Some Tips to Improve Mood And Metabolism

By making a few simple adjustments to your diet, you can elevate your mood and boost your metabolism. The benefits are potentially huge: Maintaining a good mood will help you stick to a healthy diet, be more productive, and increase your self-esteem.

Metabolism is the process your body uses to break down food. “Ensuring your metabolism is working most effectively will help you feel your best and energized to get the most out of life,” explains Nicole Berkowitz, RD, a nutrition consultant in Toronto, Canada. 

Here are six simple tips to help you optimize your diet to boost mood and metabolism. 

1. Resist Skipping Meals
Skipping or missing a meal can cause a dip in your blood sugar, leading to crankiness and lethargy. Maintain your blood sugar levels, and your energy, by eating small amounts of food throughout the day. You might even prefer eating six smaller meals rather than three large ones.

2. Stay Hydrated
Dehydration can also make you feel sluggish and lethargic. Be sure to drink throughout the day, and don’t rely on thirst alone to remind you to have another glass of water. Some experts say the average person needs about eight glasses of water, and that may be hard to drink without reminders.

3. Think Moderation, Especially for Low-Nutrient Foods
Avoid a lot of caffeine, refined carbohydrates (sugar), alcohol, salt, and other food additives. Any of these, especially in large amounts, can decrease your metabolic efficiency. “Eating large quantities of carbohydrates tends to cause an energy rush and then a big crash, which can lead to crankiness and fatigue," says Heidi McIndoo, MS, RD, a nutrition consultant in Roslindale, Mass. Excess salt can disrupt your fluid balance, changing your daily water needs, not to mention increasing health risks like high blood pressure.

4. Strive for Balance in the Food You Eat
Properly combine protein, carbohydrates, and fat to achieve a balanced energy intake. In general, a healthy diet includes a mix of whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and some protein, but each person has individual needs based on age, sex, physical activity level, body size, and stress factors. To determine the best foods for you, consult a nutritionist who can help you find the right balance.

5. Get a Boost From “Good Mood” Food
While research about the mood- and metabolism-boosting qualities of certain foods is mixed, foods high in the amino acid tryptophan have been found to increase serotonin levels in the brain, contributing to feelings of optimism and calm. Add some bananas, avocados, dried apricots, walnuts, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds for some extra tryptophan. Polyunsaturated omega-3 fats help elevate mood and reduce anxiety and depression. Look for omega-3-rich fish, like salmon and mackerel; walnuts and pumpkin seeds are also sources of these healthy fatty acids.

6. Keep a Food Diary
Some foods can have the opposite effect of tryptophan and instead trigger negative changes in mood and cause irritability or headaches. If you think a particular food might be affecting your mood, start a food diary. Record all the foods you eat each day and how you feel before and after every meal. After two weeks, review your entries to see if any foods line up with specific moods, either good or bad.

In addition to following a healthy diet, regular exercise will keep your body working most effectively and will augment both your mood and metabolism. The key message here is balance. A variety of healthy foods with a dose of exercise will help you maintain your energy, speed up your metabolism, and boost your mood.

8 Health Benefits Of Honey For Your Body

Every September, Jews all over the world celebrate the Jewish New Year with a slew of traditional foods, including apples and honey and honey cake to symbolize a sweet year ahead. This tradition dates back hundreds (if not thousands) of years, but there’s more to it than good wishes — honey can also be used as a natural remedy for a variety of ailments.

Ring in the Jewish year 5,773, (and the tail end of National Honey Month!) by taking advantage of the amazing health benefits of honey — and try some great seasonal honey recipes that Jews and non-Jews alike will enjoy this fall.

• Immune booster: Honey’s antioxidant and anti-bacterial properties can help your immune system defend you against illness, including the common cold.
• Weight-loss aid: Honey may help dieters lose weight when used in moderation as a replacement for other sweeteners. Keep in mind that one tablespoon of honey has about 63 calories, so use it sparingly.
• Digestion aid: Honey is a popular home remedy (though the science behind this isn’t conclusive) for all kinds of digestive problems, including constipation and ulcers. For a homemade digestion aid, try tea with honey and lemon.
• Cold remedy: Many people swear by honey’s cold and throat-soothing properties. Add honey to tea or hot water with lemon for an instant throat soother.
• Anti-Inflammatory agent: In a 2005 study, topical application of honey was found to reduce mucositis, or inflammation of the digestive tract, in 85 percent of patients studied. A drink made from honey and apple cider vinegar is popularly used as a home remedy for arthritic pain or joint inflammation.
• Anti-bacterial treatment: Honey has long been used as a topical anti-bacterial treatment for minor cuts, burns, and scrapes. Although the scientific community is still undecided about how effective this treatment is, preliminary data suggests that honey, applied in bulk to a wound, may indeed help prevent infection.
• Skin soother: Honey is a popular ingredient, along with beeswax, in natural lotions and lip balms. Its antimicrobial properties are thought to make it a good choice as a home acne treatment. Combine honey with warm water and oatmeal for an all-natural skin scrub.
• Energy booster: Honey, like all sugars, can provide a temporary energy boost and spike in blood glucose, and it’s a healthier option than many sugar substitutes. Research shows that diabetics can eat limited amounts of honey, too, provided they’re closely monitoring blood sugar levels.