The ultimate Key to alleviate STRESS

Good Mood Foods

Vitamin B 6; avocados, baked potatoes with skin, bananas, chickpeas and yellow fin tuna as stress depletes B 6, which helps produce serotonin, a calming neurotransmitter.

• Recommendations for Stress
• Good Mood Foods

Vitamin B 12; clams, fat-free milk and plain yogurt, salmon and sardines as B-12 helps to form GABA, a calming neurotransmitter.

Folate; asparagus, chickpeas, lentils, oatmeal and orange juice as folic acid helps to make dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure.

Magnesium; almonds, amaranth, spinach, sunflower seeds, tofu and wild rice as stress depletes magnesium, which stimulates the production of GABA and helps make dopamine.

Vitamin C; broccoli, brussels sprouts, orange juice, strawberries, red and green peppers  boost your immune system and fights brain cell damage resulting from constant exposure to cortisol.

There is no such thing as the perfect “chill pill,” but these "Good Mood Foods" contain body boosting nutrients that help soothe stressed out nerves.  As you enjoy the newfound energy that the above recommendations may give you, remember that when it comes to controlling emotions, “how you eat is just as important as what you eat!"  Part of this process comes down to two words, "being mindful."  We often forget this during the times we are swept up in stress.

So if opportunity presents itself, at your next meal, don't rush quick bites over the kitchen sink, in the car or in front of the television, light some candles, put on music that lifts your mood, sit down to enjoy your food and savor the taste of each forkful, eating slowly.  Remember the brain takes 20 minutes to sense it is full.  Also, "pay attention to why and what you are eating."  You could truly be hungry, but make sure it is not just a case of stress, loneliness, boredom or anxiety. Make a ritual out of eating mindfully, and you will have a new tool for staying calm and balanced.