OPTIMISM

I've got alot, alot of stress in my life just now and have had for some time. I really believe if I wasn't in this line of work I'd have gone under by now. I work hard at positivity, goal setting, saying "I can" instead of "I can't" and looking after my body, mind and soul with regular doses of TLC. It works.

Have you ever noticed how really difficult it is to feel optimistic when you're tired and lacking in energy and how different foods can help balance things significantly. Ever wondered why you get that dreadful energy slump mid to late afternoon? Look back; could it be the low- in- nutrients lunch you ate a few hours before? And what do hangovers do to your optimism levels? I can't really remember what a hangover feels like but can remember struggling big time the day after one (my halo is clear for everyone to see!).

Food affects mood, and energy levels, definitely. Every morsel you put between your lips has a direct correlation to how you're going to feel later.My children are a good example of this; if they eat sweets they are on a high for twenty minutes, but then (and this is when it's time to take cover) they crash and burn and I have to pick up the pieces. Life is not good at this point. Their negativity increases, they are less productive, have less concentration skills and lower energy levels.

What happens here usually with an adult is that they'll reach for more of the stuff that's created this state in the first place and so these peaks and troughs continue.

Food affects mood, I repeat,for lots of scientific reasons which I won't bore you with but ultimately the aim of the game is to BALANCE BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS. Eating low Glycaemic Index foods helps with this; these are foods that release their energy slowly avoiding those peaks and troughs, and wholegrain carbohydrates are helpful here.

They allow for the absorption of tryptophan, which is a mood boosting amino acid found in foods such as turkey, beef,fish,eggs, milk and cheese, brown rice and nuts, and in turn to make the feel-good brian chemical seretonin.

So one of the ways to success is to cut out all refined carbohydrates ie. the white ones - white rice, white bread, white pasta etc.(very little nutritional value) in favour of the wholgrain,'brown' variety.

The top ten foods to help boost your happy hormones are :
sunflower seeds, dark chocolate (yes, there is a reason to live!), prawns and other seafood, oats, apricots,oily fish, brewers yeast, cottage cheese,turkey, and eggs. Give them a try see how you feel.

In summary, next time you're down in the dumps and your glass is always half empty, take a look at your diet. Revise it using the tips above and you're sure to feel better.

Oh and the odd glass of wine won't hurt either, just as long as it IS just the odd glass. Hangovers are pants in anyones book, aren't they?

And one last thing, to improve things even further EAT RIGHT FOR YOUR TYPE by following the METABOLIC TYPING DIET. See previous blogs for details, or contact me.

Today's tip : start a food diary and record everything that passes your lips, liquid or solid (and cigarettes). Take a look at the end of each day, and aim to improve the day after. After all tomorrow is another day!
RX