How To Boost Your Mood
We have five days remaining of the school holidays and I am feeling caught between ‘sad that the kids are heading back’ and a ‘little excited about how productive I will be once they are back at school’. However, wavering between these two states seems to have produced a severe drop in my mood.
Today they are with their grandparents and I find myself left feeling demotivated and flat, to say the least. 🙁
When I’m feeling like this I find I have this little voice inside my head screaming out for my favourite comfort foods, usually chocolate, chocolate and then some more chocolate. I know that this is only a short-term fix and is usually a result of two different subconscious thoughts; one being, ‘I’m an adult, I don’t care, and I can have whatever I want’, and the other being, ‘I remember how these foods made me feel when I was younger, and I want to go back there!’
However, today I have merely eight hours until my kiddies return and in that time I want to be super productive and I also want to be in a great mood to welcome them home… so wallowing in this state will not do!
After a little research, this is what I discovered and what I’m going to do to boost my mood!
Step 1. Crank up the uplifting music
iTunes has heaps of ‘stations’ that cover your favourite eras, music styles, and my personal favourite at the moment – Charting Now – it makes me feel like a cool mum. 😉
Step 2. Steer clear of the junk food fixes!
Repeat after me: “I will not stuff my face with food that will only make me feel worse after the short term fix!”
Step 3. Take 30 minutes out to move your body
It’s pretty hot here at the moment so I intend on staying inside and dancing to help shift my mood from glum to happy!
Step 4. Prep some delicious mood-boosting treats to set me on the right path
Fortunately, I have a heap of pre-cut veggies in the fridge and a few of my favourite dips on hand to snack on. I also plan on getting a little creative with the following foods that I found during my research are the best mood-boosting foods.
Check them out!
Bananas
Bananas are rich in magnesium which is calming and stress reducing. They are also rich in a range of vitamins and minerals, carbohydrates, natural sugars, and potassium. All of which help your circulatory system deliver oxygen to the brain.
Avocados
Avocados are full of the healthy fats that you need on a plant-based diet. They are also rich in tryptophan, vitamin B, and folic acid. This essential combination helps the body turn the tryptophan into serotonin which naturally makes you feel good. Avocados also contain protein, potassium, magnesium, vitamin E and vitamin K.
Cacao
Cacao is the good version of chocolate as it’s an unprocessed form that does not contain any sugar or dairy. It also contains no caffeine and has the highest antioxidant levels of any food. Plus it has high amounts of tryptophan, serotonin, and phenylethylamine which are all ‘feel good’ hormones.
I was really pleased to discover this as I have a batch of Karen’s Chocolate Hummus in my fridge that will be perfect later this afternoon on some strawberries!
Chia Seeds
Chia Seeds are packed full of essential fatty acids including omega 3 and 6 which have huge benefits for the nervous system, improving mood, concentration and fighting depression. They also contain heaps of fiber, which helps to stabilise blood sugar levels, and as a result improves mood.
Citrus Fruits
Citrus fruits including oranges, lemons, and grapefruit provide a quick burst of Vitamin C that helps pump oxygen around your body and to your brain. Vitamin C also helps your body absorb iron which is an essential mineral for fighting fatigue.
Walnuts
Walnuts are rich in omega 3 fatty acids and magnesium which boosts serotonin. They also help to regulate your blood sugar levels and will assist in alleviating mood swings! #Winning
Of course there are many other foods that help to boost your mood including dark leafy green vegetables, but in the essence of authenticity, I will declare that it is highly unlikely I will be reaching for kale today. Having said that, I’m pretty sure I can make the above list of mood-boosting foods work well in my favour.
Look at that! My mood is picking up already. 🙂
