Most people don’t know, but what you eat can play a huge role in your mood, your happiness, and how you feel.
Certain foods can increase or decrease feelings of anxiety, worry and even depression & sadness.
And this is because foods interact and control your hormones, neurotransmitters, and other chemicals in your body that can cause you to feel more happiness and joy … or stress, mood changes and depressive feelings.
So today I’m going to quickly discuss the 3 best types of foods that will help make you happier, and improve your mood – while reducing feelings of stress, worry, and depressive feelings.
What’s important to note is that you want to “combine” these types of foods together and eat them daily because you’ll get a “synergistic” positive effect, which will make big improvements, quickly.
And at the end of this article, I’ll also reveal one of my favorite and most effective “all-in-one” solutions …
Foods That Reduce Cortisol & Stress
Cortisol is your body’s primary “stress” hormone. When this goes up, a lot of your positive hormones go down.
You get irritated quickly, you have blood sugar highs and lows, and it causes sleep problems and insomnia.
Foods that lower cortisol are citrus foods that contain high amounts of Vitamin C… such as Papayas, oranges, Kiwi, pineapples and strawberries.
Also vegetables such as Kale, Brussels Sprouts, Red bell peppers and Broccoli are also high in Vit. C.
Additionally, omega-3 fatty acids are good at reducing cortisol. Salmon, hemp oil, flax seeds, and walnuts are highest in Omega-3 fatty acids.
Lastly, you can take natural herbs & vitamins that help lower stress hormones.
Foods That Increase Dopamine
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter in your brain and it is associated with the “pleasure system”.
The higher your dopamine levels and the better your dopamine receptor sensitivity is, the happier you are…
You’re more driven and excited about life. You feel more enjoyment in daily activities.
Unfortunately as you age, dopamine levels decrease, as does your “sensitivity” to it.
This can lead to memory loss and mood changes.
One thing you want to do to increase dopamine is eat foods high in the amino acid – L-Tyrosine, which is needed to produce dopamine.
Foods highest in L-Tyrosine are:
- Fava beans
- Duck
- Chicken
- Oatmeal,
- Edamame
- Dark chocolate
- Seaweed
- Wheat germ
Additionally, eating foods high in Omega-3 fatty acids, specifically the DHA — helps increase dopamine. As mentioned earlier, fatty fish such as Salmon and also walnuts are the best.
Lastly, you can increase dopamine levels by taking specific herbs.
Foods That Increase Serotonin Levels
Serotonin is sometimes called the “happy hormone”, even though it’s not a hormone. It’s a chemical that helps improve your mood and sleep.
It also reduces hunger and sugar cravings.
Higher serotonin is also linked to living longer.
One of the main types of foods that increase serotonin is our favorite type of food, which is carbohydrates.
Of course, not all carbs are good for you and the insulin/sugar spikes will actually cause mood fluctuations.
You want “clean” carbohydrates such as white rice, yams/sweet potatoes and fruit.
You can also have small amounts of oatmeal and whole grains.
Whole eggs, nuts, and seeds are also good.
Eating some Turkey is good because it contains higher amounts of L-Tryptophan, which helps boost serotonin.
And once again, Omega 3 fatty acids also help improve serotonin. So make sure you eat some fatty fish such as salmon and sardines, as well as walnuts.
Lastly, there are specific herbs that help increase serotonin levels naturally.
Summary
Remember, you want to increase your dopamine and serotonin levels, while also reducing your cortisol at the same time.
THIS is when you get the biggest, long-lasting benefits.
Now under this article, I want you to click the link about an all-in-one solution, that can quickly help “erase” your worry, anxious and depressive feelings.
So in summary, make sure you get
- Eat omega-3 fats – such as fish oils and walnuts
- Healthy carbohydrates – such as white rice, yams/sweet potatoes and fruit.
- Protein – such as salmon, eggs and turkey
Lastly, there are specific herbs that help optimize both serotonin and dopamine levels, to help improve your mood, while reducing feelings of worry, anxiety and sadness.