They promote a positive state of mind and help to pull yourself up in the most intense moments. Here are a few snack ideas that make you feel cheerful and full of energy.
Anxiety, agitation, and bad mood don’t let you alone? The most natural way to stay away from it in the most intense moments and feel better is to focus on a healthy and balanced diet.
In challenging moments, to adapt, the body increases the production of cortisol. This stress hormone, in turn, can influence the benefits of the well-being hormones that give feelings of joy and happiness, including serotonin and endorphins.
To counter the problem, nutrition can help. In fact, some foods are a source of nutrients capable of influencing their production and improving emotional well-being.
Here are a few good foods that fight anxiety and bad mood, ideal as anti-stress snacks.
Greek Yogurt with Pecans
Do the rhythms of daily life make you irritable and nervous? Add a tablespoon of pecans to a jar of Greek yogurt. This mix provides tryptophan, an essential amino acid precursor of serotonin, the hormone that regulates mood. It also allows you to stock up on selenium, phosphorus, calcium, and potassium, minerals that relax and soothe tensions. In addition, it ensures glutamic acid, which favors the production of Gaba (an acronym for gamma-aminobutyric acid), the hormone of serenity. The advantages? It modulates the circulating cortisol and consequently helps to stay away from stress and agitation.
Oranges and Dark Chocolate
Oranges are rich minerals, allies of good mood. They provide good amounts of magnesium which reduces the action of cortisol. Combined with some dark chocolate of at least 70% cocoa, they provide a whole series of substances that favor the production of endorphins, neurotransmitters that help you feel full of energy.
Ricotta and Walnuts
Ricotta, together with walnuts, is a good source of essential fatty acids that increase the production of mood neurotransmitters. Thanks to the richness of vitamins B, D, and minerals such as magnesium and potassium, it relaxes the nervous system. Ricotta, in particular, contains tyrosine and tyramine, two essential amino acids precursors of dopamine and adrenaline, neurotransmitters that help you feel energized.
Apple and Kiwi Smoothie
Blend a jar of plain Greek yogurt with a peeled and chopped apple and kiwi. This mix provides glutamic acid precursor of Gaba, the neurohormone of serenity, and tryptophan which favors the synthesis of serotonin. In addition, it ensures antioxidants that help counteract the oxidation of cells, including those of the brain and many fibers that nourish the intestinal microbiota, which is involved in the production of neurotransmitters for well-being.
Rye Bread and Cheese
This combination is ideal for counteracting emotional hunger pangs. It provides complex carbohydrates that provide energy for many hours and high biological value proteins that help you feel full for longer. In addition, it ensures tryptophan and other essential amino acids for the production of neurohormones that regulate mood and help you feel more cheerful and optimistic. Finally, this mix is a source of calcium, a mineral that calms tensions and promotes relaxation.
While we can’t always avoid stress, we can arm ourselves with the right snacks to help us fight anxiety and bad moods. The next time you feel yourself starting to tense up or sense that a stressful episode is on the horizon, reach for one of these anti-stress foods instead of turning to unhealthy habits.
What are your favorite go-to snacks when you need to de-stress? Let me know in the comments below.
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