Improve how you feel by changing what you eat!
I don’t know about you, but I notice a huge change in my energy level and concentration when I cut out junk food and eat real, whole foods. Not only does eating healthy help you feel better shortly after your meal by improving your overall health, you are able to improve your overall mental functioning. Your physical health affects your mental health!
It can get really overwhelming with all the varying nutrition information out there, so here's a good basic start. Food for better mood tips: 1. Eat real food! Stop eating processed foods & refined carbs. If you don’t recognize the ingredients on the label, don’t eat it! 2. Cut out SUGAR - including sugar substitutes. This can be really hard at first, but it gets easier once you are no longer addicted. 3. Eat good fats - I’m talking about foods like eggs, avocados, olives, nuts and seeds. Healthy fats help stabilize your blood sugar which will reduce inflammation and sugar cravings. (more on this in later posts) 4. Eat more seafood - fatty fish such as wild salmon, sardines, and mackerel are high in Omega-3 fats. Omega 3 is crucial for optimal brain functioning. 5. Eat more prebiotic fiber- we want to balance our gut microbiome made up of the the trillions of “bugs” we have living in our gut which are critical in determining our MOOD! Plant fiber is a good source of this (onions, garlic, artichoke, broccoli, and cauliflower).
Try eating this way for 2-3 weeks and see how you feel. If you do not feel that changing your diet this way was enough to improve your overall physical and emotional health, it might be time to contact a functional medicine or naturopathic doctor to test for underlying conditions that could be contributing to why you feel this way.
If you are struggling with depression, anxiety, or simply need an objective person to talk to, please reach out to me for a complimentary phone consultation. I would love to help and if I feel that another mental health professional would be a better fit, I will be glad to make recommendations.
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