NUTRITION AUTHOR
Candice Seti, PsyD.
MOOD-BOOSTING NUTRITION n Learn a few different foods that
could be the pick-me-up you need.
W
e need to eat to survive, right? However, most of us use food for many reasons beyond sustenance. Food may be a source of distraction for us or an anxiety-reducer. Food may be a way of avoiding emotions or simply curing boredom. If we are going to use food as something other than simply a way to feed our body, how about we use it as a way to boost our mood? Here are some keys to using food as a mood-booster and what foods to focus on:
Go Omega
Omega-3s are vital for brain health, as they help with your brain membrane as well as brain development and cell signaling. And a brain that’s healthy from omega-3s seems less likely to be depressed! In fact, research has shown that eating omega-3s regularly results in lower depression scores, while low levels of DHA (an omega-3 fat) have been associated with increased risk of suicide. What to do: Increase your consumption of fatty fish (like salmon, mackerel and tuna), avocados, olive oil, nuts and seeds, or consider taking a fish oil supplement.
NOVEMBER 2021
22
