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Improve Your Mood!
By Sarika Arora, MD
Feeling sluggish or irritable? You can feel significantly better through some simple adjustments to your diet and lifestyle. First, take a look at your menu plan – transfats (found in any processed foods) and saturated fats (found in foods like butter, cheese, and red meat) are both associated with bad mood. Instead, load your diet with more fresh whole foods, including greens, vegetables and fruits, as well as healthful gluten-free grains such as quinoa, millet, and amaranth.
Next, balance your blood sugar by eating small servings every 3 hours to prevent blood sugar highs (sluggishness) and lows (jitters and irritability). Stick to healthful snacks when you need a boost. Walnuts are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, which are thought to be mood-boosters, and amaranth popcorn is high in serotonin (the feel-good hormone). Top it with cinnamon to help naturally stabilize your blood sugar!
The next target is caffeine – a classic case where less is more. In these days of hot weather where you’re apt to rely on lots of iced coffee drinks to get through the day, allow yourself two coffee servings, max. More than 200 mg of caffeine a day can increase dependence and irritability. Reach instead for an iced (or hot) green tea – a refreshing source of antioxidants and Epigalloccatechin Gallate (EGCG), a substance that helps speed up metabolism and detoxify the body.
Of course, sleep plays a huge role in how we feel. We’re reading more about the role technology plays in our sleep patterns, and none of the news is good. Power down your laptop two hours before you want to be asleep, and lock the cell phone in a drawer! Those dark night-time hours are fleeting; the emails and voice mails will still be there when you wake up.
Sarika Arora, MD
Sarika Arora MD, Glenn Rothfeld MD,
and Beth Galan NP are currently accepting new patients
The Rothfeld Center for Integrative Medicine
Plymouth Arlington
781.641.1901
www.rothfeldcenter.com
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