Winter Blues?
Winter blues?
Consider what you are eating.
If you are feeling a little blah these days, here is an easy way to beat the winter blues and even fight depression.
Depression has many causes. It could be triggered by an event or circumstances that aren’t going your way. It could be loneliness. It could be due to a lack of vitamin D and sunshine this time of year.
What it really it comes down to is brain health. Your brain needs certain nutrients to improve your mood. This is ties back to what you are eating.
Your Microbiome
Your microbiome, the trillions of microorganisms living in your gut, eat what you eat. They break down your food and make molecules that can alter the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that boosts mood. In order to have enough good mood neurotransmitters, like serotonin, eat to feed the good bacteria in your gut. Feed the good gut bacteria healthy fruits, vegetables, fish, unprocessed grass-fed or free-range proteins, healthy fats, and they will flourish and produce feel good neurotransmitters. If you eat sugar-laden, processed and refined foods that lack essential nutrients, the bad bacteria flourishes and they do not produce what your body and brain needs to function optimally.
Eat good, feel good
A 2017 study[1] showed that after 12 weeks, people who improved their diets had significantly happier moods than the control group who only increased their social engagement with others. Many other similar studies confirm this finding.
The standard American diet of highly refined, processed, and nutrient-lacking foods make you not only feel physically worse but also mentally.
Colorful, nutrient-dense, whole, real-foods help you feel good physically AND mentally. Food plays a significant role in how the brain functions.
So, if you are feeling the winter blues, consider what you are eating. And, hang in there – spring is around the corner!