How Food Can Affect Your Mood
Blog post by Janet Perry, Certified Holistic Nutritional Consultant & Metabolic Balance Coach
Did you know that what you eat directly impacts your mood?
Have you ever heard of Serotonin? It’s a chemical our nerve cells produce, and is often referred to as the happy hormone. It’s a neurotransmitter which sends messages between nerve cells. It plays a role in mood, emotions, appetite, and digestion. Research has linked low serotonin levels to mood disorders, and it may play a role in depression. It’s also a precursor to melatonin, so is involved in regulating our sleep-wake cycles.
90 - 95% of our serotonin is made in our gut. This means that what we’re eating doesn’t just affect our physical body, it also affects our mood and our sleep patterns.
One way you can help your body produce serotonin is by eating foods that contain the essential amino acid tryptophan. We can’t make tryptophan in our bodies, so it must be obtained through food.
Tryptophan is found in foods that contain protein. While meat is often a key source of protein for many people, there are also vegetarian and vegan options. Some food sources which may help boost your serotonin include: eggs (don’t skip the yolk!), turkey and chicken, salmon, tuna, nuts and seeds, oatmeal, tofu.
If you’re going to focus on eating more protein, you want to ensure it has a high biological value. Biological value is a measure of the proportion of protein converted from food which becomes incorporated into the proteins in your body. When a protein contains all of the essential amino acids in the right proportion, it has a high biological value.
As well as determining which foods will provide your body with the vitamins and minerals it needs, Metabolic Balance figures out which proteins are best for you based on your blood’s biochemistry.
Some other non-food related activities to boost your serotonin include getting regular exercise, incorporating meditation into your daily wellness routine, have a massage, get out in the sun, go for a Reiki session, enjoy a walk in nature.
Make healthy food choices, stay hydrated, and don’t let what you eat affect your mood any longer!
If you would like to learn more about nutrition, weight loss, or Metabolic Balance, you can book a consult with Janet here.
