Happiness and Energy

Happiness

Patrick's 5 steps to happiness are:

• Reduce stimulants - tea, coffee, sugar and chocolate.
  
  
• Increase nutrient rich foods including fruit, vegetables, wholefoods, seeds, nuts and wheatgerm.
  
  
• Have a serving of fish, chicken, turkey or tofu (from soy beans) a day.
  
  
• Supplement a high-strength B complex formula and 5-HTP, 1000mg twice a day.
  
  
• Supplement the amino acid l-tyrosine 2,000mg in the morning which is available from health food shops.

Energy

How you feel is very much dependent on your nutrition. Energy, after all, is derived directly from your food.

Here are 5 simple things you can do if your get up and go has got up and gone!

Ensure optimum levels of omega-3 fish oils.

Omega-3 fats are intimately associated with mood. These are especially rich in salmon, mackerel, herring, kippers, sardines and tuna. Also have an omega 3 fish oil supplement every day. The higher your blood levels of omega 3 fats, the higher your levels of serotonin are likely to be. The reason for this is that omega-3 fats help build recepter sites, as well as improving reception.

Get enough tryptophan

Serotonin is made from a constituent of protein, the amino acid tryptophan. Tryptophan is especially rich in fish, turkey, chicken, cheese, beans, tofu, oats and eggs. You can also supplement a type of tryptophan extracted from beans called 5-HTP 100mg a day.

Bump Up Your B's

Your brain and body needs B vitamins, especially folic acid. These are rich in green leafy vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds, and other whole foods. Supplement a mood food formula providing at least 100mcg of folic acid, 10mcg of B12, 20mg of B6, 40mg of niacin (B3), together with 100mg of 5-HTP and tyrosine, another important amino acid.

Exercise in natural light.

Modest exercise such as a daily 30 minute walking regime can significantly help to boost mood and increasing exposure to natural daylight or using full-spectrum light bulbs for indoor lighting also helps, especially if you are prone to the winter blues.

Have your thyroid level checked.

A classic cause of depression is having an underactive thyroid. The telltale signs of an underactive thyroid are lethargy, depression, indigestion or constipation, poor memory and weight gain. If you have these symptoms and nothing else is working see your doctor and check for this. Also check yourself for food intolerance or allergy. A gluten or wheat allergy is a common cause of depression.