Foods To Boost Your Mood
I want to start today’s blog by saying that this is information that I have picked up on my own journey with my mental health. I am not a Dr nor a nutritionist and you should always seek the advice of a health professional before making any changes to your routine.
When I was around 19, I was driving back to Dundee from Glasgow where Mike was at uni and I was working for a telecommunications company, we were listening to “The Sunday Surgery” on Radio 1 and they were talking about anxiety and depression. I had recently been through something very traumatic and I had all these complex feelings and behaviours that I was struggling to understand. I remember really vividly listening to the call in and the experts unpacking the situations being discussed and feeling seen for the first time. I turned to Mike and said “I think I might have anxiety” and it was from then that I began my journey with understanding and supporting my mental health.
I went down many roads, some positive, some toxic and I’ve often shared the highs and lows on my social media, in fact, my experience of postnatal anxiety was one of the driving factors that prompted me to create SLAM.
One of the things I was somewhat apprehensive to dive into was how the foods I ate affected my mood. I was very resistant to exploring anything to do with food because I had such a difficult journey with disordered eating. I was worried I would trigger my obsessive behaviours and so it wasn’t until very recently that I felt ready to attempt to understand the relationship between our gut and our brain.
Your gut microbiome is a collection of trillions of cells located largely in the colon, this organ is not only responsible for letting nutrients into the body but it’s also directly connected to the brain. An unbalanced gut microbiome can therefore have consequences for your mental health - the reasons are beyond my scientific knowledge and scope of practice but if you research the “Gut-Brain Highway” you’ll find some interesting articles from people way smarter than me.
When I discovered this connection I didn’t really care what the science was, I cared about elevating my mood and I really couldn’t see any harm in trying it out. I’m not suggesting that food will cure your anxiety, however, I do believe that we need a multifaceted approach to our health and if eating a bit more of these types of foods can help you feel happier then I’m all for it.
Here are some of the foods I’ve learned to help lift my mood:
Fatty Fish
Omega 3 fatty acids are a group of essential acids that you must obtain through your diet as your body can’t produce them on its own. One of the great ways to get them is through fatty fish like Salmon and since Omega 3’s contribute to a healthy brain they are a winner in my book!
Have it in:
I don’t love Salmon, but one of the ways I have started to enjoy it is in this miso salmon recipe which I LOVE! Extra bonus is that Miso is made from fermented soybeans, this type of soy is high in phytoestrogens, which are naturally occurring estrogens that can have a hormone balancing effect.
Bananas
The queen of the fruits! These beauties are rich in B6 which helps synthesize your feel-good hormones such as serotonin and dopamine, they are also rich in fibre and natural sugar. Sugar, when paired with fibre releases slowly into your blood stream, making for more stable blood sugar levels. Blood sugar levels that are too low can cause irritability and mood swings! Bonus Bananas, if you eat them green, are an excellent source of prebiotics helping you support a robust gut biome.
Have it in:
If you don’t love bananas on their own try having them in a smoothie like this one or in some yummy pancakes or chopped up on some muesli!
Nuts
Brazil nuts, almonds and pine nuts are all excellent sources of zinc and selenium, both super important for brain function and selenium also supports thyroid function. Plus they are good for your heart and a good source of iron!
Almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds, peanuts, walnuts and sesame seeds also provide tryptophan which helps produce serotonin - the feel-good hormone.
Have it in:
Nuts are a super handy snack that you can have in your bag or you can use them as an ingredient in so many cakes and biscuits! Brazil nut cookies anyone?
Berries
Berries are full of antioxidants which help manage inflammation. Inflammation is often associated with low mood so popping a handful of these in your porridge can really help give your mood a boost.
Have it in:
My go-to is to chuck a bunch of berries in my breakfast - they work with anything - yoghurt, porridge, smoothies, pancakes... I find as many excuses as possible to add them to my food!
So there you have it - maybe some foods you already eat but had no idea of their mood-boosting benefits! I’d love to know what you think and if you have any mood-boosting food recipes then please share!