There exists a strong relationship between healthy eating and positive mood regulation. Sticking to three healthy meals per day, with few snacks in-between, is a great way to keep your body’s functions in check and boost your spirits in the process. After eating fresh fruits, veggies, and meats, we feel good and refreshed. Tryptophan is just one nutrient which boost serotonin, and it can be found in a lot of foods. The following are some tryptophan-rich snacks. Eggs contain a lot of protein, which boosts blood plasma production. FYI, it’s recommended that you do eat the yolk, despite what you may have heard about it being bad for you. The yolk is rich in tryptophan and tyrosine, two major contributors to the antioxidant properties of the egg. Cheese is almost universally loved, and it presents a lot of variety. Just be careful, because it’s incredibly easy to overindulge in dairy products in general. In the US, we tend to be heavy-handed with cheese, liberally sprinkling it on just about anything it might compliment. The probiotics and fats in cheese, plus the pleasure of eating cheese, is good for a mood-boost. Tofu is great because it can be used to substitute meat products, which often must be discarded from one’s diet due to negative effects on cholesterol. Tofu is also a blank canvas flavor-wise, which can be a lot fun allowing for creativity in the kitchen. It can be used to satisfy all sorts of cravings, and is perfectly healthy in moderation. Salmon is – as you may have guessed – a healthy alternative to red meats like steak. It’s one of those “superfoods” you’re always hearing about for good reason: it provides amino acids, omega-3 fatty acids, taurine, protein, choline, lots of vitamins, and more. It goes great with veggies, too. Nuts offer a big variety. Just a handful of your favorite nuts each day can lower your risk for heart disease, respiratory problems, and some types of cancer. They also provide fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. Nobody will force you to eat smart in recovery, but it’s definitely worth the effort, even if it means stepping out of your comfort zone. Addiction affects both the body and the mind, which means the body needs to heal as much as the mind. Junk food is likely to exacerbate drug cravings because it causes quick, intense blood sugar spikes; once the blood sugar drops, it causes a mood crash. This is why foods like cheeseburgers, pizza, and french fries are often called hyper-palatable; they can be as addictive as cocaine, with similar effects and withdrawals. It’s tough to beat one addiction whilst engaging in another! With healthy foods, the blood sugar rise is slow and sustained, the energy long-lasting.
We tell ourselves stories about food and our body which get in the way of finding a healthy balance for an optimized lifestyle. At Oceanfront Recovery, a residential treatment program for men, we believe that when you change your story, you can change your life. Change your story of addiction to one of recovery today by calling us at: 877.279.1777
