The truth is, we have all experienced days where we have felt down in the dumps and unfortunately, a way to fix that in today’s world is to pop a pill. Studies show that antidepressants are one of the three most common prescription drugs that Americans take. We have seen at our Caring Medical office increasing numbers of people resorting to antidepressants due to the current issues with social isolation, job insecurity, and fear of getting sick. While antidepressants may help mitigate depression, they do come with their own set of side effects.
Did you know that you can boost your mood naturally? Yep, you heard that right! The food that you put into your body influences how you feel physically and mentally. More research has been done on the connection between nutrition and mental health. Many factors affect mood, including stress, environment, genetics, poor sleep, mood disorders, as well as nutritional deficiencies or imbalances.
Antidepressant medications do not just “make you feel happy.” They work primarily by boosting serotonin levels in the brain which can make you feel less anxious and more energetic. We encourage you to consume foods that have been shown to improve overall brain health and avoid foods (or so-called foods) that worsen brain health and mood.
We are going to give you two scenarios… You are looking for a quick snack to munch on during a break at work. You could, (A) eat a bag of Flaming Hot Cheetos followed by a Mountain Dew or (B) eat a cup of Greek yogurt topped with mixed berries and almonds. We know that Hot Cheetos and Mountain Dew sound like an easier, quicker option but let us look at the benefits your body receives from each choice.
Option A: Hot Cheetos, like many other junk foods, contain artificial food coloring which is linked to aggression and mental disorders. They also contain, MSG which is a major contributor to high blood pressure, obesity, and other adverse reactions, including migraines, and lastly, trans-fats, which can result in increased risk of heart disease. What this means is after eating Hot Cheetos, you will experience a high, then a crash from the excitatory chemicals found within this quick snack, leaving you feeling unsatisfied with a headache, feeling foggy and/or some GI rumblings or worse!
Option B: Greek yogurt itself has a ton of benefits. First and foremost, it is high in protein. It will not only help promote fullness but will give you a boost in energy, leaving you feeling full, satisfied, and less anxious. When topping your Greek yogurt with berries and almonds, you are providing your body with antioxidants and Magnesium – making your brain and heart happy as can be!
We can only speak for ourselves, but Option B sounds like a much better choice! Not only do you want to make healthier choices that are good for you physically, but you also want to choose foods that benefit you mentally.
Other Good Mood Food Options: Banana and cottage cheese, nuts/seeds, particularly almonds, walnuts, chia, or pumpkin seeds, edamame, berries, citrus fruits, eggs, cheese, hummus with veggies, dark leafy greens, fatty fish, such as salmon or sardines, turkey slices, and avocado.
We encourage you to rid your household of products such as the items we describe in Option A. They have no place in a healthy lifestyle and can cause serious health problems, especially related to mental health, that you want to avoid. The choice is yours – make it a healthy one!