Healthy diet is not only a good option for maintaining a healthy weight & body, it can also be a mood booster. Depending on your choice of food you can control your depression level too. As per an article published in the Nutritional Neuro science journal in 2015, if you really want to focus on your food for treating your depression then firstly, reduce the consumption of prepackaged food products & processed foods.
Avocado:
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Avocado is a kind of superfood, from keeping your heart healthy to improving digestive system to improving your mood, it can do wonders. Avocado is known as a natural balancer of hormones, which can produce the right hormone for our mood. Avocado is one of the best options to make you feel happy.
Nuts:
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According to experts, consuming almost 1 ounce of mixed nuts (almonds, walnuts etc.) can be a good mood booster. Nuts are rich suppliers of healthy fat, protein & fiber. You just need to keep an eye on the calories that you are getting. Nuts such as almonds or walnuts, are a rich source of omega 3 fatty acids, which have various long term usefulness.
Tea:
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Consuming black tea could also lower your stress level. In a study two groups of people were created. The first group was asked to consume almost 4 cups of black tea regularly and continue that for 6 weeks. The second group was asked to consume something else. After the term of the study was over, it was found that the people who had consumed black tea felt more relaxed and had less stress hormones like cortisol, after going through the same stressful condition. On the other hand, chamomile tea is known as a stress reliever from ancient ages.
Fish:
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Having fatty oily fish like rainbow trout, tuna, sardines, salmon & mussels will provide you with one of the major mood boosting agents, omega 3s. Omega 3s can modify brain chemicals like serotonin as well as dopamine. If you are having low levels of serotonin then you can suffer from depression, show aggressive and suicidal tendencies.
Chocolate:
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According to the study done by Nestlé Research Center in Switzerland, consuming 1.4 ounces of dark chocolate regularly for almost a couple of weeks is able to lower your stress hormones, which includes cortisol also. As per experts, this can happen because of the presence of antioxidants in chocolate. However make sure you are keeping your eyes on the calories too, otherwise you can end up putting on some extra kilos.
Whole Grains:
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Whether in the form of oatmeal or quinoa or even brown rice or as a whole grain food like pasta and bread, we are always concerned about genuine carbohydrates, whether all the nutrients are not completely drained out. Carbs are able to instigate our body to manufacture chemicals like serotonin, which is popularly known as happiness hormone. However if your source of serotoninis complex carbs then your blood sugar levels can also get stabilized.
Sesame Seeds:
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Sesame seeds are a great supplier of tyrosine, which can enhance the level of dopamine and improves the level of feel god hormone in high quantities by stabilizing out the others too. Dopamine levels of the brain gets boosted by the amino acids present in the sesame seeds.
Fruits & Vegetables (And Other Whole Foods):
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Having too much sweet dishes, high fat containing food products, fried food products, refined grains etc. can make your feel stressed & depressed. However on the other hand, fruits and veggies which are rich suppliers of antioxidants, fishes that are rich in omega 3 fatty acids reduce your depression level. Products like dark green veggies, citrus, beans are rich supplier of folate, which can leave a good impact on our mood.
Fermented Foods:
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A recent study has shown that diets which promote healthy levels of good intestinal microbiota can have a positive influence on mental health as well. Sauerkraut, tempeh, kombucha , kimchi and certain yogurts that are good suppliers of probiotics are good for your mental health.
Coconut:
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As per a study conducted by Columbia University, people who inhaled coconut perfume, experienced speedy blood pressure recovery. The experts have figured out, that breathing a nice smell can increase attentiveness,causes a calming reaction to anxiety or stress. It has been found that the scent of coconut can lower your anxiety levels by slowing down your heart rate.
