Good Foods = Good Moods: The Top 5 Mood Boosting Foods
By Lindsey Smith

Let’s face it—we all know that eating healthy and incorporating fruits and vegetables into our diet can make a huge difference in our overall health. From personal experience over overcoming childhood anxiety, I have seen firsthand the impact of going from a processed filled, sugary diet to a more whole foods diet can make on not only health, but one’s mental state as well.

Mostly all fruits and vegetables have specific nutrient properties to help balance the body and give your body the boost it needs. However, there are certain foods have more mood boosting properties than others.

Here are the top 5 mood-boosting foods that will enhance your mood and make you feel good:

Leafy Green Veggies (like Kale, Spinach, Collards): Greens are the number one missing food from the American diet. Adding greens can help boost your mood and lift depression.

Dark Chocolate: Aside from the taste and sexy feeling dark chocolate embodies, this chocolate also contains Phenylethylamine, which is a feel-good endorphin often released in the brain when people fall in love. You will not only feel more connected with yourself, but also more loving and affectionate towards others.

Walnuts: Walnuts along with most other nuts contain L-Arginine, an amino acid that improves blood circulation. This can help make head feel clear and can enhance your confidence level.

Blueberries: This fruit not only helps your skin appear more youthful and radiant, but it also contains dopamine, which is a stimulatory neurotransmitter that helps control the brain's reward and pleasure centers.

Pumpkin Seeds: These seeds contain tryptophan, which is an amino acid that helps your brain produce the stress reducing hormone serotonin. This will help make you feel more calm and relaxed.

Lindsey Smith is a health coach and author of Junk Foods & Junk Moods: Stop Craving and Start Living! For more information or to purchase a book, visit www.FoodMoodGirl.com.

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