The Happiness Diet: What Foods Can Perk You Up?

Doctors have long acknowledged that there is a strong correlation between the food that you eat and the way that you feel. Diet and nutrition is a vital part of improving your mental wellness and wellbeing, and this link between food and mood can have far-reaching consequences.

 

Your body produces a hormone called serotonin, which is known as the ‘happy hormone’ as it boosts your mood. There are certain foods that boost the body’s production of this hormone, and you should aim to include these in your diet as much as possible.

 

An amino acid called tryptophan is converted by the body into serotonin, and this can only be obtained through food supplements. Serotonin then works with noradrenalin and dopamine to help to improve mood, reduce stress and promote relaxation.

 

Studies have also found that foods with high levels of vitamin B12 and magnesium also help to trigger the ‘feel good’ sensation in the body by releasing those all-important chemicals.

 

Cottage cheese is actually one of the best foods to eat if you want to improve your mood. It may not seem very appealing, but it is absolutely loaded with tryptophan. This can be especially beneficial for women suffering from PMT, as the tryptophan (and resulting serotonin) has been proved to reduce aggression in women who are premenstrual, and can also reduce mood swings, irritability and tension.

 

Spinach is another surprising candidate. It has high levels of magnesium, making it a great food to help ward of feelings of depression, anxiety and fatigue. It protects the brain from ammonia and helps to relax the blood vessels, too.

 

You also now have a cast-iron excuse to order the lobster next time you are out for dinner, as Shellfish are packed with the vitamin B12, which is great for reducing obsessive-compulsive behaviour and helping to beat sleeplessness or feelings of aggression.

Categories: body, diet, Food, Happiness, high levels, mood, nbsp, Serotonin, vitamin B12

Free Your Mind from Stress and Strain with a Scalp Massage

In these days of busy work schedules and trying technology, taking care of your emotional health has never been more important. The idea of lying down amidst the candles, aromatherapy and plinky-plunky music while having your stress massaged right out of your back may be appealing to every sense of your wellbeing, but many people find that a good scalp massage is also enough to ease away those worries and make you feel wonderful, and at half the price!

 

In fact, scalp massages are recommended by doctors to ease your stress, enhance your blood circulation and uplift your mood. Imagine fingertips massaging your scalp in soft, circular motions, gently releasing tension and helping you relax, and you feel better already. Scalp massages stimulate the nerves in your scalp that release tension, as well as improving your blood flow and relieving any pain you may be feeling. This is no new phenomenon or wellness fad: scalp massages have been used in Ayurveda for over 5000 years to ease pain and tensions.

 

Here are just some of the reasons why you might benefit from a scalp massage:

 

1. Happy hormones – According to the National Centre for Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the USA, scalp massages increase your body’s production of serotonin and endorphins, which help you feel better and happier.

 

2. Better blood flow – Not only do scalp massages improve circulation to your head, neck and shoulders, but this helps to provide relief from muscle pain and aches.

 

3. No more migraines – Scalp massages dilate the capillaries in your head, which is why it improves blood circulation, but this also serves to provide relief from the nagging pain of headaches and migraines. Plus, your migraine will also benefit from your increase in happy hormones, as migraines are caused by reduced serotonin levels.

 

4. Working on work pains – When you sit for long hours at the same desk, hunched over a computer, you can give yourself a really stiff neck and shoulders. However, a good scalp masseur will give some much-needed attention to your aching neck and shoulder muscles.

 

5. Healthier hair – In Ayurvedic scalp massages, coconut, olive and aromatic oils are used which do wonders for your hair follicles, offering you deep conditioning and making the roots stronger.

Categories: blood circulation, blood flow, migraines, provide relief, Scalp Massage, scalp massages, Serotonin, Stress