Pending all your time at home, working, learning or playing within feet of your kitchen probably isn’t the most helpful when it comes to making healthy food choices. Especially when all the stress right now makes you want to tuck into a big bowl of mac and cheese. But in this week’s Intentional Living, we take a look at which foods can actually help elevate our moods.
Next time you head toward the kitchen, try grabbing some of these mood boosting picks! Green veggies: Items like Spinach, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli are not only filling, but they are packed with Folate, a B-vitamin that assists in the production of serotonin, the chemical in the brain that affects our mood. Try them fresh, steamed, or even roasted, with a little olive oil and seasoning.
Looking for a way to help alleviate depression? Put down the ice cream and pick up some yogurt or Kefir. A study by the University of Virginia health system a few years ago found that the Probiotic in these foods may help reduce negative thoughts.
Feeling sluggish? Like the days just roll on? Grab some whole grains for an energy boost! Foods such as oatmeal, brown rice, and whole grain bread are also high in fiber, so they won’t leave you crashing like foods high in sugars.
If you are craving something sweet and that tenth apple just isn’t cutting it, have a few bites of dark chocolate. It contains caffeine and Flavenols that improve cognition.
Finally, if you really need a jump start, pour yourself a cup of coffee or tea instead of cracking open a soda or energy drink.
Making a few of these changes may not only help you mentally, but could help you keep off the quarantine 15!
