Food and Depression

Hello Friends,
With Christmas over and the new year right around the corner, many of you may be feeling a bit down. I want to talk to you about food, water and your mood level. I think everyone has heard "You are what you eat," but do you really understand how important food is to overall health?

Take a Bliss Challenge:
This week research for yourself the effects of a healthy diet vs a poor diet. (I will be a resource too, so check back for tomorrows post.) Start a file for your findings and do your best to up your water intake. Include this affirmation in your daily practice: "I nourish myself with water, exercise and healthy food." 
 
Easy right? But the positive impact these actions are going to have on your life are immense. Did you know the type of food you eat can raise or lower your serotonin levels? Serotonin is a chemical in the brain that makes you feel good and can have a lasting effect on how you feel throughout the day.
Serotonin is a natural chemical that is made in the brain from the amino acids tryptophan. The more serotonin - the better you feel. Foods that are high in Omega-3 fatty acids can aid in fighting depression because they helps to raise low serotonin levels and lift your mood. Choosing foods like walnuts, ground flaxseed, cherries, oranges, kiwis, pineapple and fish may help to raise your serotonin. Plus these are delicious foods!

Another key to lifting your mood is drinking more water. When we are dehydrated we do not function well. Thinking becomes foggy, we become moody and our over all performance is impaired. How much water do you really drink in a day? Not coffee, not cola drinks, not juice, not tea, but actual pure water? Make time over the course of this week to write down how much water vs other drinks you are actually ingesting. Also track your mood levels in your Bliss Journal.

Eating better and staying hydrated are simple steps you can take today to feel better. I look forward to exploring this further with you. 

Have a Blissful weekend,
Sarah Parker Thomas, RRMS
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File under #Nutrition #Health #Mood #Depression #Bliss-Challenge