Eat your veggies to combat loneliness
13 Dec 2023 by Ted Escobedo 2 min read
Food plays a huge part in how we feel, and research has shown that people experiencing chronic or long-term loneliness have a lower intake of protein, fruits and vegetables in their diet. Longer term loneliness also influences appetite, from a lack of motivation to cook and eating less, to higher consumption of unhealthy foods and alcohol. But choosing the right foods can have a beneficial effect on our moods and our social lives.
• Healthy Fats
These helpful fats can fuel your brain and lift your mood. We find a lot of Omega 3’s or healthy fats in avocados, olive oil, nuts and oily fish like salmon and mackerel.
• Good gut health
90% of serotonin - known as the happiness hormone - is made in the gut. For optimal gut health we should eat lots of fiber from fruit and vegetables and eat a rainbow of colors. The more variety, the happier your helpful gut bacteria are. All fruit and vegetables contain fiber as do healthy whole grains and pulses like brown rice, barley, oats and chickpeas.
• Terrific tryptophan
Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that has a positive effect on depression, mood and memory skills. The human body does not produce it naturally, so you need to get it through other animal or plant-based sources. Examples of tryptophan-rich foods include chicken, turkey, bananas and nuts, red meat (just once a week) or tofu, chickpeas or lentils.
Source: https://www.marmaladetrust.org/feel-good-food
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- Food & Nutrition