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: Wild-Caught Shrimp
Mood: Anxiety
Food: Wild-Caught Shrimp
Research has shown that wild-caught shrimp can help calm the mind because…
It is an excellent source of monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids, which protect the brain against the damaging effects on neuroinflammation that can lead to anxious thoughts.
Shrimp is high in Vitamin B12, an important nutrient for nervous system regulation whose deficiency has been linked to brain fog and increased stress.
It is also a great source of selenium, a nutrient that helps regulate the body’s inflammatory response, including the neuroinflammation linked to anxiety.
How to add this MOOD FOOD to your diet:
Adding shrimp to your diet is an easy way to reap the many mental health benefits of seafood, and it can be enjoyed in so many ways! Shrimp can easily be roasted or sauteed with a little bit of olive oil and your favorite spices, added to a colorful salad, or served alongside roasted veggies or whole grains. Making shrimp and veggies shish kabobs for your summer cookout is a fun and healthy way to enjoy shrimp while also getting an array of colorful veggies!
Shrimp are also easy to add to veggie soups or stews for added protein and nutrients.This week, as part of my premium subscription, I am sharing a delicious recipe for Korean-Inspired Shrimp. Be sure to sign up today for a new recipe each week!
How to buy shrimp:
Most wild shrimp come frozen, and some are thawed for display in the seafood section of supermarkets or at seafood stores, so you can see what you’d like to purchase. They come in various sizes, from baby shrimp to jumbo shrimp, which you can choose based on preference or the meal you are preparing. I recommend opting for wild-caught shrimp when accessible, as these tend to be the cleanest and are nutrient-rich. When enjoying shrimp in restaurants, it is common to see fried shrimp or shrimp served in sugary sauces on menus, which can be detrimental to mental fitness, so look for healthier prepared varieties like steamed or broiled shrimp.
Wishing you a joyful & calm week,
Dr. Uma Naidoo, MD
NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
CNBC: Check out this article with CNBC, where I share brain-boosting breakfasts and other brain food insights.
Well+Good: This week on Well + Good, I talk about how eating is a powerful tool that supports one’s physical and mental well-being, and nurtures our relationships with others. Read more here.
Keeping It Real with Jillian Michaels: Check out this podcast where I talk with Jillian Michaels about the worst offending foods and added ingredients that exacerbate anxiety and depression, as well as the most powerful foods and nutrients to optimize focus, contentment, and calm. Plus, top foods to boost libido!
5 Anti-Inflammatory Foods To Eat For A Younger, Healthier Brain: This week on mindbodygreen, take a look at this list of the top five "anti-aging" foods I recommend to help protect your brain from damage over time.
Chasing Life with Dr. Sanjay Gupta: Join me and CNN’s Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta on his podcast to talk about how to build a strong brain and keep it sharp. Listen in here.
This Week’s Recipe: Korean-Inspired Shrimp
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