The colder months are approaching and with that our days are becoming shorter and darker. The less sun we get, the worse we tend to feel. Many of us suffer from seasonal affective disorder and become very sad, lethargic and borderline depressed because we don’t get enough sun and our body struggles to produce enough serotonin, otherwise known as the happiness hormone. Apart from that, during the winter month our body also struggles with the production of melatonin, a hormone wich helps us regulate our sleep and can affect our mood too. All in all, a lot of people end up feeling tired and moody during the colder season. However there are simple easy steps you can take to improve that. Let’s start with eating the right foods, which can help to boost your mood on a cold day.
1. Saffron
According to psychiatrists this plant has an antidepressant effect. Doctors have conducted a study on patients in the psychiatric ward, giving them 15 g of saffron or placebo daily for two months. Three-quarters of people taking saffron reported an increase in their “emotional well-being” compared with participants in the placebo group. Researchers believe that the effect of saffron is similar to that of Prozac – it increases the concentration of serotonin in the brain.
2. Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds are rich in tryptophan, an amino acid that helps your body produce serotonin. It’s definitely a good snack to have to boost your mood. It’s best to eat them raw, this way you’ll get all the nutrients and vitamins from them. However, when they’re fried, or included as an ingredient in nut butters and nut mixes – they’ll do more harm than good for your body.
3. Dark Chocolate
Not only does chocolate contain tryptophan, which we’ve established is good for you, but chocolate also contributes to the synthesis of endorphin in your body, which will definitely make you feel happier. Dark chocolate is also rich in vitamin B, magnesium and caffeine – all of which help you feel more energetic and cheerful. The important thing is to eat chocolate that contains at least 70% of raw cocoa – a source of nutrients, otherwise it’s a just a high calorie sweet treat that will likely have a bigger effect on your waistline rather than your mood.
from Her Beauty https://ift.tt/2NNubrh
via Entertainment News
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