Foods To Lift Your Mood

There is no scientific dispute any longer that what you eat can effect your mood - whether you feel up, or down. Although your food choices may seem based on taste or other conscious criteria, there is evidence that people often make unconscious food choices that change brain chemistry to put them in a better mood. They unwittingly "self-medicate" with food antidepressants. Additionally, chronic depression has been linked to a long term subtle deficiency of certain nutrients that can go unnoticed and uncorrected by the body for long periods. Except for caffeine and sugar, few food substances have been meticulously studied to determine how they manipulate mood. However, it seems clear that food substances effect neurotransmitters, the brains cell communicators. One such neurotransmitter that has been tied to depression, as well as to violence, is serotonin. It is known to lift the mood generally, and dramatically in some people. Many doctors equate low brain serotonin with psychiatric symptoms. Getting more serotonin into the brain, or stimulating serotonin activity, sometimes relieves depression. That's why those with the winter blues often turn to sugar. Winter blues - or S.A.D. (seasonal affective disorder), effects millions. It is caused by a lack of sunlight and people who are depressed in this way tend to crave carbohydrates. Carbohydrates (complex sugars), re-energizes them, and puts them in a better mood. If you get depressed during the cold, long, dark winters, and crave sweets and carbohydrates, the biggest nutrition tip is not to deprive your body of what it craves. If you do, you are likely to sink even lower into the depression. As anyone who uses it knows, caffeine is the most widely used psychoactive drug in the world. It has huge mood lifting powers. Caffeine produces feelings of well-being, sometimes even euphoria, which is probably what makes people want to administer it. Those hooked on caffeine automatically seek to give themselves enough to five them a feeling of contentedness and a reduction in anxiety. Caffeine is also a mild antidepressant, and has proved itself safe over many years. However, care should be applied when consuming caffeine. Excess can wreck your mood, disturb your sleep and trigger anxiety, depending upon your individual tolerance of the drug. Has anyone ever told you that greens are good for your mood? It has been proven that a lack of folic acid can foster psychiatric disorders, particularly in women, including depression but also dementia and schizophrenia. Folic acid is a B vitamin found plentifully in green leafy vegetables. It is also found in heavy concentration in beans and pulses. That folic acid can act as an antidepressant is no secret among nutritionists - it is one of the best nutrition tips anyone who has ever had depression can receive. Eliminating the deficiency often cures the depression. Low levels of folic acid in the brain cause levels of serotonin to sink. A dose of 200 - 500 micrograms of folic acid a day may well help fight depression in susceptible people. This amount is easily obtainable from a varied diet, and since high doses of folic acid are toxic, caution is advised when self medicating. Our fore-fathers knew these invaluable nutrition tips by instinct. They viewed optimum nutrition as insurance against future illness. Food is awesome in its ability to effect our well-being, and as a result, the quality of our lives. Creating a personal aerobics exercise program to supplement your health regime is very beneficial to most people. Your choices must satisfy you both mentally as well as physically. Individual tastes must be taken into account if the regime is likely to be a success, and long-lasting. There are a number of health tips which you will find invaluable in making your decision as to which exercise routine suits your needs, and can be incorporated into your daily life. Walking is excellent for general health, and is probably the best choice for people who have been inactive for many years. It is convenient, inexpensive and easy. Health tips for walkers include measuring your walk by time, not by mileage, and to challenge yourself but don't overdo it. Walk comfortably and naturally, maintaining good posture following your natural gait. Walking requires no equipment apart from a good pair of walking shoes. People who walk for exercise have the lowest drop out rate of all. Jogging is excellent for weight control and cardiovascular conditioning. Many people love to jog, but joggers must guard against injury. Jogging stresses both knees and ankles. Tips include to begin slowly, monitor your intensity level and never run "through the pain". Get a good pair of running shoes which provide support and shock absorbtion. Wear loose and comfortably fitting clothes. Measure your progress by the time you spend jogging, rather than the distance covered. Water based exercises are easy for most people, and a gentle way to get back into the habit of exercising. Water walking is a good aerobic activity and is tremendously rehabilitating. The buoyancy of the water allows you to move your arms and legs in a controlled fashion, thus reducing orthopedic concerns. Pool aerobics gives a good cardiovascular workout by using water as the medium of resistance during twenty to thirty minutes of continuous and rhythmic exercise. Swimming is also a great choice for aerobic conditioning. You don't have to be a great swimmer in order to get a good workout. The strengthening and toning benefits of lap swimming are well documented. Health tips include varying your strokes to work all of the major muscle groups in the body, and investing in good quality eye goggles for comfort and relief from chlorine. Also, consider using ear-plugs, especially if you are prone to ear infections, or if water in your ears bothers you. As with most of these aerobic exercises, the best health tip of all is to start slowly, and built up your intensity over time. Whichever aerobics regime you select; implementing the health tips will ensure that you gain all the benefits of the exercise, in a safe manner. You will enhance your life, and health, while doing something you enjoy - the best health tip of all! SEO Solutions and one way link publicity services provided by LinkAcquire. David C Skul - CEO LinkAcquire.com and Relativity, Inc. can provide global market exposure and solutions