Day 2. Nutrition
Hopefully you are all feeling a little spring in your step today after your 20 minutes+ of exercise that you promised to do. If not…you probably didn’t do your homework did you! Either that or you are a Spurs fan.
Remember, the purpose of this series is to make a number of small changes that increase our levels of joy. Making the right food choices takes no time at all. Get this one right and you are well on your way to being one of those nutters that is constantly happy.
Much like exercise, the foods we eat have a huge influence on our brain chemistry.
We’ve all experienced the high that result from ironing out a whole tub of ben and Jerrys (phish food for your reference), the preceding dopamine hit and proceding sugar rush, but the effects are short lived and lead us in to a spiral of happiness peaks and troughs. A rollercoaster that most people have come to accept as ‘normal’ throughout their day. But there is a better way.
What we are really looking to achieve is a consistent ‘moderate to high’ feeling of wellness. We can obtain this by increasing the volume of ‘Nutrient dense’ foods and decreasing the volume of comfort/junk foods.
Nutrient dense foods not only great for pretty much every function of the body, but have been shown to facilitate the release of a hormone called seretonin, the so called ‘hapiness’ hormone, regulate mood, increase brain function, banish anxiety, and alleviate depression. Not to mention keep your energy levels stable throughout the day.
In recent years, researchers have suggested increasing the levels of the following 9 nutrients to boost levels of happiness;
1. Omega-3 fatty acids
Our brain needs fats to function properly. Not any old fat will do. It turns out our brain is made up of 60% fat, mostly in the form of an Omega 3 fat called DHA.
Its job is to support brain function (through cellular communication), and when present in high enough levels, increases our feeling of well being. On the flip side, low levels of DHA can lead to feelings of anxiety and depression.
The scary part- It’s estimated that over 80% of us are lacking enough Omega 3 to support our brains optimally!
Where to find it-
- Fish- Opt for oily fish like salmon, mackerel, and sardines. (Note: wild versions are far higher in Omega 3 than their farmed counterparts)
- Walnuts- Raw
- Flaxseed- Ground and refrigerated (oil becomes rancid fairly quickly otherwise)
- Chia seeds
- Spinach
- Chromium
Often used as a part of the treatment to help fight depression, this trace mineral plays an important role in increasing the brains levels of serotonin, melatonin and norepinephrine to help regulate mood and emotion.
Where to find it-
- Broccoli
- Free range eggs
- Grass fed beef
- Potatoes and Sweet potatoes
- Turkey breast
- Iron
Iron plays a critical role in transferring oxygen around the body and as a result is crucial for energy production, muscle function and DNA synthesis. Low levels of iron can lead to feelings of apathy, irritability, anxiety, fatigue, and depression. Iron anaemia (an iron deficiency) is particularly frequent in females, adolescents and the elderly.
Where to find it-
- Spinach
- Squash and pumpkin seeds
- Chicken liver
- Oysters
- Cashew, pine and hazelnuts
4. Magnesium
Needed for over 300 mechanisms in the body, magnesium plays a pretty important role in keeping you on form. Sadly, most of us aren’t getting enough of it! Magnesium deficiency is an epidemic in the western world effecting upwards of 75% of us. Low levels of this mineral manifest in feelings of depression, nervousness anxiety and fatigue. So it’s pretty damn important we take down so more.
Where to find it-
- Raw Spinach
- Mackerel
- Soya beans
- Brown rice
- Avocados
5. Zinc
Zinc pays a huge role in modulation our brains response to stress. The highest level of zinc used by our body is in the hippocampus, the part of our brain responsible for regulating mood and emotion. Along with a whole host of physical symptoms, a zinc deficiency can lead to behavioural abnormalities, such as irritability, lethargy, and depression. All of which can typically be corrected with and increase in dietary zinc or supplementation.
Where to find it-
- Grass fed beef
- Lamb
- Seafood
- Cashews
- Chickpeas
6. Vitamin D
Vitamin D is one of the more unique vitamins as your body can actually manufacture it by getting regular exposure to the sun (more on that next week). Seeing as there is zero of that around I’ll tell you where to find it in your diet.
Where to find it-
- Cod liver oil
- Oily fish
- Mushrooms
- Eggs
- Fortified milk
7. Vitamins B12 (and B6)
If you’ve been flagging a bit lately, it could be that you’re not getting enough B12. Along with vitamin B6 it’s known to help boost your levels of alertness and energy. What’s more B12 helps reduce symptoms of ‘Brain fog’ as well as stave off alzheimers and dementia.
Where to find it-
- Shellfish
- Liver
- Mackerel
- Tofu
- Fortified cereal
8. Folate
Folate (or vitamin B9) helps form new cells responsible for serotonin regulation. Serotonin helps the brain in a number of ways including boosting mood, and sexual function as well as regulating appetite and social behaviors. A deficiency in this little bugger has been shown to lead to fatigue, apathy and depression.
Where to find it-
- Asparagus
- Broccolli
- Citrus fruits
- Dark leafy greens
Action points for day 2-
- Repeat yesterdays action point of 20 minutes’ exercise.
- I want you to try and spend the next 9 days eating foods only from the lists mentioned above. It’s easier than you think. There is plenty there to work with. If a couple of other snacks creep in, no worries, life gets in the way sometimes. Just give it a crack.
If you got this far, thanks for reading! That makes me happy anyway. See you tomorrow for day 3-Sleep.
Much love. CW
