Foods to Put a Smile on Your Face

With most alternative medicine, the best remedy is the most natural one. Consumers often also like those remedies that are both efficient and easy on the bank account. Both of those qualities are usually hard to find in conventional medicine but because diet is now being shown to have a lot to do with helping to diagnose and regulate a variety of conditions, more merit is being given to diet-based solutions. Even though it is already February and Spring seems just around the corner, the groundhog just predicted six more weeks of winter and with many cases of seasonal affective disorder—also known as SAD—occurring in winter, here are some foods that are designed to lift your mood.

Popcorn—No wonder the smell of popcorn enahnces the enjoyment of sticky floors and large screen; experts say that air-popped popcorn is a type of whole grain that is good for boosting the mood. With the ban on carbohydrates in many diets in the past decade, there have been many grumpy meat-eaters walking the streets. Author of Why Women Need Chocolate: How to Get the Body You Want by Eating the Foods You Crave, nutritionist Debra Waterhouse says, “Carb-rich foods, like whole grains, stimulate the release of the brain chemical serotonin, which regulates appetite and improves mood, food cravings, and sleep.” Inventors of fad diets may not have been aware of the brain-stimulation carbs give off or else they might have included a little bit more in their breakthrough diet regimens.

Bananas—By eating them whole or adding them to your cereal, smoothie, or fruit salad, bananas should be a staple of a healthy diet. Bananas are chock full of B6, the vitamin that helps the brain make serotonin. Also full of potassium, vitamin C, and fiber, bananas are the most abundant and most popular tropical fruit consumed today.

Water—To some people this addition to the list may seem odd, to others it may seem obvious, but water is one of the most important nutrients your body needs. Doctors say drinking six to eight glasses of water a day should keep you healthy while other studies say you can get away with drinking less and still be able to keep your body running smoothly. Dehydration is a huge problem because even the smallest cases have been known to cause fatigue, short-term memory problems, headaches, moodiness, and poor concentration. Stay hydrated to stay happy but keep in mind that experts say plain water is best over popular flavored, hybrid, or sparkling waters.

Salmon—Regardless of the mercury-laden trends going on in the fish world, especially hitting the salmon market, this pink and silver freshwater fish is still very relevant as a health food. Salmon are full of omega-3s, fatty acids that many believe can prevent cancer among other serious diseases. Studies have shown that people who eat a lot of fatty fish like salmon have a lower occurrence of memory loss and depression. A recommended serving from the American Heart Association is two portions of wild salmon per week for optimum results.

Spinach—Mothers often say to eat your greens and spinach is one never to be ignored. Not always a favorite among kids and certainly not one of my own favorites, this leafy dark green has a great source of folate. Folate is a type of vitamin B, like the B6 in bananas, that helps produce serotonin that calms the brain and sends happiness signals coursing through your body. Now I think we know the reason Popeye always wore that big grin.

As a complement to conventional medicine’s answer to depression or a string of bad moods, consuming some or all of these foods may just bring a smile back to your face. If you are prone to dark days or just want more happy ones, you can find all of these healthy alternatives at your grocery store or farmer’s market, and one of them even comes right out of your tap so continue to stimulate your brain and put some money back in your pocket at the same time.