Most people will probably agree that one of their goals in life is to be happy. However, what many people do not realize is that being in a good mood is relatively easy to achieve. Unlike the complex psychological needs of your mind, the physiological needs for your body are relatively simple. Under normal circumstances, your body is typically just concerned with having healthy energy throughout the day. Failure to keep your body properly energized results in things such as bad mood, mood swings, and depression.
Your eating habits play a major role in the quality, consistency, and endurance of your energy throughout the day. Here are some eating habits to be careful with:
Skipping Breakfast –
A number of studies have shown that skipping breakfast before starting work or school can lay the groundwork for a bad day. Your brain needs to maintain healthy levels of serotonin, a chemical which is believed to be directly linked to good mood. In order to produce serotonin, eat foods that are high in protein and tryptophan. Turkey, fish, chicken, cottage cheese, nuts, cheese, eggs, and beans all contain generous levels of tryptophan. The best prebiotic supplement will restore the level of nutrition in the body for effective functioning. The ingredients should be herbal so that no side-effects will be provided. The reaction with the body will be checked through the doctors before taking the products. The charges will be favorable for the person to get the effective results.
Relying on Shortcuts –
Avoid relying too much on shortcuts that provide quick energy boosts such as sugary snacks, caffeine and energy drinks. Think of these options as you might view buying things on credit where you “buy now and pay [more] later”. The key to good mood is having steady energy throughout the day. Having sharp increases and decreases in energy are characteristic of mood swings
and depression. Including healthy amounts of fiber in your diet will help your body release energy in a more consistent way throughout the day.
Dehydration –
Coffee for breakfast, alcohol for brunch in the sun, and not enough water are a recipe for trouble. A recent study published in the journal of nutrition, showed that dehydration negatively affects your mood. Although this study only focused on women, the study’s co-author Harris Lieberman, Ph.D, believes that it also affects men as well. Wellness advocates often recommend that you drink between eight and twelve 8oz glasses of water per day. However, if you currently are not drinking anywhere near that and find the goal a bit daunting, start with baby steps. Aim for an extra 8oz glass than what you are currently drinking and consider increasing the amount after 30 consecutive days of sticking to the regimen. Psychologists say that it takes 30-days to pick up a new habit, so use that as a rough starting point.
Lack of Sunlight/Vitamin D –
Not enough sun can be just as bad as too much sun. Your body requires sunlight in order to product vitamin D. Lack of sunlight is often associated with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and is informally referred to as the winter blues. A number of light therapy products exist which aim to mimic some of the UV light spectrum that is naturally provided by the sun. Alternatively, you can also take a Vitamin D supplement.
Lack of Sleep –
You generally need about 8-hrs of quality sleep in order to have the right amount of energy to last throughout the day. However, it is important to point out that being in bed for 8-hrs is not a reliable indicator that you actually had sufficient sleep. A number of devices and cellphone apps exist that can help give you a rough idea of how much sleep you are actually getting. I mention a few of those in my previous article, How to Lose Weight with Technology.
If you found this article useful or having any useful tips to share, please leave a comment. I welcome your feedback.
