What to eat at times of lower mood, anxiety or sadness..

Often when you are feeling anxious or struggling with low mood the last thing you want to do/feel deserving of is nourishing your body with food that help to uplift you but the connection with the mind and gut is very very strong. By altering our way of eating during these times or being mindful of what we consume can be really beneficial to our mental and physical health. Going out and buying foods that will support and nourish your body in these times can be really helpful in breaking the cycles you may be stuck in, to help you feel more grounded and help you to have a more positive outlook on life so you can start healing the root causes of why you might be feeling that way. Below are some recommendations of food groups, vitamins and minerals that can help support your body and collectively improve our mental health.

Foods to be aware of and reduce..

~Refined and artificial sugars.

~High GI carbs such as white bread, potatoes, pasta, products made from refined flour.

~Fried foods.

~Bad fats such as trans fats and omega 6 fats like seed oils.

~Stimulants such as caffeine, alcohol, nicotine etc.

Foods to include more of..

~Fibre can help with calming down the brain and bodies inflammatory response.

Found in- beans, brown rice, berries, potato skins, bran, pears, bananas, apples, broccoli, carrots, almonds, walnuts, oats, amaranth, buckwheat, pearl barley.

~Omega 3 helps to lower stress levels, combat inflammation in the body therefore reduce anxiety and is amazing for brain health.

Found in- Fish, salmon, mackerel tuna, sardines, chai seeds, walnuts, flax seeds (balance out your omega 6 to 3 ratio by removing any seed oils in your diet) My favourite high quality omega 3 supplements are Wild Nutrition and Bare Biology

~Probiotics and fermented foods these enhance healthy gut function and decrease anxiety and improving cognitive function.

Found in- Yogurt with actives cultures, tempeh, miso, sauerkraut, kefir, kimchi, kombucha, Apple cider vinegar

~Prebiotic provide food for probiotics to feed upon and help stimulate the growth of the health bacteria.

Found in- Beans, oats, bananas, berries, garlic, leeks, grains low GI carbs- brown rice, quinoa, chai, oats.

~Vitamin D people who suffer from lower mental health and anxiety often suffer from low vitamin D levels. Vitamin D is really important for brain health.

Found in- Egg yoke, sunlight, sun dried mushrooms, salmon.

~Magnesium can be associated with levels of anxiety. When we are stressed we actually excrete higher levels of magnesium from our body. Magnesium can ease the stress response, changing levels of harmful stress chemicals in the brain. It also is known to relax muscles in your body.

Found in- Pumpkin seeds, chai seeds, almonds, leafy greens, citrus fruits, cacao. Also epson salts baths, magnesium creams are beneficial.

~Potassium low levels of these can lead to an increase of anxiety.

Found in- swiss chard, cooked spinach, avocado, sweet potatoes, white beans, bok choy, salmon.

~Selenium helps to improves your mood by decreasing inflammation in the body, its an antioxidant so protects cells from damage.

Found in- brazil nuts, seafood, organ meats (you can take grass fed liver supplements) eggs, spinach, cacao.

~Healthy fats - monounsaturated fats - olive oil, nuts, nut butter, avocados

~Minerals- iron, zinc are other ones to be mindful of. (adding a squeeze of lemon on veggies helps to increase the absorption of iron.

~Medicinal mushrooms - Different mushrooms work in different ways and have different properties but they all provide antioxidants, are anti inflammatory and support mood regulation. Explore reishi, lions mane and cordyceps.

I hope this allows you to find some peace in times that can feel really challenging to navigate x