A new year always seems to bring us the energy to hope more, grow more, and quite simply, be more. For me, there is nothing more empowering than the promise of a new beginning, second chances, or a fresh opportunity to do life better. And when we combine this energy with food, we can make ourselves, and the world, a much better place.
“Using food first” to power the body and mind are words I live by and now science is giving the food a platform to stand on. The latest emerging research is exploring the impact of food on the brain, and on our mental health status. Science is examining the various components of our diet and finding connections between food with an optimal nutritional profile and healthier and happier brains.
Perhaps one of the most significant connections is the gut-brain connection, and this second brain, our enteric nervous system, plays a significant role in our level of stress, feelings of anxiety, and overall happiness. Communicating to our brain through neurotransmitters, it is central to our release of hormones and there is a lot going on in there. An estimated 90% of our body’s serotonin and half of the body’s dopamine can be found in our gut and is impacted by food.
Research tells us certain foods can impact these happiness hormones, decreasing stress, anxiety, as well as, more complex mental health issues, including depression and PTSD. The body reacts to food-all of it; our cells, our neurotransmitters, and when we put the right food in our bodies it helps to optimize our overall functioning and produce a whole lot of happiness.
“The better the food, the better the mood,” Better food makes for happier people, and happier people are more likely to share joy, do more, and make the world a better place. In fact, certain foods can be linked not only to happiness but also to the greater good and the desire to create more meaning and purpose in our lives.
Because so much of what we feel originates in the gut, nourishing the seat of our emotions with high quality, unprocessed, and when possible, organic food is the best way to begin to make things happen. High fiber foods like whole grains, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables all provide our gut microbiome with what we need to promote a healthy landscape for nutrient absorption and neurotransmitter production.
High protein foods, like lean meats, chicken, turkey and eggs have amino acids that help our body create dopamine. Turkey works double duty because it also contains tryptophan that act as precursor to serotonin, giving us more of what we need to feel good. Since our body cannot produce tryptophan we need to get it through dietary choices and including plant based options such as spinach, broccoli, mushrooms, bananas, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds.
Omega-3 foods are also on the must have list for happiness, as they help to regulate serotonin in the brain and decrease inflammation. Some of my favorites are the fatty fishes, including salmon, tuna, or sardines. Flaxseeds, ground or whole, help to boost our mood and have the added benefits of protein and fiber. Among the esteemed are walnuts, one of the only tree nuts with the Omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid, (ALA) also have calcium, which can help women regulate hormone imbalances.
Dark berries, with anthocyanins, ellagic acid and resveratrol, are a powerhouse for neurotransmitter production and help to protect our brain from oxidative stress. But I think the real nutritional winner is dark chocolate, and not only because it is chocolate, which is never a bad thing. Also containing magnesium and flavonoids it can stabilize mood, decrease depression, and make us feel much, much, calmer and more centered, which is a place we are all looking to be.
This year when you are starting anew and looking for ways to enrich your life, do yourself and the world a favor, and take a look at food first. Change your diet by adding whole, clean power foods, everyone will be much better off. Believe in the power of food my friends, it really matters!
