EATING HEALTHY FOODS EQUALS NO WINTER BLUES

Just when I am tempted to reach for the stuffing and buttered rolls at each family dinner for the whole winter season, I have to recite my new mantra: “Eating well today can keep the SAD at bay.”

SAD, or Seasonal Affective Disorder, is basically a seasonal form of depression that most commonly affects people during the winter months. Luckily, there is evidence that what you eat can make a big difference in how your brain functions and, thus, how you process things mentally and feel emotionally.

Even if you are just eager to avoid the winter blues – that type of hibernation mode many of us enter when we have to start wearing coats and turning the furnace up – the fact that foods can improve your mood is great news.

What to Eat to Stay Happy

Thankfully, most of the foods that are good for your brain and mental health are also delicious and nutritious. Healthy fats, amino acids, complex carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, and water are all essential to healthy brain function and a positive attitude

To get enough healthy fats (especially Omega-3 fatty acids), eat plenty of salmon or tuna, kidney beans, flaxseed oil, broccoli and cauliflower, spinach, cantaloupe, and walnuts. The healthy fats in these foods help your brain make the necessary connections for it to function well, and they can even improve your mood and mental well-being.

Amino acids are essential nutrients for your brain’s health. Tryptophan and phenylalanine, for instance, are amino acids that help build neurotransmitters (the brain’s messaging system) like serotonin and dopamine, which can boost your mood and help you feel motivated and content. Get your amino acids from foods like lean red meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products, beans, and seeds.

Complex carbohydrates (unlike refined or processed simple carbohydrates) are important for a slow, steady release of energy for your brain cells to use. Carbohydrates may help your brain use other important nutrients it receives from food, such as the amino acid tryptophan. Research also suggests that complex carbs may stimulate your brain to release serotonin, a feel-good chemical that helps improve mood and attitude. Try nibbling on whole grain bread or cereals, legumes, or starchy vegetables (such as squash or corn) to provide your brain with a healthy, stable energy source.

Vitamins and minerals are essential to your brain health and your outlook on life, as they help deliver the healthy fats and amino acids to your brain. They also convert carbohydrates into a form your brain can use and aid in keeping your energy levels up both physically and mentally. Getting plenty of vitamins from fruits and vegetables, whole grains, dairy products, and lean meats and fish can help keep you energized, focused, and feeling good. Minerals found in nuts, seeds, whole grains, green leafy vegetables, and fish can also help promote the release of feel-good chemicals in the brain.

Last but certainly not least, water is an essential drink for those of us hoping to stave off the winter blues or simply to recharge our batteries. Winter weather dehydrates our bodies quickly, and dehydration can lead to poor concentration, irritability, and fatigue. So the next time you feel tired, cranky, and confused, reach for a glass of water!

Happy is as Happy Eats

Even though it is easy to talk about eating healthy to promote mental well-being, it can sometimes be difficult to pass up the stuffing in favor of more turkey, or to skip the fruit cake in favor of a glass of water and a handful of walnuts, remember that doing so might literally make you a happier person.

It’s not easy to snap out of the winter blues, and even less so to recover from SAD with dietary changes alone, but making regular decisions to eat for better brain health means a steady, reliable source of vital nutrients and nourishment for your brain. If you have symptoms of the winter blues, or even symptoms of full-blown depression , adopting healthy dietary changes to promote brain health can help your brain see through the fog (and winter snow!) to the sunlight again. And the happier your brain is, the happier you will be.

For Further Reading,

DIET ADVICE