Feeling Blue? Try These Healthy Foods To Give You A Boost

I have a touch of the flu tonight so I am recycling one of my all time favorite posts. Instead of regaling you with all the tales of my aches and pains I am sharing with you this post that I hope gives your spirit a lift when you need it.

Food, food, glorious food! I love to eat and am having so much fun learning just how important our diets are to every aspect of our lives-including helping to boost our spirits. It is wonderful to have information on health and diet so we can feel more in control of our lives and be our best inside and out. After reading this you will have no more excuses to be cranky, got it?!

We've all had those days when we feel down and don't know why or we just need a pick me up (actually we have had those days when we are outright terrors if the truth be told). These healthy food choices will actually help to rev your engine and chase those blues away. Hello sunshine!

**Try Some Dessert- Yes! You read that right, try some dessert! Sugar soothes us when we're feeling stressed out ( I know that to be true and will take full advantage). But before you binge on a pan of brownies, cookies and candy, know that a little sugar may soothe you, but too much will wreak havoc with your blood sugar. So, as always moderation is the key here.

**Beans -Like most legumes, beans are rich in iron. If you're low on iron like many active people are--you can be tired and have trouble sleeping, which as we all know can make you cranky, cranky, cranky. Beans are great thrown in salads, over white rice, in a tortilla with salsa, in chili and soups.

**Bananas-Stress and the lack of magnesium are so closely related that it is a good idea for those who lead an active life to add foods rich in magnesium, such as bananas to their diet. Increasing the intake of magnesium reduces anxiety and makes for better sleeping.

**Oranges-Two glasses of fresh orange juice are enough to help say goodbye to some nervousness, bad moods and depression; lack of vitamin C, can make you irritable and cranky.

**Chocolate-Hurrah! Hurrah! Now I know it cannot get any better than this! Some experts believe that like many other foods sweet and rich in carbohydrates, chocolate can have a soothing effect; others, however, consider that the caffeine and other substances contained in chocolate could act as stimulants. I don't care why, I am just so glad to hear it! Ahem, moderation here though, again.

**Spinach and Lentils-Both Lentils and spinach are full of folate, a B vitamin that you need to make the serotonin that makes you feel good. Folate is strong enough to ease clinical depression, say researchers and low levels of folate have been linked to depression. A cup of cooked lentils provides 90% of the recommended daily allowance of folic acid-so try some lentil soup and be happy and healthy. Also, you could add frozen spinach and make a low-fat spinach dip, have a nice spinach salad or use on sandwiches instead of lettuce. More food tips here, and here.
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**Walnuts- Are a great source of omega 3 fatty acids-a type of fat that's needed for brain cells and mood-lifting . Also been shown to relieve mild depression. I love to eat walnuts as a snack but they are also delicious on salads.

**Salmon-Salmon is also rich in omega fatty acids and canned Salmon with bones contains vitamin D which has been linked to possibly increasing our levels of serotonin- one of the key neurotransmitters influencing our mood.

I found this recipe Warm Lentil Salad with Walnuts and Goats' Cheese on delia.com. You could use spinach salad, add walnuts and lentils and hopefully you and your guests will be feeling great.

I am going to start having more walnuts, oranges and bananas for snacks and incorporate spinach and lentils into my diet. Don't worry, I already have the desserts and chocolate covered. To feeling better!

Best,

Heidi

19 comments:

  1. Actually that picture of the dogs in banana costumes just made my day!!! Are they yours? So funny! Great info...I think I will have some chocolate!

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  2. Great food tips! I will say this: I do feel better when I am eating the right foods...and I am lucky that, for the most part, I eat right...except when I cheat.

    peace,
    mike
    livelife365

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  3. Ever looking for alternatives to antidepressants, as well as excuses to eat chocolate, I love this list. Thanks!

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  4. The banana dogs are yummy...

    Just kidding...:))

    Where do you find the picture?

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  5. great list of yummy foods! all my faves are here ;)

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  6. Something must be going around because I've got some kind of crud trying to go full blown, but I'm trying to nip it in the bud!

    Thanks for the great info - I LOVE salmon!

    Hope you're feeling better :)
    Rocki

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  7. Great tips Heidi. I always feel happier when I eat healthy. I hope you feel better soon.
    Cheers -
    Robin

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  8. Hi Heidi,
    Thanks for the kind words about my site and for being a great networking pal. I really enjoy your site and wish I could have added it to the other sites I mentioned in my post. But I did do a whole video about your site, remember? Speaking of vids, please check out my funny music video, "I Miss My Hair," when you get a chance.

    peace,
    mike
    livelife365

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  9. Hope you are feeling better Heidi!!!

    I love goats cheese and walnuts so the salad sounds great...
    If we eat right we feel well, works every time! I know this to be true but don't always do it...

    Cheers

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  10. Hi Heidi..I have not been by in awhile popping in to say hello, sorry to hear that you are under the weather. I loved the pic of the banana dogs :-). Great post as usual. Feel better soon.

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  11. I just had a strawberry shake (and not the healthy kind, either!!) and it made me sooooo happy! I know I'm going to pay for it with a good run on the treadmill later! But in the meantime, MMMMMMM!!
    Tomorrow, back to nuts and berries! ;)

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  12. Ah HealthNUT I love this post.. I love alll these things! Especially salmon thank you, thank you I fell happier already.

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  13. Heidi, hope you feel better soon!

    As always, you do a great job of reminding us of all the yummy healthy foods that can keep us in tip-top shape. :-)

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  14. You never really think about how foods can truly affect you physically and emotionally. Often times, they're just fuel for our bodies. Thanks for the tips on how this fuel can be even more useful with the right foods!

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  15. Thank you for this post! I know what it is like to suffer from depression especially after having two babies in less than two years. This list will be very useful for me. I'll have to try the recipe as well. One thing that I usually do when I am feeling blue is eat a chocolate bar and watch The Princess Bride. Thanks for the tips, Heidi!

    Cascia @ Healthy Moms

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  16. Got to agree with you on the bananas Heidi. They're healthy, tasty and make me full of energy.

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  17. Great tips. Anytime someone says chocolate is ok it makes me smile. I do feel better when I eat healthy, but like most I have a sweet tooth and have to indulge once in while.

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  18. Wow, great... I am really happy to know about these healthy foods. So, From now onwards, I am going to add them in my daily food.....Thanks a lot for this great info.

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