Foods with serontonin

‘Tis the season and for many people, it might mean there could be some blue days ahead. Many of us struggle with this time of year. Less sun, shorter days and a general feeling of the blues, is not uncommon during the holidays and on into winter.

It is important that you continue (or start) taking Vitamin D3 daily. I take at least 5000 IU/day. Remember that Vitamin D3 is actually a hormone, which is needed to help process calcium from our food, and to support proper bone growth.

In addition supplementing with 1000IU/day or more, it’s proven to reduce falls by 19%-26%. It has also been shown to strengthen the immune system. So pay attention to your Vitamin D3 supplementation all year long, but especially in the winter.

Why Serotonin is Good for You

For many of us, depression can become or already is an issue. There are many researchers who believe that an imbalance in serotonin levels may influence mood in a way that can lead to depression, anxiety, and even panic attacks. They confirm what might be intuitively expected, that positive emotions and agreeableness foster congenial relationships with others. This, in turn, will create the conditions for an increase in social support.

It’s suggested and I agree that you focus on eating foods that help support the production of serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is produced in the brain, but 80 to 90 percent is found in the digestive tract and in blood platelets. Of the approximately 40 million brain cells, most are influenced by serotonin. Serotonin is important because it affects:

• Mood
• Memory
• Sexual desire and function
• Appetite
• Sleep
• Temperature regulation
• Some social behaviors

The reason so many people use SSRIs, serotonin reuptake inhibitors, is to mitigate depression and low-energy feelings.

I believe that eating the foods listed below can help your body to produce the serotonin that it needs to counteract unwanted feelings. If you can incorporate some of these foods daily,you will help create balance and an elevated mood, and perhaps keep the blues at bay!

Foods to Boost Serotonin Levels:

• Free Range Turkey
• Flaxseed/ Flaxseed oil
• Buckwheat
• Wild Fish and Seafood, Non-GMO
• Whey protein powder
• Bananas-organic
• Free Range organic Eggs
• Sour Cherries
• Free Range Beef
• Dark Chocolate-Raw if possible

Try this out for the next several months, if you’re not allergic to any of the ones mentioned. The overall good feelings will surprise you. The World Health Organization (WHO) states, “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”

The best of health to you all!