Hi Friend,
Are you looking for ways to naturally boost your mood and emotional wellbeing? Are you interested in making healthy choices now that will benefit your health in the future?
Nutritional Psychiatry focuses not only on how specific foods help improve our mood and reduce stress, but also how we can use food to impact our cognitive ability and memory as we age.
Simple adjustments can slowly but steadily become habits you can incorporate for the rest of your life in order to create lasting mental fitness. Each week, I’ll share recommendations here using foods you can add to your diet to support your mental health.
I love bringing you the latest in Nutritional Psychiatry each week to boost your overall well-being. My new book Calm Your Mind with Food is a revolutionary full-body approach to relieving anxiety, including anti-anxiety recipes and meal plan guidelines.
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MOOD FOOD of the Week: Lentils
Mood: Depression
Food: Lentils
Research has shown that lentils can help calm the mind because…
They are rich in fiber which feeds the good bacteria in the gut for a more balanced microbiome and reduced risk of depression.
Lentils are a source of folate, a crucial vitamin for brain health that helps regulate neurotransmitter function and whose deficiency has been linked to depression.
They are also a source of both zinc and iron, two nutrients that have shown to have a reduced risk of depressive symptoms.
How to add this MOOD FOOD to your diet:
Lentils are a legume that can add nutrient-dense protein and plant fiber to your diet! They can be cooked and enjoyed hot with your favorite flavorful spices, herbs or leafy greens. You can also let them cool and add them to a leafy green salad, enjoy with roasted veggies and avocado in a brain power bowl, or included in your favorite soup recipe! Roast them in the oven for a crunchy snack or blend them up with a little avocado oil and lemon juice for an alternative take on homemade hummus. Lentils come in several different varieties, so I recommend experimenting with how you incorporate them and find your favorite! This week, as part of my premium subscription, I am sharing a recipe for Sambar (Dal), a vegetarian dish that I love prepping for both lunch and dinner
.How to buy Lentils:
Lentils are typically an accessible and affordable food item that can be found in most grocery stores, markets or bulk food stores. They can be purchased dried which requires soaking, boiling or pressure cooking, or already cooked and pre-packaged in a way that is ready to eat, typically in the refrigerated section of your favorite grocery store! If purchasing prepared lentils, always read the ingredients label and avoid versions with added seed oils or sneaky sugars!
Chef’s Tip: soaking lentils in water overnight in the fridge can help with digestion. Just rinse before cooking.
Wishing you a joyful & calm week,
Dr. Uma Naidoo, MD
NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
USA Today: Thinking of adding quinoa to your diet? I recently discussed the health benefits in this article!
Wall Street Journal: When you eat may be as important as what you eat for a good nights sleep! Learn more about the dietary habits I recommend for supporting sleep here.
Yahoo: Calming anxiety can start with simple nutritional changes. In this article I shared some of my favorite anxiety reducing brain foods.
Women's Health: Looking to learn more about brain foods? I explain them in more detail here!
An Exciting Partnership
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This Week’s Recipe: Sambar (Dal)
This week’s recipe to accompany our Mood Food is available to premium subscribers. Upgrade now to never miss a recipe or other exclusive content in your inbox!
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