Good Mood Food

Nutritional psychiatry is a relatively new field that leads the discourse surrounding how food affects your mood. Here's an intro!

Today, we'll talk specifically about serotonin, a neurotransmitter that affects sleep, appetite, mood, and pain. When we think about this hormone, we tend to think of the brain and how it affects our mood. However, did you know that over ninety percent of our serotonin is actually produced in the gastrointestinal tract? Your digestive tract is lined with cells that secrete the hormone, as well as those to which serotonin attaches.

Why are we telling you this? Low serotonin levels may lead to depression, low energy levels, irritability, reduced libido, and increased anxiety, among many other mood-related aspects. Since such an important hormone originates from the gut, we should take good care in protecting and supporting it. One of the main culprits of inflammation is SUGAR. When we eat sugar, it triggers inflammation in our gut, which then compromises the production of serotonin. Following low levels of this neurotransmitter, are the sugar cravings that most of us have experienced all too well. So, this is how this vicious cycle arises.

How can we improve our gut health, and in turn, our mood? We encourage a healthy lifestyle free of refined sugar, highly-processed foods, hydrogenated fats, and lab-made food additives. Of course, each individual is different and sensitive to other ingredients. We strive to include as many whole foods as possible, along with probiotic-rich foods that can help improve gut health.

good mood foods

• whole foods - avoid packaged or processed foods

• high-fiber diet

• probiotic-rich foods

• lean protein

• omega-3-rich foods

• colorful selection of fruits and vegetables - eat the rainbow!

• eliminate white sugar

sugar alternatives

• Eat fruit to get a naturally sweet taste.

• Eat sweet vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, carrots and squash.

• Drink seltzer or water with a little juice instead of soda.

• Bake your own desserts and treats using natural sweeteners.

• Eat more grains, chewing well to release their natural sweetness.

Do you have salt cravings more so than you have sugar cravings? That may be linked to a deeper underlying issue. Let’s chat about your food cravings and how you think your mood changes with your diet, and we'll get you started on your own meal plan ASAP!