Get rid of pandemic blues

Cheer up, the easiest way to shake off these pandemic mood blues is by adding what my favourite doctor, Dr. Food says. The food doctor is packed with nutritious facts and ideas to help your body from the inside out. As a consulting nutritionist I ask all you women to also focus on deep breathing, gratitude, faith and good quality sleep. I contracted Covid19 in April 2021 and I used food to keep my mood up. I regularly include these in my normal life and ask my clients to include them too. Start your day with water. Your body is 80 per cent water. Ensures optimum functioning as water is the main mode of transport for nutrients.

One of the main causes of depression, irritability and mood swings are because of cutting out your carbohydrates especially fruits, vegetables and whole-grains. They contain B vitamins, vitamin C and serotonin, your mood improving chemical.

You will be shocked to hear me say sugar in the morning and in the evening to pep you up. I mean natural fruit sugars.

Break your fast or make an evening snack with a seasonal fruit. Bananas are rich in serotonin and magnesium both minerals that instantly make you feel good. Add on the seasonal mango as it has Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Folate and Iron making it beneficial for brain health.

Load up on seasonal vegetables for a correct balance of nutrients and minerals which balance your moods. Starchy vegetable potato is rich in Vitamin C that prevents depression like symptoms. Fear not your whole grains like rotis, rice, millets in your food. They provide vital B complex vitamins which are required for neurotransmitter production like serotonin and dopamine which help regulate your mood and brain function.

Good quality fats from nuts and seeds are required to stay at the prime of your mood. They are also rich in zinc which supports anti-depression effects.

Spice up your life by adding on calming spices like ginger, turmeric, tulsi, peppermint, ashwagandha, nutmeg to your foods. Add them to kadhas or cook them in good quality fat to make them most bio available to the body. It is true, your gut health is what gives you great health and mood. Fermented foods like pickles and curd fuel good gut bacteria, instantly giving you a feel-good mood. Cocoa in its raw unprocessed form is rich in tryptophan which gets converted to serotonin in the body increasing your overall feeling of happiness.

Keep a check on blood Vitamin D3 and Vitamin B12 levels as they play an important role in various metabolic functions in the body. Stress stimulant foods like white sugar, alcohol, chocolate, fried foods should be avoided to ensure no gloomy feeling sets in. You may always be in a mood for food, but choose the right food to improve your mood!