5 healthy eating tips to boost your mood and energy levels

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Do you rarely feel rested or in a good mood lately? Several physical or mental health reasons could be the culprit, but a balanced diet with all the nutrients you need is vital in feeling full of energy. On the other hand, a lack of specific micronutrients or eating highly processed foods very often could be why you feel tired! If you consistently feel tired, please let your doctor know as soon as possible.

In addition to your nutrient intake, your dietary habits are so important for your energy levels because foods and drinks can affect:

• Your quality of sleep
• The production of “happiness hormones”
• Your hydration levels

Here are five healthy eating tips to boost your mood and help you feel vitalized:

1. Eat more fruit and vegetables with soluble fibre

Fibre is the part of the carbohydrates that passes directly to your large intestine. Soluble fibre is a type of fibre that your gut bacteria digests to produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Research has repeatedly shown that your body needs SCFAs to produce and keep mood-boosting hormones and chemicals (like serotonin and dopamine) at healthy levels .

In other words, soluble fibre foods can help you to produce more happiness hormones and improve your mood. The gut-brain axis, which is how your gut health is connected to your brain function, is currently an exciting research topic.

You can find plenty of soluble fibre in oats, bananas, beetroot, peeled pears and apples, carrots, butternut squash, mangos and swedes.

2. Consume more foods with probiotics

Probiotics are beneficial live bacteria in foods that support your gut health. Having foods with probiotics may improve your mood and mental clarity. The link between probiotics and brain health is another part of the gut-brain axis that is under research .

You can find probiotics in plain/ Greek yoghurt and fermented foods (fermented cabbage, tofu, tempeh, kefir, kimchi, natto, miso, and combucha).

3. A couple of healthy snacks throughout the day can improve your energy levels.

Have you noticed you are very tired between meals or you cannot always have a long lunch break? A healthy snack can boost your mood and maintain your energy levels until your next meal.

• Choose a snack with a lean protein source (e.g. low-fat cheese and plain yoghurt, a turkey slice, reduced-fat hummus, ready-to-eat edamame beans) and a source of fibre (e.g. fruit, a slice of wholewheat bread). Protein and fibre will keep you full and energized for longer.
• A small piece of dark chocolate or a snack made with unsweetened cocoa powder may also boost your mood! In January 2022, a randomized controlled trial among young adults showed that dark chocolate with 85% cocoa powder could support your gut flora and maybe improve the function of the gut-brain axis !

4. Eat homemade balanced meals often to improve your energy levels

Here are two reasons enjoying homemade meals more often can help you to feel vitalized:

• You can add more vegetables and ingredients with healthy fats for better sleep. Bad sleep quality can reduce your energy levels during the day and increase stress levels. The National Health Survey of the middle-aged population showed that a diet high in pulses, fruit, vegetables, lean protein foods and healthy fats could help you sleep better. You can find healthy fats in oily fish, olive oil, nuts and seeds. A Mediterranean- style diet, also rich in legumes, vegetables and seafood, can help you sleep for longer .
• Your body has a difficulty removing some unhealthy substances found in processed meats and deep-fried ready foods. This is why you may feel more tired after a takeaway dinner than after a homemade meal .

5. Drink more water and less sugary & caffeinated drinks

It can be easy to forget to drink water throughout the day, especially if you are working full-time. Needing water is a usual reason your energy levels become suddenly low .

Here is a trap to avoid: Drinking plenty of caffeinated drinks is not the same as drinking water, even if you do not add sugar to your coffee. Having more than 300 mg of caffeine daily can increase your stress levels and gradually reduce your sleep quality. In turn, your energy levels will be lower if you are not sleeping well. To break this vicious cycle that may lower your mood. Stick to 2 cups of coffee per day and avoid caffeinated drinks after 5 pm. Also, recent research among adolescents and university students showed that drinking sugary drinks often can cause sleep disruptions .

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5 healthy eating tips to boost your mood and energy levels

Description

Healthy eating tips to boost your mood and your energy levels throughout the year!

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Maria Tikka ANutr