Good food
If you’d like to make changes in your diet to improve your mood, here are a few ideas to get you started:
1) Keep a food journal. This is not to be used as ammunition to criticize yourself but rather to notice how certain foods affect you. Take special note of your mood, your energy, your cravings or whatever symptoms you struggle with, both right after you eat as well as several hours later. You may find that you are sensitive to common foods found in your everyday diet that may be contributing to your crankiness.
2) If your diet is not rich in vegetables (and maybe even if it is), consider a good, whole-food based multi-vitamin and mineral supplement.
3) Reduce the worst bad-mood foods: sugar, white flour, caffeine, fake sweeteners, and chemicals. (Don’t recognize a word on a label? Don’t eat it!). Yes, sorry, but this does include diet soda!
4) Get enough of the best good-mood foods: high quality protein, water, unprocessed or minimally processed grains, fruits and veggies.
5) Get enough of the right kinds of fats(I know I need to write a whole separate article on this!). Consider an Omega-3 (fish oil) supplement (I like Nordic Naturals), which has been found to have a very positive impact on mood (of course check with your doctor if you have any medical concerns).
6) Get out and enjoy the SUNSHINE! The longer and brighter days of Spring can help us get out of a bad mood rut