FEELING LIKE GRINCH THIS HOLIDAY SEASON? 5 FOODS THAT CAN BOOST YOUR MOOD AND HELP YOUR “INNER SANTA

If you’re finding yourself feeling more like “Mr. Grinch” this Holiday Season, like you’d rather just skip Christmas all together... then try adding these 5 food selections into your routine to boost your mood and help your “Inner Santa” shine through!

1) EAT YOUR GREENS: Dark leafy greens are rich in both Vitamin C and Magnesium, both of which are important to help convert the amino acids tryptophan and tyrosine into the neurotransmitters that help make us feel happier (serotonin and dopamine). So add some dark leafy greens like spinach, collard greens, Kale and swiss chard into your salads and side dishes.

2) EAT FOODS RICH IN B VITAMINS: When we aren’t getting an adequate source of B vitamins our mood can be negatively affected. So add some nuts, seeds, brown rice, oats and dark green vegetables into your meal planning to help boost your mood.

3) CASHEWS AND OTHER NUTS AND SEEDS: Cashews are one of the highest natural sources of tryptophan, almonds are a great source of zinc (a nutrient important for maintaining a balanced mood) and flax seed, chia seed, hemp seed, pumpkin seeds and walnuts are all great mood-boosting omega-3 sources. So incorporate some into your daily snack selections or add to your favourite salad to help boost your mood.

4) ENJOY SOME WILD FISH: Adding more wild fish into your routine will help provide more of the much needed mood-boosting omega-3 fatty acids. We should all be aiming for 3 servings of wild fatty fish per week so add some salmon or rainbow trout into your routine to help boost your mood.

5) DON’T FORGET THE FRESH FRUIT: Blueberries are rich in vitamins, phytonutrients and antioxidants to help reduce stress and boost your mood. Bananas are rich in Vitmamin B6, tryptophan, iron, potassium, magnesium, fiber and they help to regulate blood sugar. So add more fresh fruits into your routine to help boost your mood; enjoy them whole or sliced over a bowl of oatmeal or yogurt to help boost your mood.