Can You Eat Yourself Happy?

Happy weekend!

Hope you’re enjoying your day, wherever it finds you. I’m currently chowing down on toast with butter + apricot jam… probably the easiest thing in the world to prepare, and by far one of the tastiest and most comforting. Speaking of comfort, I have a lovely post for you this morning written by Katie about how food affects our mental health, and what you can eat to fight the winter blues. I myself am no stranger to going into hibernation when it starts to get cold and dark outside, and I found her tips really helpful! Hope you do, too.

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The idea of eating my way to health and happiness has a certain appeal, primarily because eating is one of my major talents. Perhaps it is even what I do best. I love food – all foods! – but during the winter I particularly love those with sweetness, spices, and some serious starch (think pumpkin rolls, cranberry orange muffins, and snickerdoodles). And I know I can’t be the only one who, when faced with the option to choose either a carrot stick or a bowl of ice cream, would unhesitatingly grab the scoop of vanilla and proceed to slather it with hot fudge.

Thankfully (at least for my waist and hips!), I have also discovered a love for dishes such as a poached citrus salmon, wild rice and beans, spinach salad with hard-boiled eggs, and roast chicken with rosemary. What’s more, these foods actually happen to be good for me, and in more ways than one!

It turns out that for the food-lovers among us, happiness through food is indeed within our grasp. Anyone who has ever experienced a bout of the winter blues, cold-weather crabbiness, or even Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) can attest to the fact that sometimes food serves as a comfort or even a self-medication. The reasons we turn to food for consolation and help may be multi-faceted and complex, but the result our food choices have on our mood, energy levels, and mental health are pretty straightforward: better foods mean a better brain.

What to Eat to Beat the Blues

Researchers have demonstrated that a wide variety of common foods have a positive impact on our mental function, attitude, energy, and focus. Fatty acids, amino acids, complex carbohydrates, and vitamins and minerals are all crucial to your mental health, and by keeping your diet full of the best ingredients you can keep your brain full of the essential chemicals for happiness (http://www.helpfordepression.com/slideshow/lifestyle-changes/10-foods-boost-your-mood).

Start off with some salmon, walnuts, spinach, broccoli, flaxseed oil, or kidney beans for essential Omega-3 fatty acids (bonus points if you can think of a recipe that combines all of these ingredients together!). Healthy fats help your brain maintain healthy tissue and are vital to regular function. Not only can the Omega-3 improve memory, it may also help alleviate mild depression by lifting your mood and boosting the production of hormones that help minimize aggression, calming you down.

Although it’s hard to say, “Honey, eat your amino acids or you don’t get any dessert,” it might become a new catchphrase at my house! Amino acids build neurotransmitters in your brain and help signal your brain to release feel-good chemicals like serotonin and dopamine. Tryptophan and phenylalanine are two important amino acids commonly found in poultry, lean red meat, eggs, dairy, soy products, beans, and seeds. OK, maybe I should alter the new mantra to say “Honey, eat your turkey and lima beans, or you don’t get your dessert of vanilla soy cheesecake.” Much better.

Carbohydrates are perhaps the easiest foods to incorporate (even for unwilling participants in this get-happy meal plan) into a daily routine – just be sure to opt for complex rather than simple, refined, or processed carbs. Unfortunately, this means whole grain breads and cereals instead of cupcakes, but we can take comfort in the fact that carbohydrates increase the brain’s production of serotonin, relieving anxiety and making it easier to calm down (source: http://www.healthline.com/health/living-with-depression/depression-dieting-tips-and-food-options). Complex carbs also feed the brain a steady supply of necessary fuel to keep functioning effectively. Other great sources of complex carbohydrates include starchy vegetables like squash or corn, rice, and legumes.

Everyone knows that getting enough of the right vitamins and minerals can help improve energy levels and give your body what it needs to keep chugging along. Getting plenty of Vitamins B, C, and D helps deliver the nutrients listed above to your brain, allowing it to make use of the fat, amino acids, and carbs you have already eaten. Minerals such as zinc, selenium, and magnesium are also essential for good mental health. Vitamins and minerals can help boost your brain’s production of serotonin and even improve your memory, focus, sleep quality, and level of anxiety. In addition to eating plenty of dairy, seafood, eggs, green leafy vegetables, citrus, whole grains, nuts, and seeds, be sure to throw in an occasional banana (the potassium helps your brain use oxygen efficiently).

Extra Tips for a Healthy, Happy Winter

Those of you who already eat a healthy diet rich in all of these wonderful nutrients might be thinking, “What else can I do to boost my mood? I’m already a veggie-phile!” Well, the answer is simple: eat some dark chocolate and chug some water (not necessarily at the same time, because that would be an unappealing combo in my opinion). The antioxidants and endorphins are just a couple of the benefits dark chocolate provides for your blood vessels and your mood (the simple joy of eating something delicious is another). Drinking plenty of water during the winter months helps keep your brain hydrated, helping it run more efficiently and keeping your energy levels up.

Although it isn’t necessary to incorporate all of the brain-booster foods everyday, keep reminding yourself that the more you focus on feeding your brain, the less you will have to focus on keeping your spirits up, since the food will do that for you. I know that at least for me, having a meal of salmon, spinach, brown rice, and orange juice is much easier than telling myself that the in-laws are only visiting temporarily. I’ll take eating myself happy over talking myself happy any day of the year!

Katie Brind’Amour is a freelance writer and food aficionado eating her way through Columbus, Ohio one delicious dish at a time. When she’s not busy trying to identify the perfect combination of chocolate and wine, she writes on health, nutrition, pregnancy, and friendship for private clients and her personal blog Friendship Endeavor.

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Do you experience Seasonal Affect Disorder (SAD)? How do you manage it? Have you found that certain foods affect your mental health?