The Happy Diet

Forget about eating that tub of cookie dough ice cream for your happy fix and think about eating foods for long term happiness instead. Changing what you eat can help stabilize mood, improve your focus and boost brain health. A diet high in “junk” food can make people feel more lethargic, can lead to weight gain which has negative effects on mood and self esteem.

Forget chocolate, your body really needs tryptophan. This amino acid helps the body to make serotonin which helps to control mood, emotion, sleep and appetite. Tryptophan is found in chicken, turkey, fish, brown rice, eggs, cheese, milk, bananas, walnuts and sunflower seeds.

B vitamins help the body to process energy from the food eaten. If we do not have enough B vitamins in our diet we can feel lethargic and even depressed. A lack of B6 and B12 can also cause anaemia. Foods which are rich in vitamin B include wholegrains which include wheat and oats, fish, seafood, poultry, meat, eggs, green leafy vegetables, beans and peas.

Omega 3 fatty acids are essential for overall health and wellbeing and needed by the body for nerve and brain function. Good sources of omega 3 are found in oily fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines, as well as omega 3 eggs, walnuts, flaxseeds and sunflower seeds.

When it comes to mood and food, caffeine and sugar are a big no! The chemicals found in these are the worst culprits at destroying a happy mood. Though ironically it is a coffee and chocolate fix that people crave for that mood boost. Although they can provide a short term boost they can be highly addictive and cause mood swings. Definitely worth swapping your afternoon chocolate bar for a banana now!