Happy Food tips – Mental Health Awareness Week 2017

Never underestimate the power of food.  It has a huge impact on our brain, which in turn boosts our mood.  Today the kids got hold of the biscuit tin as I put away clothes.  An hour or so later and all hell broke loose.  Oh dear, the power of too much sugar.  There were meltdowns. they raided my makeup bag and argued over every single toy.

Eating a balanced diet it key, it’s all about the balance.  There are however foods that have been proven to give us a boost of happiness.  I want those puppies on my shopping list.

Some of my favourites are below:

Bananas – a crowd pleaser with kids and adults.  Super handy to grab on the run or in desperate times when your little one has a meltdown (check out vlog below).

 

They are not only great for our bodies, they contain tryptophan which helps to regulate our mood.

Oysters – I love an oyster.  They are meant to work wonders in terms of our sex drive – such a pity my hubs doesn’t like them.

 

Dark chocolate – Phew – I love the stuff.  This reduces the stress hormone cortisol.  There are so many lovely luxury ones but I also really like the basic ranges too.  Sometimes a small square after dinner is all you need.

Salmon – The essential fatty acids have been proven to help boost our mood and ease depression.  Salmon also help to give us lovely shiny hair – that certainly makes me happy. Try it with a side of butternut squash, fresh basil, pine-nuts and feta cheese. Recipe here.

 

Tumeric – throw this in your curry, stir fries, casseroles or even juices to enhance your mood.  It is also great for the liver if you like a glass of vino or 5.

Berries – They give us a boost and also when matched in a glass of fizz – I’m laughing like a kid in a sweet shop.

Green tea – I have written before about the power of too much caffeine.  I love a coffee but try and limit myself to 1 or 2 a day.  Green tea is a great substitute, is a great way of getting water into us and reduces stress levels.

Apples have a calming effect and another easy one to grab on the run.

Spinach and kale help to reduce tiredness. They are easy to sneak into homemade pesto. Check out my recipe here.

Mushrooms are crammed with vitamin D – low levels are now known to affect our mood.  So get plenty of these into you, especially in the winter.

Walnuts are great for improving brain function.  Throw together a salad with celery, apple, walnuts, blue cheese, fresh lemon juice and olive oil.  Perfect for BBQ season.

Sweet potatoes are known to have a calming affect on the brain.  They are great in curry, soups or even roasted with some creme fresh and roasted tomatoes on top.

When it comes to sugar, there are ways to still enjoy it without going too wild.  I love making these mini lemon posset canapes.  So simple but effective and with such a small portion size there is nothing to feel too guilty about.

 

I have been learning recently about how important water is.  I had no idea how dehyrated I was.  There is a formula and based on my weight and activity levels I should be having 3 litres a day.  According to the scan I have only been having about 1 litre.  So work needs to be done.  Keeping hyrdated is so important for our mood, our brain and our body.  I have been taking time to jazz up my water.  Cucumber is always nice in the summer and orange peel and fresh basil is lovely.

 

I am all about the happy food.  Enjoy.