4 Mood Boosting Foods
Do you struggle with mood swings throughout the day?
I can be moving through the day just fine and then – BAM – bad mood attack. I’m like, “What the heck?”
What I’ve learned is that when my nutrition is off, my mood is off. The weather is another mood buster. When the day is dreary, my mood is dreary. When the sun is shining and the birds are singing, I’m humming all through the day.
What about you? What affects your mood during the day?
Did you know you can eat certain foods to boost your mood, regardless of what the day is like?
We’ve finally come into Spring – can I get a “YAY!”, and we naturally want to refresh & rejuvenate ourselves and our surroundings. The winter blues may still be lingering, which creates the perfect opportunity to learn some natural tips and tricks on peeling away the rest of those winter blues and enjoying the new season.
There are countless ways to boost your mood naturally, but I’d love to tell you about a few of my favorite foods that naturally boost your mood and help you calm down.
4 Foods that Boost Your Mood & Help Fight Anxiety Naturally
Asparagus – Asparagus is loaded with folic acid, which has been associated with stabilizing and boosting your mood. One cup of asparagus offers two-thirds of your daily folic acid requirements. As if that wasn’t great enough, asparagus goes well with nearly any meal! Sauté, steam, roast or grill it – it’s quick, simple and a delicious addition to your meal.
Here’s a favorite recipe from my Spring Cleanse Program:
Chicken with Asparagus and Sun-dried Tomatoes
Ingredients
- ⅔ lb boneless , skinless free-range organic chicken breasts, cut into small chunks
- 1 TB extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ onion , chopped
- 4 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 bunch asparagus , trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 10 cremini/ baby bella mushrooms , trimmed, wiped and cut into quarters (substitute for any kind of mushroom)
- 2 TB sun-dried tomatoes in oil , chopped
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil, chicken and onion to pan and sauté for 5-6 minutes, or until chicken begins to brown.
- Next, add garlic cloves & mushrooms and cook a few minutes more, tossing occasionally. Add asparagus & sun-dried tomatoes and cook until asparagus is bright green and still crisp, about 3-4 minutes.
- Crack some freshly ground pepper over the top and serve.
Notes
Avocado – The numerous benefits that avocados boast make them a favorite addition to my meals. A slice of avocado is chock-full of Vitamin B which is essential for healthy brain cells and nerves. Also an excellent source of potassium and healthy fats, avocados hold many benefits that can assist in boosting your mood.
Add ½ of an avocado to your salad. Or mix up your favorite healthy chicken salad, egg salad, or tuna salad with ½ of an avocado.
Blueberries – Although they are small, blueberries are a Vitamin C and antioxidant powerhouse. These benefits are crucial in helping to protect against and repair cell damage. Quercetin, an antioxidant found in abundance in blueberries, is an incredible natural anti-inflammatory.
Blueberries are a passion of mine. I have two blueberry bushes and enjoy picking fresh blueberries during the summer. Add blueberries to your salad, your yogurt, your morning cereal or any other dish you enjoy. Me? I just eat them straight off the bush.
Almonds – Munching on almonds is an age-old trick for reducing stress. Almonds are high in Vitamins E and B2, both of which are great immune system boosters during stressful moments. Just a few spoonful’s of almonds can do wonders for your mood.
Almonds are my favorite mid-morning snack or mid-afternoon snack. The perfect snack to get my energy and mood boosted. You can eat an ounce of almonds, which are about 15 almonds, and get the full benefit of a boost to your mood and energy. I keep almonds in my purse for that emergency snack when I’m on the road.
These are just a few of my favorite foods that can help boost your mood and keep stress at bay. There are numerous others, such as spinach, oranges, fatty fish such as salmon, and more.
What do you do when you feel the stress packing on? Is your first thought to reach for a comfort food that may not be of service to your health? It’s natural to feel this way, especially if you do not program yourself to think about healthy ways to combat your stress and elevate your mood. This is a difficult habit to get yourself into, I know it was for me. I’d remember, “after the fact”, that I could have grabbed a healthier choice.
I encourage you to think of healthy ways to elevate your mood, using your own wisdom and even a few of the tips you’ve read here today!
What do you plan on doing next time you need a mood boost? Let me know in our member’s Facebook Group Healthy Living For Life.
