salmon, beans, quinoa, nuts, seeds and veggies like peas, spinach and broccoli. Complex carbs like whole fruits and vegetables, quinoa, beans, brown rice and lentils give your body nice, even energy as opposed to simple and refined carbs (think sugary cereals and white bread), which can give you a big spike in energy only to take it all away an hour later.

·        Get moving. It may seem counter intuitive that the best thing to do when your energy is zapped is to don your athletic gear, but it's true. Exercise can actually help boost energy. Now at the risk of sounding like my own parents: Go outside and play!

Need lots of energy to keep up with my kiddo!

Get in the mood

It is February after all, so it seems like a perfect time to talk about love. I LOVE knowing that there are things I can do to positively affect my mood. Here are some of my favorites:

·        Good mood foods: The great news is that some of these foods are just downright delicious and I'd eat them even if they didn’t improve my happiness, but I'm sure glad they do. Dark chocolate, berries, salmon, asparagus, dark leafy greens and bananas.

·        Help your hormones: Whether kid or adult, our hormones play an important role in how we feel and how we interact with others. Hormones love healthy fats like avocados, coconut and salmon as well as fiber rich foods like veggies, beans and nuts.

·        Take a breather: Getting oxygen into your body is a great way to not only feel better in the moment, but help you and your kiddos better handle stressful situations when they come your way (you used a Sharpie on what?!). Take a few deep breaths when you wake up, before you go to bed and any time you're feeling stressed. Check out Dr. Andrew Weil's 4-7-8 breathing technique.

·        Get some ZZZs: It's hard to be in a good mood when you're tired. Lack of sleep can lead to irritability, anger and a low stress tolerance. That tiny little thing that sort of bugs you? It turns into a much bigger issue when you're running on fumes.

I will stay healthy. I will stay healthy. I will stay healthy

When I was a kid, I almost didn't mind getting sick because it meant staying home from school and watching daytime TV (which far outweighed how terrible I felt). Now as an adult, daytime TV isn't quite the draw as it was when I was younger and I could most certainly do without the scheduling crisis that always seems to present itself when a family member is sick. Illness costs US employers over $225 billion (yes, with a B) each year, but I'm thrilled to tell you that there is absolutely no need to catch "what's going around"

·        Healthy digestion: Did you know that up to 70% of your immune system lives in your digestive tract? Keeping your tummy happy with lots of nutrient dense and fiber rich foods like fruits and veggies is a great way to fend off what's going around.

·        Avoid processed sugar. Processed sugar can wreak havoc on your immune system. Have a sweet tooth? Try including fruits and sweet vegetables like carrots and sweet potatoes into your diet to curb the cravings.

·        Relax. It's not a matter of IF stress will affect you physically, it's a matter of when and how. Stress can really take a toll on your immune system, leaving you and your family vulnerable to the coughs, sneezes, stuffy noses, aches and fevers that are no fun at all.

·        Rest:  Sleep to the rescue again! Nighttime is when our body does its housecleaning and restoration, so we can wake up ready to go another day. Besides the obvious side effect of feeling tired, lack of sleep can suppress our immune system. Although everyone is different, adults usually need about 8 hours of sleep, teenagers 9 - 10 hours and younger kids need 10 or more.

Let these ideas be a springboard for how you view your health and happiness. What other goals do you have in mind? Think of the goal, then figure out how to get there. Take it in steps that make sense for you and fit into your current lifestyle. I always wanted to be an Olympic gymnast, but that goal doesn't make a whole lot of sense for me at this point and the steps to get there don’t exactly fit into my current lifestyle of working mom in her forties. No matter what your goal is, things like water, veggies and sleep will always prove helpful.