DIETARY DOS AND DON’TS

The temperature of the food we eat can have an effect on how we feel. Warm foods, such as soups, porridges and herbal teas, help to relax and soothe us. Cold foods, such as milkshakes or smoothies, help to cool agitation.

If you lead a high-stress life, ensure you’re getting plenty of good-quality proteins from lean meats such as chicken, fish, eggs, lentils and nuts, since they contain tryptophan, which helps to build serotonin (a mood stabiliser), dopamine (which regulates how we experience pleasure) and oxytocin (which lowers stress).

People who have palpitations and anxiety should eat potassium-rich foods, such as bananas, avocados, and leafy greens, to help manage high blood pressure.

Antioxidant vitamins – A, C and E – play a major role in the formation of happiness-promoting chemicals. A big cause of low energy and a lack of motivation is a poor response transmission between the nervous system and the brain. This results in the brain not being able to properly identify signals for reward and pleasure, making us feel low. Vitamin deficiency, especially B-complex, could be the cause of this kind of poor transmission, so including a good multivitamin supplement can improve energy and mood.

A simple hack for dealing with hyper emotions and agitation is eating foods that require a great amount of chewing and mastication, such as salads, high-fibre foods and sugar-free gums. This also increases blood circulation to the brain and improves mental productivity.