How To Eat Yourself Happy

They say ‘you are what you eat’ for a reason and the nutrients in the food we eat has the power to affect your mood.

If your mood is regularly off balance, your energy levels are low or you’re generally feeling unwell, a change in diet could be what you need to trigger a positive physiological response.

Fueling your body with the right food can improve your mood, give you more energy, help you to think clearer and generally improve your overall wellbeing. Overall this will help you to feel much happier.

In our latest blog, we take a look at 4 key areas which you must pay attention to and the foods which will supercharge your diet.

Choose brain food

Did you know? The brain is an energy intensive organ which uses between 20 - 30% of the fuel from our foods. Eating the right food can help to build and repair brain cells, reduce cellular stress and inflammation.

To feed your brain, choose:

• Blueberries
• Pumpkin seeds
• Broccoli
• Black beans
• Avocado
• Turmeric
• Rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids e.g salmon, trout, herring and sardines
• Plenty of water

Watch out for the gluten

When you’re consuming gluten, look out for any negative effects on your body. Gluten isn't inherently bad for most people but it can affect the neurological system in extreme cases.

Celiacs and people who are gluten sensitive have reported symptoms which include headaches, brain fog and peripheral neuropathy. Neurological illnesses such as epilepsy, depression and anxiety also are common in those who react to gluten.

Understand your gut

If your mood is low or regularly unbalanced, pay attention to your gut health. It’s thought that 70-80% of our immune system is located in our gut

Numerous studies have found links between gut health and the immune system, mood, autoimmune diseases, mental health, endocrine disorders, skin conditions and cancer.

There are also approximately 40 trillion bacteria in your body, most of which are found in your gut. Collectively, they are known as your gut microbiome and they’re incredibly important for overall health.

To improve gut health, choose:

• Artichokes
• Asparagus
• Onions
• Green vegetables
• Beetroot
• Berries
• Yoghurt
• Almonds
• Olive Oil

Eat mood foods

If you’re tired or your mood is low, it can be tempting to turn to sugar filled and high calorie snacks for a little boost.

However, these often have little nutritional benefit and they are linked to higher blood pressure, inflammation, weight gain and diabetes; try to pick foods which are a good source of fibre, high in vitamin B6 or packed with antioxidants and Omega-3 fatty acids.

For good mood food, choose:

• Dark chocolate
• Fermented foods e.g kimchi, yoghurt, kefir and sauerkraut
• Bananas
• Nuts and seeds
• Beans and lentils

As well as paying attention to these four areas, we’ve compiled 8 fast hacks of other areas which can make a big impact on your health and wellbeing:

• Try to reduce or limit your caffeine consumption. Caffeine will give you a quick burst of energy but it could leave you feeling anxious or depressed.
• Stay hydrated and aid digestion by drinking between 6–8 glasses of water a day.
• Eat regularly to avoid your blood sugar dropping - if your blood sugar drops, you could end up feeling tired, irritable and depressed.
• Chew your food thoroughly to improve the digestive process.
• Try to reduce your alcohol consumption. Overdoing it on the booze could result in constipation, diarrhoea and bloating.
• Eat a high fibre diet to keep food moving through your digestive tract - it will help you avoid being constipated. Think whole grains, vegetables, fruits and legumes!
• Spicy food can cause heartburn, stomach pain and diarrhoea. If spicy food upsets your stomach, try to avoid it completely.
• Increase your protein intake to trigger your satiety hormones. If you’re trying to lose weight, adding protein to your meals will help you to feel fuller for longer, making you less likely to overeat.

Who is Spencer Clarke Group? 

Since 2017, we've been changing the face of recruitment. From our employees, to the way we do business, to the culture within our office, we're determined to make a difference and create a positive impact on everyone around us.

Recruitment to us isn't just about matching candidates and clients; we’re passionate about finding candidates the perfect job which has the ability to boost their salary and standard of living, better their work life balance and improve their mental health. 

Similarly, we understand the impact which an experienced and skilled employee can make to a business and we love seeing clients thrive through the hard work of candidates which we have placed with them. 

We operate in two sectors:

Private Sector

Public Sector 

In eleven specialisms:

Accountancy & Finance

Education & SEND

Construction, Trades & Labour

Healthcare, Social Care & Nursing

Housing

Corporate Functions & Business Support

HR & Workforce Development

IT & Digital

Property & Asset Management  

Planning, Development & Regeneration 

Highways, Infrastructure & Engineering

If you’re searching for a new role, why not visit our job page to take a look at the latest opportunities? Alternatively, upload your CV and one of our experienced consultants will contact you when a relevant opportunity becomes available. 

If you’re struggling to fill a role, why don’t you give us a call on 01772 954200 to see how we can help? One of our consultants will be happy to listen to the challenges which you are facing and advise on the best possible solution for you.