The holiday season is
supposed to be all fun and jolly, but why then do we so easily let it weigh us down? If your holiday season mood is not where
you want it to be, here’s a great health tip that can help.
Did you know that there are
certain good foods to keep you in a good mood? One of my favourite good foods
for a good mood is avocados. Why? Not only do they taste great, but avocados
are full of “good” fat. The monosaturated fats in avocados are known for
helping to keep the receptors in your brain sensitive to serotonin.
And why is serotonin so
important? Serotonin plays an important
part in the regulation of learning, mood, sleep and vasoconstriction
(constriction of blood vessels). Experts say serotonin also might have a role
in anxiety, migraine, vomiting and appetite. Alterations in serotonin levels in
the brain may affect mood. Some antidepressant medications affect the action of
serotonin, i.e. they are used to treat depression.
What’s really interesting is that there’s a certain
brain chemical that is more active during the winter months which actually lowers serotonin levels around brain cells . This means that serotonin levels are
lower during the winter. Doesn’t that help explain a possible reason why some people feel more miserable during the winter?
So if you want to boost
your mood and feel better this holiday season and all winter long, be sure
to incorporate avocado into your regular
diet by adding it to salads and sandwiches or mash it up as part of a dip or
spread like in my recipe below. Keep at
it and maintain those healthy serotonin levels. You’ll notice a difference in how much better you’ll feel in both mind and
body.
RECIPE: Roslyn’s Avocado and Green Pea
Guacamole
This is a great
recipe if you’re watching your weight, calories or fat intake. In this recipe I
augment the avocados with green peas and fresh tomato to help lower the fat and
calorie content per serving and add a bit more nutritional variety. I also do this so I can eat a bit more of it guilt-free J So go ahead and
indulge a bit. I don’t add cilantro because my husband can't stand cilantro, but please feel free to experiment
with it. It's yummy with tortilla chips, crackers, pita bread, vegetables or mixed into a sandwich.
Ingredients:
2 small avocados
(or 1 medium to large)
1 cup frozen
peas
2 large clove
garlic crushed
4 tbsp lemon
juice
½ cup chopped
tomatoes
Pinch of chile
pepper
Chopped fresh
cilantro to taste (optional)
Instructions:
- Cook frozen peas according to instructions on packaging.
- Scoop out inside of avocado with a spoon.
- Put all ingredients into a blender or food processor and mix till desired smoothness.
Would love to hear your thoughts on this article and recipe. Give it a try and let me know what you think. Send to roslyn@roslynfranken.com.
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