Good Mood Food

I don't know about you but for me, some days in lockdown are easier than others. I have learned that in order to feel something other than a flatline feeling of nonexistence, I must punctuate the days and weeks with different activities, and new experiences. Right now, aside from the usual work at home, I am learning to sew, I have different exercise routines depending on the day, and we have a few home projects to get on during weekends. The one constant is mealtimes and a diet of good mood food.

What is good mood food?

It is a well-established fact that there is a clear association between the quality of people's diets and their risk for depression. A diet that includes vegetables, fruit, whole grains, legumes, fish, lean red meats, olive oil, and nuts, and excludes highly refined foods, sweet biscuits and cakes, refined cereals, fried food, fast food, processed meats, and sugary drinks offers the greatest benefit to relieving depression symptoms.

A diet consisting of fresh natural ingredients is Good Mood Food.

Check out this week's Market Fresh: That's good mood food.

Of special significance are foods that are rich in Omega 3 fats such as salmon, sardines, and chia seeds, pre and probiotic foods which keep the gut healthy such as natural yogurt, miso, kimchi, and fibrous vegetables, and magnesium-rich food such as dark chocolate, wholegrain bread, quinoa, brown rice, and brown pasta, avocados, nuts, seeds, legumes, bananas, and green leafy veggies. Include these and you are well on your way to happier days!

I don't mean to trivialise this - believe me I have had my days too - it's perfectly normal to experience mood fluctuations during these uncertain times, but within the walls of our confinement we do have some control of our lives including what we eat, and what we can do and if that helps pull us out of the mood pits it's important to try.

We can choose to blame others for the situation we find ourselves in and feel miserable OR we can choose to work out what we can do for ourselves to make the best of the situation.

I choose to eat healthy food and try new recipes, with ingredients that are new to me to rattle my cage and create new experiences at home.

When we know that diet is a key determinant of mental and brain health, and when our current circumstances are challenging our mental health it makes sense, if you want to help yourself, to get your diet right.

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