Reveals how adjusting what you eat can mean you feel happier, calmer and more upbeat

April is Stress Awareness Month and it couldn’t have been arranged for a better time. Restrictions that limit where we go and who we see, combined with money concerns and illness are all taking their toll on our mental wellbeing.

Public Health England recognises that social distancing and staying at home may leave many of us bored, frustrated, lonely, low, worried and anxious.

Staying connected with others, taking up offers of support, making sure we sleep well, exercising within Government guidelines and keeping doing things we enjoy at home can all be beneficial. But looking at what we eat may also lift our mood and help us feel positive.

At the top of the list for feeling blissful rather than blue is eating regularly and not skipping meals. This may be harder than normal when usual routines such as work, school and social activities have been disrupted. But for a better mood, it’s vital to keep blood sugar levels on an even keel.

When they drop dramatically, for example due to missing a meal, many people feel irritable, tired, unable to focus, miserable and hangry.

To keep blood sugar levels steady it’s also important to eat the right carbs. While self-isolating makes it tempting to hunker down with a super-sized bar of chocolate, sugary carbs are quickly broken down, leaving us feeling lethargic.

Limiting chocolate, sweets, cakes, biscuits and sugary drinks should be the priority. But it’s also important to swap white starchy carbs for higher-fibre versions such as brown rice, wholemeal bread, wholewheat pasta, wholegrain cereals, oats and potatoes in their skins.

There’s another way carbs may cheer us up. As well as being the main fuel for our brain, they also help to indirectly boost levels of serotonin. This is nature’s very own mood-enhancing chemical in the brain that helps us feel happier and calmer, and promotes sleep.

Carbs work their magic by triggering the release of insulin, which allows an amino acid (protein building block) called tryptophan to enter the brain. Tryptophan is found naturally in protein-rich foods such as lean red meat, chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, cheese, nuts and seed. This is then used to make mood-lifting serotonin.

Many studies have shown that a traditional Mediterraneanstyle diet – one that’s filled with fruit, vegetables, fish, wholegrains, olive oil and nuts, with smaller amounts of meat and fewer processed foods – is linked to less depression.

For example, one review of studies found it reduced the risk of depression by 32%. Cooking up Med-style meals may also help to improve our mood simply by conjuring up images of sunny times.

Look online for recipes – many include store cupboard staples such as pasta with tomato sauce, tinned beans or risotto.

One of the main mood-lifting benefits of a traditional Mediterranean diet may be partly due to healthy amounts of seafood. Numerous studies show people who eat more fish are less likely to suffer with depression than those who rarely eat it. For example, one review of 31 studies concluded there was a 22% reduction in depression for those who ate the most fish compared with the least.

It’s thought omega-3 fats, which support brain and heart health, may be responsible for the benefits. However, fish is also rich in other nutrients such as some B vitamins.

Enjoy two portions a week, including one oily variety, such as mackerel, sardines, herring or salmon. Tinned and frozen both count – which is great news when we’re shopping less.

A low sugar level makes us irritable so keep it stable with starchy carbohydrates

Eating more fruit and veg may also partly explain the mood-enhancing benefits of a Mediterranean diet. These foods are rich