Top 5 Holiday Foods for Good Moods
It's that intense time of year again, when the lows are low and the highs are high. Here are our picks of uplifting foods that will banish the blues, keep you focused, and maybe even make you a little sexier. Bon appetit!
Peppermint
It's nature's drill sergeant, telling your brain to wake up and focus! Perfect for helping you handle all those must-do holiday details. The next time you're dragging, pop a piece of peppermint gum and listen to your brain say, "Can do!"
Dark Chocolate
An ounce or two may be just enough to release the feel-good brain chemical serotonin. Plus, you'll get a three-way energy kick from chocolate's caffeine, theobromine, and phenylethylamine (a cousin of amphetamine). And the antioxidants in 70% dark chocolate do your arteries good, too. No wonder we crave the irresistible stuff.
Wild Salmon (mackerel and herring, too)
Logged more miles in a day at the mall than you usually do in a week on the treadmill? The accumulated anti-inflammatory action of omega-3 fatty acids in a fish platter or a grilled salmon steak can help ease the wear and tear on your tired body.
Half a dozen Blue Points
You get more zinc from six Blue Point oysters than you need in a day in order to fuel your production of testosterone -- the hormone that keeps both men and women in the mood for love. Oysters are also a storehouse of dopamine, the brain's pleasure chemical.
An Omelet
Just two eggs give you an entire daily quota of vitamin B12, a nutrient that's crucial to your brain's supply of good-mood chemicals. Make it a veggie omelet, add a whole-wheat bagel, and you'll be good to go for hours. . . and for few calories!
Peppermint
It's nature's drill sergeant, telling your brain to wake up and focus! Perfect for helping you handle all those must-do holiday details. The next time you're dragging, pop a piece of peppermint gum and listen to your brain say, "Can do!"
Dark Chocolate
An ounce or two may be just enough to release the feel-good brain chemical serotonin. Plus, you'll get a three-way energy kick from chocolate's caffeine, theobromine, and phenylethylamine (a cousin of amphetamine). And the antioxidants in 70% dark chocolate do your arteries good, too. No wonder we crave the irresistible stuff.
Wild Salmon (mackerel and herring, too)
Logged more miles in a day at the mall than you usually do in a week on the treadmill? The accumulated anti-inflammatory action of omega-3 fatty acids in a fish platter or a grilled salmon steak can help ease the wear and tear on your tired body.
Half a dozen Blue Points
You get more zinc from six Blue Point oysters than you need in a day in order to fuel your production of testosterone -- the hormone that keeps both men and women in the mood for love. Oysters are also a storehouse of dopamine, the brain's pleasure chemical.
An Omelet
Just two eggs give you an entire daily quota of vitamin B12, a nutrient that's crucial to your brain's supply of good-mood chemicals. Make it a veggie omelet, add a whole-wheat bagel, and you'll be good to go for hours. . . and for few calories!
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