Monday 28 June 2010

Beat the World Cup blues

An economist on Sky news today was saying that a short-term dip in the UK economy could be expected following our world cup loss given the depressive effect on the population! It sounded a bit OTT to me but I'm not a footie fanatic, so if you're feeling sad at our football failure or are just having a bad day what can you eat to help lift your spirit?

Have a banana - bananas contain tryptophan, an amino acid (protein) used in the body to produce serotonin, a mood enhancing neurotransmitter. It is also found in avocados, cottage cheese, pulses, fish and meat. Several different mood lifting neurotransmitters are made from different amino acids, so it's good to have some lean protein with every meal.

Eat your Bs - b vitamins are used in manufacturing mood lifting neurotransmitters in the body so eating sources of B vits such as wholegrains, fish, eggs and green leafy veg may help keep you on an even keel.

Eat some wholegrain carbs - when your blood sugar drops so does your mood so eating regularly can help avoid mood swings and if you're feeling blue skip the sugar and refined carbs that can set you on a blood sugar rollercoaster and instead comfort yourself with some wholemeal toast or mashed new potatoes.

Keep your fats healthy - omega 3 and 6 fats found in oily fish, nuts and seeds are both involved in brain function and your brain is 60 per cent fat so eating the right fats is very important for brain health and mental balance.

Consider supplements - if you're having a particularly tough time you may have a higher than normal need for some of these nutrients so may benefit from supplementing. Your nutritional therapist can advise you on the best ones to take.

Try and avoid drowning your sorrows - alcohol can be a depressive so if you drink when you're feeling down you may find yourself feeling even more blue.

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