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Foods To Boost Your Mood

January 21, 2020 by Joni Leave a Comment

Food is Fuel

Food has the ability to improve your mood. If you have a fairly good diet, you can open up your pantry and come upon plenty of mood-boosting delicacies that are both healthy and delicious.

When you are dealing with any mood changes, whether it is more irritability, anger, or just mood swings, it is a good idea to take a look at your health and lifestyle first. While it might be related to a medical condition that your doctor can help treat, consider what your current lifestyle is like.

Are you drinking alcohol or caffeine more than normal? Do you get enough exercise? How is your stress level?

Another important aspect of your mood and mental health is with your diet. There are quite a few healthy and delicious foods that are not only food for your body, but can help boost your mood as well.

Here are the top 14 foods that are going to give you a nice mood boost.

1. Dark Leafy Greens 
The first type of food that can be amazing for your mood is dark, leafy greens. Greens have a variety of nutrients. These include fiber, which balances your blood sugar, B vitamins for brain health, as well as iron.

spinach

Studies show that iron deficiency is closely linked to anxiety and disrupted neurotransmitters as well, which provides even more reason to eat these nutritious veggies.

Iron also helps to produce energy, which can lead to positive feelings. While it can be great for boosting your mood, you also want to be sure not to have too much iron. Talk to your doctor to discuss the right amount.

 2. Salmon 
Salmon acts as a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are exceptional for helping to boost your mood. Omega-3 fatty acids act as crucial elements in the development of your nervous system and brain. In geographical areas where the residents eat more fatty fish, they become less likely to get anxious or depressed, so it makes sense that it would be good for your mood! 

salmon

There are also high amounts of protein as well as vitamins B12 and D in omega-3 fatty foods like salmon. If you haven’t had much salmon before, try adding it into your diet slowly. And please do not buy farm raised salmon. Definitely not your healthy choice!

You can just have a little bit of salmon on your salad with lots of veggies (and leafy greens!), or make a small serving of blackened salmon with brown rice and steamed veggies. Super simple. 

3. Turkey 
Full of tryptophan, turkey produces a neurotransmitter called serotonin. When you have lower levels of tryptophan in your body, that can lead to less serotonin development as well as an increase in depression and anxiety. Turkey also has tyrosine, an amino acid that is related to neurotransmitters.

turkey

Turkey is a healthy, low-fat protein option, so it is great for most people’s diets. Whether you are on a general healthy diet, low-carb or low-fat diet, it is going to work great for you. Start adding turkey to your sandwiches, have roasted turkey for dinner, or use ground turkey in place of ground beef in different recipes.

Some other mood-boosting elements of turkey include vitamins B6 and B12, as well as zinc. Zinc deficiencies often lead to increased occurrences of depression and anxiety. 

Other high tryptophan foods include nuts, seeds, tofu, cheese, red meat, chicken, turkey, fish, oats, beans, lentils, and eggs.

4. Chia Seeds 
Chia seeds act as another rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, as well as nutrients such as iron, calcium, fiber, and protein. These powerful seeds also contains magnesium, which increases feelings of well-being. 

chia pudding

There are so many benefits to chia seeds, that they will not only help aid in boosting your mood along with these other nutritious foods, but they provide overall health and wellness for your body and mind.

The easiest way to incorporate more chai seeds into your diet is by adding them to your smoothie or protein shake. This chia seed pudding is an easy make-ahead treat.

5. Eggs 
Eggs were previously thought to be a slightly unhealthy options because of the higher fat content, but many studies have shown that they don’t have the effect on your cholesterol than was once predicted. Of course, if your doctor advises against them, they might still be something to pass up.

However, if you like eggs, definitely add them to your diet to help boost your mood. They are high in vitamins B12 and D, as well as protein. Eggs have choline, which helps with your nervous system, mood, and makes neurotransmitters and selenium, an antioxidant. When you eat antioxidant-rich foods, it helps with your brain health and boosts your mood. 

6. Lentils 
Next up is lentil, which supply folate, a vitamin that helps your nervous system develop. Those who are deficient in folate experience higher rates of depression. They also contain fiber, which helps with blood sugar, protein, vitamin B6, and iron. Vitamin B6 makes neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin. 

lentils

If you are not accustomed to eating lentils, just start small by adding some to salads or having soup with lentils in them.

7. Avocados 
The good thing about avocados is that not only do they help boost your mood, but they are delicious! Many people love eating avocados but had no idea they could actually be good for you.

avocado

It is true that avocados are higher in fat, but it is the healthy type of fat. They contain fiber and vitamins B6, E and C. Another valuable vitamin you can get from avocados is B5, which helps your neurotransmitters develop. 

8. Fermented Foods 
In the past few years, research has shown a definite link between your brain and gut. Over 90 percent of serotonin gets produced in your digestive system. So, to get your moods back on track, you will need to prioritize your gut health.

These days, researchers have looked at the link between mood and gut bacteria. Some meta-analyses even say that probiotics can help with depression. 

Whether your fermented food item of choice is sauerkraut, kombucha, or even dairy-free yogurt, all of these foods are excellent sources of probiotics. 

9. Chocolate 
There is a reason you tend to feel better and happier after eating chocolate, and it is not just from the sugar. Chocolate, particularly dark chocolate, is amazing for health and wellness. It contains compounds such as phenylethylamine (for endorphins) and anandamide, which researchers call the “bliss” chemical. Not only is chocolate a good source of antioxidants, but it can also improve cognition and mood. 

chocolate

For a healthier option, try to go for the darkest chocolate you are able to enjoy, looking for lower amounts of sugar in the chocolate.

10. Ghee 
If you don’t like butter or can’t eat it due to a dairy allergy, you’re in luck! You can instead use ghee, which is made from butter, but doesn’t have the same effect on your body. It also happens to be another great food for improving your mood.

Also known as clarified butter, ghee has a lot of nutritious fats as well as vitamin D. It also helps to heal the digestive tract, which allows your gut bacteria to develop. 

11. Sunflower Seeds 
A great source of vitamins B6, E, and magnesium, sunflower seeds are a good mood booster for those with allergies to nuts. You can easily switch any type of nut called for in a recipe for sunflower seeds. 

sunflower seeds

Try adding sunflower seeds to your salads, or just having a handful of the seeds as a snack with a piece of fruit or cheese.

12. Almonds 
Almonds act as an amazing source of protein, vitamin E, fiber, and magnesium. Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant, which helps fight damage caused by free radicals. This food item also improves your cognition and memory. 

Not only can they help improve your mood and your overall health, but they are really easy to add to your diet. There are so many ways to incorporate more almonds into your diet, from dipping apple slices in almond butter, to switching to almond flour in your baked goods when you want a healthier option.

13. Bell Peppers 
Before finishing off this list, we can’t forget about bell peppers. All colors of bell peppers are great for you, low in fat, low in carbohydrates, and have lots of vitamins and minerals.

pepper

Bell peppers have the antioxidant vitamin C, which helps the functioning of your nervous system and the improvement of your cognition. Studies show that vitamin C reduces your stress and helps with mood. 

14. Sardines
Last, but not least, are sardines. These are an acquired taste and not mandatory, but a good option if you enjoy the salty fish. Sardines come with a bunch of mood-boosting elements. In addition to high levels of vitamin B12, sardines have choline, vitamin D, protein, selenium, and omega-3 fatty acids. 

Simple Changes = Big Rewards!

Boosting your mood with food is one of the easiest ways to improve your well-being over time. You can see results even if you don’t overhaul your diet right away. Just making one or two changes to your diet to include more mood-friendly foods can be just the thing to change your life for the better.

Whether that change involves getting acquainted with kombucha or keeping a dark chocolate bar in your drawer “in case of emergency”, making tweaks to your diet now can pay dividends in the future.

Filed Under: Body, Health, Healthy Eats, Mind, Science Tagged With: antioxidants, anxiety, avocado, beans, chocolate, depression, fermented, food-mood connection, ghee, gut, mood, omegas, peppers

What does a candy-free February look like?

February 5, 2019 by Joni Leave a Comment

Valentine's Day

It looks better than you may have imagined!

Try some of these non-food nourishing gift ideas and I’ve added a yummy Homemade Chocolate Truffle recipe to satisfy the sweet tooth naturally:

♥ The American Heart Association suggests a gift from the heart, such as a poem or love letter. Choose a favorite poem or write what you feel. Write or type it on beautiful paper (check out some options on Etsy.) In between relationships? Write yourself a loving, “non-negotiable” list – all the things you will never put up with in a relationship ever again. Or write a friend or loved one who has been an inspiration or support in your life.

♥ Savor the moments in pictures. Do you have a ton of pictures on your phone but rarely print them out? Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to remember your loved ones with the thoughtful gift of photos. I love the app Groovebook – for $2.99 a month you can upload up to 100 pictures and Groovebook automatically sends you a photo album each month! Or go for a year of love with a photo calendar – apps like Shutterfly make it easy!

♥Get really decadent and draw yourself a relaxing bubble bath with candles, rose petals, and a bubbly beverage. Yes! You are worth it.

 ♥ Spend a night with no electronics or digital distractions! Make a fire, bundle up and go for a walk, or have a few friends over and serve the heart-healthy treats below with sparkling water and raspberries.

Instead of reaching for something sweet, chocolaty or gooey this Valentine’s Day, try some of these ideas for indulging the ones you love. (And that includes YOU!)

Taking time to draw a hot relaxing bath is a wonderful way to treat yourself!

Crowd out the candy with Homemade Chocolate Truffles

truffles

Ingredients:

2 cups organic pitted Medjool dates – soaked in warm water for 2- 3 hours

2- 3 TBSP raw cacao powder, extra for coating

¼ cup cacao nibs

¼ cups goji berries

1 TBSP coconut oil

2 TBSP chopped raw almonds, walnuts or cashews (soaked 1-3 hrs.)

1 tsp vanilla extract

Sea salt to taste

Directions:

  1. Soak pitted dates in warm water for 2 – 3 hours, until soft.
  2. Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender or food processor until you have a very smooth, uniform consistency. Use your spatula to scrape the dough down until it’s well combined as you blend.
  3. Scoop out mixture one teaspoon at a time, roll into small balls and place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Mixture will be very sticky; wet or lightly coat hands with coconut oil to make it easier to manage.
  4. Roll balls into additional cacao powder.
  5. Place truffles in the refrigerator for at least one hour to firm.

Filed Under: Body, Healthy Eats, Spirit Tagged With: cacoa, candy, chocolate, recipe, self care, self love, truffle

Chocolate Mint Fudge

December 12, 2018 by Joni Leave a Comment

Chocolate Mint! Oh, my!

I grew up looking forward to all my Mom’s holiday candy making and fudge was always my favorite.

But here’s the deal… Since I’ve gotten the sugar monkey off my back the thought of Mom’s fudge just doesn’t do it for me anymore. No worries. I just came up with a healthier solution. A solution that makes me feel good when I indulge!

This yummy cacao (healthier than processed chocolate!) dessert recipe helps you get through the holidays without packing on the pounds or feeling deprived.

These are great for a pre-workout energy bite, to bring to a holiday party and to crowd-out holiday candy.

Chocolate-Mint Fudge

ChocolateMintFudgeBites
You will need a mini muffin tin and mini muffin papers.

Ingredients:
* 1 ½ cups walnuts
* 1 cup pitted dates
* 1 tsp vanilla
* 1/3 cup cacao powder
* ½ cup fresh mint (or a drop of peppermint essential oil)

Directions:
Mix all ingredients in food processor, pulse and then blend well. The mixture should have the consistency of peanut butter.

Use a melon baller to scoop out mixture and form into one-inch balls; place in mini muffin paper cups. (I place the paper cups in a mini muffin tray so they don’t slide around.)

Leave as a round ball or simply press mixture into muffin cup (not as pretty but less fuss).

Remove muffin cups from tray and place in a re-sealable storage container using wax paper in between layers; store in freezer for at least one hour.

Remove and serve cold or at room temperature.

*Note: if you are reducing caffeine for a better night’s sleep, remember that cacao has caffeine. If you do eat a piece of the fudge, do so earlier in the day!

Filed Under: Healthy Eats Tagged With: cacoa, chocolate, featured, organic, recipe

Difference between CACOA and COCOA

September 11, 2015 by Joni Leave a Comment

raw cacoa

Cacao is a bean from cacao plant. The scientific name of cacao is Theobroma cacao. Cacao pods are large in size, which grow from the Cacoa Plantlimbs and trunk of the tree and the beans are seen inside the pods. When the pods are in the tree, it is known as cacao. And Cocoa is a term used for the cacao seed after it has been harvested. The beans, once harvested, are fermented and dried and these beans are known as cocoa. In other words, cocoa is the refined or processed product of cacao. Where cacao is raw and unadulterated, cocoa is cooked and adulterated. Organic raw cacao is my favorite!

Cacao is known to contain more than 300 compounds that include carbohydrates, fat, protein, copper, fiber, iron, calcium, zinc, sulphur and magnesium. But once the pods are heated, or processed, they lose much of their nutritional value.

Try making your own chocolates using raw cacoa as a treat and for the health benefits! I also add a tablespoon to smoothies for a satisfying chocolate flavor without all the added fats and sugar. Here’s a super simple recipe and be sure to check below for links to some other chocolate treat sensations we whip up at home.

Homemade Cacao Bark

¼ pound (4 ounces) of cocoa butter
¼ cup of organic raw cacao powder
1 ½ – 2 tablespoons of honey
½ of a vanilla bean pod (optional)
Melt the cocoa butter using a double boiler or in a bowl resting above a pot of hot water. Mix in the cacao, honey and vanilla bean scrapings. It’s now ready to pour in molds or my favorite way (and easiest) is to pour the mixture onto a dinner plate and put it in the fridge for 30-60 minutes to harden.

Once it’s hardened I break it (or cut) into pieces and enjoy! Stores great in fridge for a couple weeks.

FOR EXTRA FUN: I add dried blueberries, cherries, cacao nibs, and raw sunflower seeds in the melted mixture to give myself a bit of variety. Super yummy too!

Check out my other chocolate fix recipes that are healthier choices over store-bought, processed junk! The taste difference is amazingly different…and it’s healthier. Who said eating healthy didn’t taste great? Not me! 🙂

Peanut Butter Cups

Healthy Peanut Butter Cup
Hubby likes these better than Reece’s! You will too…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Frozen Banana Bites

Frozen Banana Bites
Dairy free frozen treat. Quick and simple frozen banana bites are great to make with kids!

Filed Under: Body, Healthy Eats Tagged With: banana, cacoa, chocolate, featured, peanut butter, recipe, sweets

Good Vibrations

August 25, 2015 by Joni Leave a Comment

Food & Mood

How does food affect your mood?

Did you know that food has vibrations that allow it to create change in our bodies on a cellular level? Food that is alive and from the earth will energize and invigorate you, while processed, pre-packaged, dead food will leave you feeling lethargic and uninspired, like a light that has fizzled out. Makes sense doesn’t it?

Dark green leafy vegetables are full of chlorophyll, which is basically liquid sunshine. It is the substance in plants that allows them to absorb light from the sun and convert it into usable energy. When we consume raw dark green vegetables such as kale, broccoli, and Swiss chard, we fill our body with the equivalent of the plant’s life blood – the very thing that allows a seed to flourish and take form.

Chemically, the blood of the plant, chlorophyll, is very similar to our blood and, when consumed, it helps us to oxygenate and breathe life into every cell. Pretty cool, huh? Chlorophyll is also extremely cleansing and detoxifying.

Here are some other high vibrational foods for you to try:

1. Tree Fruits – try apples, pears, bananas, coconuts, avocados, nectarines, peaches, plums, apricots, oranges, lemons, limes, mangos, pomegranates, blueberries, cherries, and olives.

2. Non-green veggies

3. Raw Cacao – chocolate in its pure form has over 1,200 phytonutrients. It contains nutrients like magnesium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, copper, and manganese. It also contains phenylethylamine, which are the feel good characteristics, and theobromine which dilates the cardiovascular system to allow all the benefits to come in.

4. Goji Berries – packed with antioxidants, which can help minimize free radical damage to our cells.

5. Cultured and Fermented Foods –a great source of probiotics, which will help your digestion stay on track.

I firmly believe in the old saying, “You are what you eat.” Junk in = feeling like junk, and rich, living, nutrient-dense food = much happier body and mind.

Don’t just take my word for it. We’ve all tried the junk in, junk out experiment, so don’t you think it’s time to rock your body and mind with some fresh and fabulous food? By eating food that vibrates at a higher frequency, we increase our life-force energy and feel more radiant inside and out.

Filed Under: Body, Healthy Eats Tagged With: chocolate, greens, mood, probiotics

Frozen Banana Bites

June 24, 2015 by Joni Leave a Comment

Frozen Banana Bites

Most of us buy bananas. Inevitably a couple of the bananas get past their prime before we get around to eating them. In my waste not-want not way I’m always on the prowl to figure out how to use my icky bananas.

There is always the time-tested banana bread, freezing them in thirds for quick smoothie add ins or my new favorite is chocolate covered frozen bites.

Frozen Banana Bites
Dairy free frozen treat. Quick and simple frozen banana bites are great to make with kids!

 

These little bits of frozen goodness are quick, easy and fun to make. I’ve made these with my nieces before and they loved it – so get some kids in on the kitchen magic action too!

 Frozen Banana Bites

 Ingredients

2 ripe bananas (I like them to have brown spots all over them – makes them sweeter!)

1/4 to 1/3 cup vegan chocolate chips

1/4 to 1/3 cup natural peanut butter (Not a fan of peanut butter? Just replace the peanut butter with ¼ cup of coconut oil. Works great too!)

Unsweetened coconut flakes (optional)

 Directions

  1. Line a baking sheet or plate with parchment paper. Doesn’t matter what you use – just make sure it’ll fit in the freezer later.
  2. Cut your bananas into chunks. I don’t like mine too thick, but do whatever floats your boat. Rule of thumb – a large banana yields 8-10 chunks for me. Some like 5-6 per banana. Up to you!
  3. In a small sauce pan, heat the peanut butter and chocolate chips on low heat until really smooth. You can use the microwave for about a minute, but please use a glass bowl.
  4. Now the fun part! Dip the banana pieces in the chocolate-peanut butter mixture. I use a fork to drain them off a bit and lay them on the parchment paper. Leave a little space between them. Note: If you have left over mixture, spoon it on the tops for even more yummy goodness!
  5. This is optional, but we like to sprinkle coconut on top. Dresses them up and adds some flavor.
  6. Transfer to the freezer for about an hour so they harden. They aren’t frozen through yet (that will take 24 hours), but you can now put them in a container to keep in the freezer.

Once they’re frozen, you will swear you are gobbling down a chocolate covered vanilla ice cream ball. For real! Enjoy!

Filed Under: Healthy Eats Tagged With: banana, chocolate, dairy free, dessert, featured, recipe

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