Skip to main content

5 Mood Boosting Foods to Beat the Winter Blues


Our stress levels tend to skyrocket around holiday time.  And the dark and gloomy weather doesn't help, either. So we often turn to fatty and sugary foods for comfort. But just as our food choices will make it hard to fit those skinny cords, what we eat can also impact our mood—for better and for worse.

So Everything She Wants asked Theresa Creamer, a registered dietician at the Montefiore-Einstein Center for Cancer Care in New York City, for advice on how to beat the winter blahs with 5 nutrient-packed foods.

Salmon: Fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, herring and sardines are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are thought to have a positive effect on mood swings and feelings of depression. They also help reduce inflammation and the risk of developing heart disease.

Eggs: During the winter, we tend to hibernate and bundle up. So we make less vitamin D—“the sunshine vitamin”--because we have less exposure to the sun.  That's why getting it from foods becomes even more important. Egg yolk is a great source of vitamin D, which can also be found in oily fish (salmon, herring and sardines) and fortified milk. Adequate vitamin D intake may be associated with various mood-related states including SAD, PMS and depression.

Spinach: Dark, leafy greens are high in folate and magnesium, which are both linked to serotonin production, a neurotransmitter that may affect brain functioning related to sleep, memory and mood. Not only will it potentially lift your spirits--increased serotonin levels may help you ward off winter weight gain by controlling your appetite.

Almonds: Almonds are high in magnesium and the amino acid tyrosine, and both may affect the production of mood influencing chemicals in the brain.

Dark Chocolate: Depriving yourself of sweet treats can make you grumpy, so indulging in chocolate—in moderation, of course—will give you a boost. Yay! But skip the milk chocolate and opt for dark chocolate, which is rich in antioxidants and may activate pleasure pathways in the brain.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Giveaway: Thank Your Friends with Merci Chocolates!

National Friendship Day was August 4, 2013, but Everything She Wants has decided to continue the celebration with a giveaway from merci fine European chocolates . While some friendships are for a season or a reason, other friendships are built to last a lifetime.  I’m fortunate to have two best friends: Cindy, whom I’ve known since junior high school and Deanna, who started out as my amusing intern.  Besides my mother and my husband, these girlfriends are my greatest confidants.  They’re like the sisters I never had and we’ve supported each other through personal trials and triumphs. So what better way to say ‘thank you’ to your friends than with merci chocolates?  One lucky reader will win a ‘Friendship Kit’  that you can either keep to reward yourself for being such a great friend or share with a deserving comrade. The kit includes: $25 Target gift card (yay!) 7 ounce box of merci chocolates A picture frame to display a photo of you a...

Conway Discount Clothing Chain Closing in New York City

(Tracy E. Hopkins) It's the end of a budget shopping era. Conway discount stores are closing in New York City . As of this weekend, a sign on the sole Herald Square location (34th Street btwn 7th and 8th Ave) says the store will close in "7 Days." Before I relocated to the Big Apple, I was introduced to the discount chain while on a bus trip from Baltimore.  I recall the first time I saw Conway's signature pink bags carried by hurried shoppers in midtown. And Miss Foster, the trip organizer and a bargain hunter from way back, took me to the store for the first time. Conway store in the Fulton Mall./Tracy E. Hopkins When I moved here in 1994, my love affair with Conway continued.  I furnished my first apartment with discount knick-knacks and home goods from the store.  And much to my chagrin, in hindsight, I curated most of my wardrobe for my first full-time job from the long-shuttered 42nd Street and Third Avenue store. One regretful ensemble: Lime green and...

DanceAfrica 2024 Returns to Brooklyn Academy of Music

The DanceAfrica Bazaar is one of my favorite annual street fairs. I love to watch folks show up and show out in their flyest Afrocentric garb and to shop for handmade beaded bracelets and earrings from the African vendors.  And when I'm fortunate enough to snag a ticket as I did this year courtesy of BAM, I enjoy watching the kinetic African dancers (this time the country featured is Cameroon) during the spirited and spirit-filled DanceAfrica performance at the Howard Gilman Opera House.   (Photos courtesy of BAM/Tony Turner) If you want to join in the fun, here's the weekend lineup that's truly for the culture. DanceAfrica 2024:  The Origin of Communities / A Calabash of Cultures Artistic Director Abdel R. Salaam DanceAfrica Spirit Walkers, Women Of The Calabash, The Billie's Youth Arts Academy Dance Ensemble, and Siren – Protectors of The Rainforest Fri, May 24 at 7:30pm; Sat, May 25 at 2pm & 7pm; Sun, May 26 at 3pm BAM Howard Gilman Opera House   (Pe...