We all know food can make us happy don’t we? A Friday night spur-of-the-moment fish and chips, a big old slice of carrot cake, a crispy Italian pizza. See; even reading about them makes you happy!
Unfortunately devouring all of our yummy favourites is not enough to ensure our diet contributes to good mental health in the long term. We all know that what we eat makes a big difference to how we look, but not many of us give much thought to how our food makes us feel. In an ideal world, our diet would leave us feeling comfortably full, bursting with energy and with a clear mind. And the great news is that it seems this is really possible.
Research shows that choosing healthy foods can not only nourish our body, it can also nourish our mind. But which foods should we be adding to our diets to give us a long-term release of the old happy hormones? Let’s take a look at five simple ways we can top up our positivity levels through the foods we eat.
Eat all the colours of the rainbow – No, you can’t just tuck into a packet of skittles I’m afraid. Get a wide range of colours into your diet by eating lots of different fruit and vegetables. This variety means that you’ll also be consuming a wide range of nutrients. And we know what nutrients do, don’t we? They’re the clever little things that fill us with our ‘happy hormones’; serotonin and dopamine. These hormones help improve your mood, your sleep and your energy levels. Worth getting a side portion of veggies after all!
Get to know your complex carbohydrates – As well as packing our diet with fruit and veg, we also want to stock up on wholemeal bread, brown rice, brown pasta, oats, grains and beans. Instead of the quick energy hit of their white counterparts, the brown versions release energy slowly which again contributes to a stable mood. Lots of people say that they prefer the taste of white bread or pasta, but we can re-educate our tastebuds. It just takes a little bit of practice!
Include seafood in your diet – Many young women are deficient in zinc and research shows this can lead to anger and depression. So to counteract stress, try and include some oily fish in your weekly shop.
Eat at regular intervals – We’ve all seen that Snickers advert where Joan Collins gets ‘hangry’ haven’t we? Now I’m not encouraging you to reach for a chocolate bar. You wish! Just eat healthy delicious foods at regular points throughout the day to avoid energy slumps and subsequent overeating. It’s a vicious cycle that’s so easy to slip into in today’s busy lifestyle.
Top yourself up – This is the simplest piece of advice but one that is often overlooked. A hydrated body helps keep your mind alert and staves off the dreaded brain fog. We don’t expect our cars to run without petrol and we should treat our bodies the same way. Opt for still or sparkling water and flavour with citrus fruits for interest.
About the Author
Sarah has been blogging for four years and now also works as a freelance content writer. Her site The Good Thing Is Though is a social enterprise that has raised over £17,500 for charities since the outset of the pandemic. It focuses on all things happy and hopeful, encouraging readers to seek out the things that make them smile. Sarah also writes about her life raising three crazy little boys over on her Instagram page Pearls of Kiddom.
