SEROTONIN – THE HAPPY HORMONE
Serotonin acts as a mood stabiliser, it helps to boost your overall mood and produces healthy sleeping patterns. It is linked to living longer and feeling of goodness. As it is synthesised from tryptophan so eating foods rich in tryptophan helps to boost serotonin levels. This article talks about foods that can help you increase your serotonin levels naturally:
1. Eggs: The protein content of eggs helps to boost your blood plasma levels of tryptophan. The egg yolk is rich in biotin, omega 3 fatty acids, choline, tyrosine and other nutrients along with tryptophan that helps to increase serotonin levels.
2. Cheese: It is a good source of tryptophan.
3. Pineapple: They contain serotonin which has mood-elevating properties.
4. Tofu: Soy products are a great source of tryptophan.
5. Salmon: It helps to lower blood pressure, also is a great source of omega 3 fatty acids, balances cholesterol levels and rich in tryptophan.
6. Nuts & Seeds: They are a good source of vitamins, fibre, antioxidants and contain tryptophan. They help to lower the risk of respiratory problems, cancer and heart diseases.
Foods that are rich in vitamin B6, iron, riboflavin, protein all contain good amounts of tryptophan. When you consume carbohydrates with high-tryptophan foods it provides you with a serotonin boost. Therefore to get a serotonin boost eat them with a serving of healthy carbohydrates like oats, rice, whole grain bread, etc.
Apart from food sources, there are other ways in which you can boost serotonin levels :
- Exercise: Including regular exercise in your lifestyle has proven to have antidepressant effects.
- Sunlight: There is a direct positive relationship between sunlight exposure and serotonin levels. So try to get at least 15- 30 minutes of sunlight daily.
- Gut bacteria: Focus on including high fibre foods in your diet as they fuel healthy gut bacteria which play a role in improving serotonin levels through the gut-brain axis.
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