Eat your Feelings Away.

 Some days it is harder than others to get yourself into a good mood. Then there are some days where it feels impossible to turn that frown upside down. Well, for those days help is finally here. Here are five foods that have been clinically proven to boost your mood without completely destroying your diet.

1.       Cacao Nibs

Chocolate has been a long standing go to for turning a bad day around. Now there is actually scientific proof to back up people’s claims to chocolate making their day better. Cacao has a nutrient in it called theobromine. Theobromine is a stimulatory nutrient that has a structure similar to caffeine and helps improve mood and focus. So next time you are having a bad day grab some chocolate and give yourself a little break. Dark chocolate is even better than milk chocolate because of the higher level of antioxidants.

2.       Kale

Kale has a high amount of carotenoids such as beta-carotene, alpha carotene, and lycopene. These are antioxidants that give kale its color. Studies have shown that people with higher concentrations of these antioxidants in their blood are more likely to have a positive outlook on life. They also have many immune boosting properties and less time spent sick is more time spent happy!

3.       Smoked Mackerel

Smoked Mackerel is high in polyunsaturated omega-3 fats, vitamin D, and selenium. Research has shown that bumping up your polyunsaturated omega-3 fat intake may support a positive mood. Vitamin D is also good for a good mood. It is the vitamin that is absorbed through our skin from the sun. This vitamin may be another reason people tend to be in better moods on sunny days and in bad moods or sad on rainy days. Mackerel is also high in selenium. Selenium is a mineral that supports antioxidants that help fight against emotional distress. Mackerel is a triple threat of feel good nutrients!

4.       Probiotic-Rich Yogurt

Science is finding more and more of a link between our guts and our brain. A wide variety of healthy bacteria in our stomachs could lead to better brain function and less emotional distress. A recent study showed that women that ate probiotic yogurt twice daily for a month experienced less activity in certain areas of their brains that cause emotional distress. Yogurt also tends to be high in vitamin B-12 which has been linked to higher energy levels and a better mood. Luckily for us living in China, yogurt is pretty easy to find!

5.       Tea

A recent study conducted in China showed that people that drank three cups of tea daily tended to be in a better mood than non-tea drinkers. Another study published in Public Health Nutrition showed that people that drank four or more cups of green tea a day reported having a better mood and outlook on life. These testimonials may be due to antioxidants found in tea that support brain function. Tea is also high in L-theanine which is an amino acid that appears to promote alertness.

Hopefully this article has given you some great information on how eating can help enhance your mood. So the next time you are feeling down, eat some fish with kale, sip some tea, and have a yogurt and chocolate bar for dessert. Life is hard, and you’ve earned some happiness, so eat your hearts out!

The authors：

- former High School Cheerleader

-former University of Missouri Cheerleader

-UCA staff and Head instructor 7 years

-10 years experience coaching at the High School, College, and Competitive level of Cheerleading