If you want to feel your best and do your best thinking, you have to give your brain and body high-quality nutrition. Certain foods offer an abundance of bliss-enhancing nutrients that can help you feel more relaxed and lift your mood, naturally. Here are just 5 of my favorites:
1. Sugar-Free Dark Chocolate: Cacao beans—used to make chocolate—contain hundreds of blissful, health-promoting properties that support a positive mood, the natural ability to focus, and a healthy cardiovascular system. One such property is a phenylethylamine (PEA), a natural chemical released by your brain when falling in love.
2. Raw Spinach: Dark leafy greens such as raw spinach, chard and kale are full of magnesium, an essential nutrient that encourages mind/body relaxation, decreased pain, better sleep, and so much more. Substitute raw spinach anywhere you would use lettuce for an instant bliss-boost!
3. Lean, High-Quality Protein: Protein satiates, helps balance blood sugar and provides the necessary building blocks for brain health. Eating a little bit of high-quality protein multiple times per day will help your brain produce dopamine, a feel-good neurotransmitter involved in pleasure, focus and motivation.
4. Walnuts: Reminiscent of tiny brains, walnuts are the perfect on-the-go brain food! They are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, an essential nutrient that supports healthy brain cell membranes. Research has shown that omega-3 fatty acids are wonderful for supporting a positive mood, the ability to get a good night’s sleep, a healthy memory, and so much more.
5. Saffron: Ancient cultures around the world have cherished saffron for centuries and have cultivated it for use as a culinary spice, digestion aid and mood-boosting aphrodisiac. This vibrant-hued spice is known as the most expensive in the world—for good reason. New research suggests that saffron may support healthy levels of serotonin in the brain, a neurotransmitter that contributes to feelings of happiness and well-being.
