How to Use Food to Boost your Mood

We all deserve to feel truly happy every single day. The truth is that some of us have difficulty sustaining a good mood throughout the day. Chronic unhappy days become bouts of depression, and some people who need hope turn to medications. What if you could rely on food to boost your mood daily?

Nature itself is the best medicine. – Hippocrates

For centuries we have known that food affects our mood and mental health. Imagine this knowledge being applied and the food you eat being your daily medication to sustain a good mood, increased energy, and vibrant health. Eating clean not only helps you gain more energy, release toxins, and release weight, it also allows for mental well-being. A study found that vitamin deficiency causes a decline in mental health which leads to stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, and other psychological disorders. If mental illness runs in your family, it is even more essential to eat healthy for your own well-being and to existing and future DNA.

Tweaks and additions to your diet can make a big difference. Eat whole foods as often as you can. Reducing processed and refined carbohydrates will also improve your mood because you’ll experience more stable blood sugar levels. You’ll be on the road to health and bliss once you understand what vitamins are essential for a good mood, which types of food have these vitamins and then eat these foods consistently. Below you’ll find essential vitamins and foods that boost your mood.

How to Use Food to Boost your Mood Vitamin Reference

Vitamin D

Researchers discovered that Vitamin D plays a KEY role in mental health and depression because it increases serotonin, one of the neurotransmitters responsible for mood. So, skip the Vitamin D pills and get out in the sunshine as often as possible! Most people will immediately go to a supplement, but studies show that real UV Light is the only way the body can produce Vitamin D that it recognizes.

Our favorite health coach and expert, Tyler Tolman, suggests getting in the sun at least 15 minutes a day and don’t use sunscreen. As an alternative, use organic coconut oil for maximum Vitamin D absorbancy. If you’re worried about getting skin cancer, throw out that negative belief. Tyler Tolman says, “A bad diet, sunscreen, and other chemicals on the skin cause skin cancer – not UV Light. UV Light [the sun and tanning beds] simply bring cancer out through the skin.”

If you’re living in a climate that isn’t always sunny or has harsh winters, Tyler suggests going to the tanning bed. Yep, that’s right. “I recommend any solarium with newer bulbs and a stand-up room so you don’t lay down in chemicals,” says Tyler. He continues, “If it’s a 15-minute session go for 10 and you will feel and look great from doing this 2-3x per week.” Tyler lives in Bali so he doesn’t have to worry about going to a tanning bed. But he said if he were in a city for more than a week with low sunlight he would definitely be looking for a tanning bed.

Antioxidants

A published study by the Journal of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine in 1998 found that Antioxidants can help perk up the mood of people affected by anxiety and stress. The 5 foods with the highest levels of antioxidants are:

• Small Red Bean (dried)
• Wild blueberry
• Red kidney bean (dried)
• Pinto bean
• Blueberry (cultivated)

This helpful article shows 20 common foods with the most antioxidants.

“Health requires healthy food.” – Roger Williams

Protein

Your brain’s chemical activation is dependent on the foods you eat.

Believe it or not, protein plays a significant role in keeping your mood and energy level, in check.  Proper protein levels sustain your energy, keep your mood up, and keep you strong.  Next to water, protein makes up most of your body weight. Protein is excellent for your brain as well.  Your brain’s chemical activation is dependent on the foods you eat.  Your brain cells neurotransmitters are made of amino acids which are the building blocks of protein, so it’s a ‘no-brainer’.  And when you eat protein, it raises the levels of another amino acid called tyrosine that help create the mood-boosting chemicals dopamine and norepinephrine.

B Vitamins

Folate and vitamin B12 seem also to be critical mood-boosting vitamins. Studies have shown that low blood levels of these vitamins are sometimes linked to depression. Some scientists believe that the body uses these vitamins to create serotonin, which as we mentioned, is one of the key neurotransmitters that help boost your mood.

Add rich dark leafy green veggies and beans to get more folic acid. Healthy sources for Vitamin B12 include nutritional yeast and plant-based fortified foods. If you discover you are low in B12, you can get B12 Shots from the doctor or use high-absorbency B12 Patches recommended by Matt Monarch, the founder of Raw Food World. While B12 is also present in meats and cheeses, it can be a very toxic and dangerous way to receive this vitamin.

Selenium

A study   1991 showed that with proper amounts of selenium, there was an increase in mood.  The study also showed that if there was a selenium deficiency, the brain is the last place that selenium levels drop, suggesting that the brain considers it very important.  A great source of selenium is Brazil nuts.  These nuts have very high amounts of selenium (68–91 mcg per nut)

Omega 3’s

More studies are emerging about the importance of Omega 3 Fatty Acids and their prevention of depression. Omega 3’s can boost mood and rebuild critical brain cells in performing cognitive function. In fact, a recent study found that consuming healthy Omega 3 fatty acids dramatically boost your mood and reduces negative, harmful thoughts. Some of the worlds healthiest plant foods in Omega 3’s are #1 ground flaxseeds, then walnuts, organic soybeans, brussels sprouts, cauliflower and winter squash.

The best doctor gives the least medicine. – Benjamin Franklin

A unscientific study at Appleton Central High School in Appleton, Wis., observed that students behaved better when they consumed healthy lunches of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Dozens of studies show that plants are the most nutrient-dense foods on earth. The only problem is that getting people to change their dietary patterns is tough. Change is on the rise, but Kaplan said that the solution might be the supplementation of nutrients because it is integral that people receive less pharmaceutical intervention for mental disorders and more broad-spectrum supplementation.

If you choose to supplement, it’s essential to do so with superior-quality vitamins or a shake supplement containing multiple nutrients and superfoods.

As always, eating specific foods with these vitamins needs to be habitual. Eating healthier for a few days or once in a while will not bring the result you’re seeking. I’ve found that making small changes each week and keeping up with each habit will bring lasting change. We are creatures of habit and feel comfortable doing what we are used to.

Final Thoughts on Eating Good Food to Boost Your Mood

On a personal note, at one time I was very depressed and I learned to use food to boost my mood. So, I wrote this article from the knowledge I have gathered and experience. For most of my life, I had tried everything to release weight and be healthier and happier. At one point, I even tried supplements and medication. When I eliminated processed foods and increased my vitamin intake through plant foods and I experienced my life transformed. I want this for YOU too! 🙂

Please, if you have any questions, feel free to comment. I’m here and happy to help! You can also follow me on social media.

There are about 40 recognized faith based belief systems here on our beautiful little space marble. Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, the all-encompassing spirituality, and more receive their daily devotional by the millions. On the other hand, around a billion people think we’re floating through the void, just waiting for the lights to go out. That’s all OK by me – in fact, I think it’s time to jump into the entire subject head first. (NOTE: I am not preacher, scholar or quantum physicist. I’m just a regular person, trying to BE the positive change I want to see in the world.)

Every following comes fully equipped with their own variation, or “how-to” manual to go by if you’d like to enjoy the fruits of what the religious deity has to offer. Some religions even state that if you don’t follow the rules “by the book”, that you’ll eternally suffer, live in a ball of flames, or be forced to scoop dog leavings every day for the rest of eternity – something like that.

But what if it’s much simpler? Why do we humans try to over complicate things and separate each other?

I feel that there is a “source” for everything. Call that source whatever you like, be it God, Universe, Source, or the Flying Spaghetti Monster if you will, it makes no difference to me.

One way or another, it all started from that one original point and spawned outward to grow into what is “now”. Although what “is” is only a manifestation of “the source”, everything has it’s unique identity while still remaining one with its roots.

I’ve heard, “Oh no, that religion kills people, this is the ONLY way, etc.”… I’ve come to believe that this is not the case. If you don’t believe me, dig into the diverse culture of the world and you’ll see that the similarities between religion FAR outweigh the differences. Many differences are nothing more than the stories themselves.

Furthermore, I’ve heard that a phrase, quote, or scripture is an act of plagiarism; that one came before the other, and that it’s blasphemy to credit anyone else with a teaching because someone else came by and said it first.

Do you feel that an omnipotent, ever loving God would banish you from the fruits of Heaven for purposely/non-purposely infringing on his/her/it’s copyright and spreading the word of love, light, and positivity?

What if there’s no real “right” answer? What if there’s only a simple set of common principles to follow?  If so, are you living those principles in your daily life? That is your spirituality.

Here’s how I see it (please refer to the note above before a mental mountain of malevolence wells up as you read on).

There are a simple set of principles that just about every one following spirituality of any kind has in common:

1. Love yourself

2. Love others

3. Have faith

4. Know that the power of love is infinite

5. Cause no deliberate harm

This seems pretty easy to understand, right? It’s simple, straight-forward, and would fit on less than one page.

Surely I could write hundreds of pages on the topic, but it’s as easy as remembering to practice these principles with every thought, word, action and reaction. You’re really only in control of you; what happens outside of you is merely an experience awaiting your reaction. I’ve seen the most devout of religious folks lose their way in the simplest of situations.

So I ask you, will all the teachings in the world be thrown out the window when they’re needed most, or will you learn to start subconsciously LIVING these practical principles of spirituality with your every moment?

“The earth is what we all have in common.” – Wendell Berry

If I’ve learned ONE thing throughout the course of my spiritual journey so far, it’s that we all have one similarity – we’re human and live on Earth. We must remember that we’re all in this journey together; if we can’t support each other in a positive way to foster the growth of humankind, we’re doing ourselves a disservice; we’re ignoring the necessary glue that holds humanity together.

Think of everyone and their own (non-harmful) belief as just a different color in a crayon box. We’re not all the same, but we are in the same box. And if we don’t stick together how can we possibly fill in a picture with each beautiful color? For example, think of what the world would look like if blue never mixed with yellow, or if red never mixed with blue.

Everyone is on a spiritual journey and should be allowed to travel it – our path in life is both a birthright and necessary for the good of our spirit. If you think we have a “source” or “God”, cool. If you’re just waiting for the lights to go out, hey, that’s fine too, I just hope that this brightens your horizons up a bit.

Final Thoughts

For all I know, my opinion missed the mark by a mile. All I can say is that I’m moving along in this incredible journey of spirituality just as you are, and would love to share conversation with you about it. So, be sure to leave your comments in the conversation below!

Positive affirmations allow you the means of verbalizing a resolute belief in your own worth.

“You have the power to heal your life, and you need to know that. We think so often that we are helpless, but we’re not. We always have the power of our minds…Claim and consciously use your power.” Louise L. Hay

A healthy, positive mind is a healthy body. Your words about yourself and the health of your body every day is very important. Are you talking about how good it is treating you, or the health problems you may have? Studies show that diseases and health problems can first begin in the mind. It may not always be consciously realized, but creation from source begins with a single thought.

The good news is, our thoughts and words can help us get healthy too! You can heal your life through positive affirmations.  If you’re new to positive affirmations, it’s okay. They are very easy. Simply create or choose affirmations that resonate with you and your situation the most. Write them down or type and print them out. Say them to yourself every single day.

Even better, say them all throughout the day. If these seem silly, remind yourself that you’ve been saying affirmations about your life already every day. Positive affirmations simply bring the truth back into your life. The truth that you have the potential to be healthy and well.

Positive Affirmations for Health & Healing

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We’d be honored to help you on your journey. 🙂 We created the video below for you to use as a reference for health and healing affirmations.  If you feel the need, recite these daily – a new manifestation will begin to occur in your life.

We want to hear from you!  Bookmark this post and come back to share your success stories.

Personally, positive affirmations have helped us create and experience a healthy, vibrant life when we were previously affected by multiple health issues that could have drastically shortened our time on this planet.  We know this works and want to spread it into the world as much as possible.  We all deserve to shine.  Shine ON!

Another workweek is on the way, and that means many will be facing the Monday blues. No rule states people can’t come into work with the same positivity you had when leaving on Friday.  Take this information into work with you and watch your workplace transform!

5 Ways To Use Positivity to Have a Great Week

Here are 5 ways positivity can improve your work week ahead:

1. Don’t fret Monday

“This should be the spirit every Monday. Know that something good will always happen.” – Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Just because Monday is the first day of the week, it doesn’t have to be the worst day of the week.  Dive into Monday with the same excitement and positive emotion you have on Friday.  Every day can be a Friday if you allow it!  You’ll find that with a more optimistic outlook,  your day will go smoother, be more productive, and you’ll help your colleagues have a better day as well.

Think of every Monday as a fresh start to a week filled with new accomplishments. Banish negative thoughts–like how long it is until next weekend!

2. Find joy in your job

“To be successful, the first thing to do is fall in love with your work.” – Sister Mary Lauretta

It doesn’t matter what day of the week it is if you truly love what you do.

If you honestly aren’t crazy about your current career, try to justify your job by writing down what service or benefit your job brings to society.  If you’re still not sure about why your job benefits the world in a positive way, consider this job a stepping stone toward finding the career you’re truly passionate about.

3. Spread positivity in your workplace

“Keep my word positive. Words become my behaviors. Keep my behaviors positive. Behaviors become my habits. Keep my habits positive. Habits become my values. Keep my values positive. Values become my destiny.” – Mahatma Gandhi

A positive attitude is contagious, and when you spread it in the office, you’re sure to see increased success and overall happiness.  Multiple studies have shown that when colleagues have a positive mindset, they experience less stress, are more productive, and get along more smoothly. Add more positivity to your workplace and allow both you and your colleagues to reap the positive benefits!

4. Take Sunday to relax and rejuvenate

“Do not waste a single Sunday. If you don’t waste Sundays, you will be less likely to waste Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays.” –Matthew Kelly

It’s tough to start a week off right if you don’t put an end to the last one.  Many professions require work during the weekend, but when you have a chance to take that weekend break, do it in a way that doesn’t involve work in any way – this is one thing that successful people do on the weekends.

Spend time with the family, go out into nature, practice yoga, meditate, or even enjoy a favorite meal.  The week ahead will see you as a more energized person with less burnout and more turnout!

5. Expect greatness

“Just believe in yourself. Even if you don’t, pretend that you do and at some point you will.” ― Venus Williams

It’s important always to expect the best.  You have as much potential as anyone on this planet and have the ability to reach incredible heights.  To BELIEVE in yourself and the power inside you should make you feel proud of who you are; after all, you deserve victory!  Take a few moments at the beginning of your workweek to declare positive affirmations about your efforts’ outcome.  Visualize and focus on the positive and what you are grateful for about your job.  The only future we can foresee is the one we imagine.  Close your eyes and see BIG things – you’ll be amazed at the opportunities that magically appear.

Here are a few positive affirmations to help you spread positivity at work. Recite them DAILY!

• I can accomplish all of my daily tasks.  I am prosperous in time!
• My motivation is continuous. I always reach set goals!
• Each day I am filled with fresh ideas and solutions to accomplish my tasks at hand successfully.
• Today is my day to succeed!
• I’m enthusiastic about my work; it is the foundation for my continuing prosperity.
• I receive fulfillment as I make a positive difference in the world!
• I effortlessly create abundance as I practice my passion!

Do you have a regular practice that helps gear you up for the daily grind?  Please share it with us in the comments below, and get ready to ROCK the workplace in the week ahead!

 

Love is the most wonderful feeling of all.  To reflect on the abundance of love floating through the Universe today and every day, we share the words of love that have become eternal throughout the world.  These love quotes will surely leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside!

Here are the 15 Most Inspiring and Romantic Love Quotes of All Time

1. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-13

2. “You know you’re in love when you don’t want to fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.” – Dr. Seuss

3. “Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.” – Rumi

4. “Love is real, real is love.” – John Lennon

5. “The best love is the kind that awakens the soul; that makes us reach for more, that plants the fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds. That’s what I hope to give you forever.” – The Notebook

6. “The most precious gift we can offer anyone is our attention. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers.” -Thich Nhat Hanh

7. “The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or even heard, but must be felt with the heart.” – Helen Keller

8. “I love you — not only for what you are — but for what I am when I am with you.” – Roy Croft

9. “And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.” – Paul McCartney

10. “It’s the way that you know what I thought I knew. It’s the beat that my heart skips when I’m with you.” —Crazy in Love, performed by Beyonce Knowles

11. “I love you right up to the moon and back.” – Sam McBratney

12. “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy, when skies are gray.” — Jimmie Davis

13. “Two souls with but a single thought, two hearts that beat as one.” — John Keats

14. “One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life: that word is love.” – Sophocles

15. “The more I give to thee, the more I have.” – William Shakespeare

Do you have any favorite love quotes?  Share them in the comments below.  Shine ON!

For many, Valentine’s Day means cards, chocolates, gifts, and romance. For others, it means that there’s a stinging memory of a broken heart, a lost loved one, or loneliness that leaves you feeling dark and empty inside. Shining the light on this polarized situation will allow everyone to feel dreamy during this Valentine’s Day.

Here’s 5 ways Valentine’s Day can mean love for you (no matter what)

Show Gratitude

When you express your gratitude to your partner (or yourself), you create the fertile soil from which the flowers of love and romance can grow and bloom.

Make a list of 5 things you’re grateful for.  If you’re with someone, give it to them or read it to them.  If you’re flying solo on Valentine’s Day, make the list of 5 and read it aloud.  Allow yourself to feel the emotion and excitement in your words.  No matter what your relationship status, gratitude will give you a loving and loveable attitude.

Be Passionate

Life is akin to a meteor hurtling through the night sky.  It doesn’t last too long, so you might as well leave behind you a streaking, white-hot trail.  And when it comes to love, there isn’t a moment to waste.  Show it to your partner as if you were on a first date or seeing them off on a long journey. If you’re going to love, you might as well love intensely.

If you’re without a significant other on Valentine’s Day, love yourself with as much energy as if you were giving it to someone else.  Allow that love to resonate, and affirm that passionate love will continue to radiate into and from your being.

Love Selflessly

Imagine the love of our creator – it’s a love that will continue to shine, regardless of return.  Love is an eternal light that pierces the darkest of nights.  When you shine your light of selfless love, you don’t have to expect a specific return but you can be assured that you’ll receive reciprocation.  Selfless love to your partner will show them that your love does not have prerequisites.

You can love selflessly without being in a relationship as well.  Enter your experiences with a love that has no attachment.  There, you’ll find a place of contentment, knowing that you are in control of your individual perspective and choosing to LOVE.

Find love outside of people

Love between people only represents a sliver of the total love available in the world.  It’s wonderful to love someone, but there is so much more that exists.  Whether you’re with someone or not, don’t limit it to roses, a hotel and a hot tub; take the time out to play in nature.  See the abundance of love in everything around you – spark your senses and appreciate the overflowing love that emanates from your environment.

Find the love within

The greatest love of all lies within.  Once you’ve discovered this powerful love, then you can begin to truly love others.  Whether you’re alone or with a significant other, take time to practice a heart-centered meditation that will open up your chakras and bring more love and abundance in your life.  This is not meant to be a selfish activity, but one that allows more love to flow to you and through you.

Allow yourself to be spoiled!

Whether by someone else or from yourself, this is one day every year that you should be pampered!  You don’t have to go out and spend hundreds of dollars on a spa day either; here’s how to make an easy homemade foot soak and scrub that will leave you feeling refreshed and renewed without the lightened wallet!

Foot Soak

Combine:
1 gallon of water
3 drops peppermint essential oil
1 drop eucalyptus essential oil
1 drop lemon essential oil.

Boil the water and allow it to cool for a few minutes. Pour it into a bowl or basin large enough for your feet. Add the oils and stir well. Soak your feet for as long as you like. This soak will leave your senses invigorated and your soul energized!

FOOT SCRUB

4 tablespoons ground coffee (fresh is best)
3 tablespoons cornmeal
4 tablespoons sea salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 drops lavender essential oil

Mix together and massage over your feet (or face) to exfoliate and enjoy a feeling of newness.

Use this as a reference to love and be loved Valentine’s Day, and EVERY day following.  And by the way, we LOVE you!