Write your own food script
Are you cranky, sleeping badly or have a cold coming on? Here’s how food can help tackle 10 common health niggles.
To improve your mood
Eat a slice of wholegrain toast followed by a piece of fruit.
How it works
Carbohydrates are not only crucial for energy, they affect mood as well, with US researchers proving how sweet and starchy carbs raise levels of serotonin, the body’s feel-good chemical.
In fact, their study also proved how low-carb diets cause serotonin levels to plummet dramatically. “Carbohydrates are the body’s preferred energy source so if you’re not eating enough of them, you’re definitely likely to experience mood swings,” says dietitian Sharon Natoli.
Boost the effect by:
Reducing the amount of protein you pair with carbohydrates to improve mood. A US study revealed protein inhibits serotonin production.
To fight a cold
Eat a few oysters and a bowl of chicken and vegetable soup.
How it works
Oysters are packed full of zinc, which continues to prove its value as an immunity booster by increasing the virus-and-bacteria-fighting power of the body’s T cells. Eat two medium oysters to receive 120% of your daily zinc requirements. And if you’ve already got a runny nose or congested chest, scientists in Nebraska recommend eating some chicken and vegetable soup, as it eases cold symptoms by working as an anti-inflammatory.
Boost the effect by:
Eating the soup when it’s piping hot. Researchers from Wales found that compared to cooler liquids, hot ones have a more intense flavour, which stimulates saliva production to lubricate and soothe the nose and throat.
To minimise PMS
Sip a smoothie containing natural low-fat yoghurt and two bananas.
How it works
Two medium bananas (120g each) contain 25% of your daily magnesium requirements, while low-fat yoghurt is a rich source of calcium – both vital nutrients for fighting PMS.
While US researchers found that women who eat a calcium-rich diet decrease their risk of experiencing PMS by 30%, scientists in the UK say that when consumed regularly, magnesium can also help reduce PMS-related fluid retention.
Boost the effect by:
Adding a dash of honey. While a 200g tub of low-fat yoghurt provides 35% of the 1 200mg calcium that researchers recommend women eat daily, a separate study revealed how honey increases calcium absorption by as much as 33%.
To de-stress
Eat a boiled, poached or scrambled egg.
How it works
Eggs contain six of the eight B vitamins crucial in the fight against stress. According to an Australian study, B vitamins reduce stress levels by almost 20%, thanks to their role in the production of neurotransmitters critical to psychological wellbeing.
Boost the effect by:
Eating free-range eggs, which US researchers say contain higher levels of vitamins compared to the barn-laid variety. This is because of the difference in the hens’ diets.
To tame your appetite
Eat a serving of oily fish.
How it works
Oily fish, such as sardines and salmon, are rich in long-chain omega-3s, which help regulate serotonin levels. And Texan researchers say that as well as influencing your mood, serotonin helps curb your appetite by activating certain brain neurons and blocking others.
Boost the effect by:
Avoiding sugary foods. A University of Florida study discovered that diets high in sugar block how well an appetite hormone called leptin is interpreted by the brain, leaving the body unable to judge when it’s had enough.
To feel calmer
Eat fewer foods containing trans fats.
How it works
A University of California study has linked the consumption of trans fats to increased feelings of irritability and aggressive behaviour. While trans fats occur naturally at very low levels in beef, lamb and full-fat dairy foods, you’re most likely to find them in commercially baked products such as pastries, cakes and biscuits, and some fried fast foods.
Boost the effect by:
Drinking a glass of water. A recent study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that even a mild case of dehydration is enough to alter a person’s mood and increase crankiness, with the effect being more noticeable in women than men.
To get a good night’s sleep
Eat a low-fat meal for dinner.
How it works
While eating a high-fat diet promotes sleepiness, it interferes with sleep quality when you finally get into bed, an effect that’s heightened when the fat is consumed at dinner. US scientists found that the weight gain caused by a high-fat diet decreases sensitivity to a sleep-stabilising brain chemical called orexin.
Boost the effect by:
Resisting late-night snacks. Researchers in Brazil found a connection between eating too close to bedtime and poor sleep, saying late-night snacks increase the number of times you’ll wake during the night.
To recover quickly from a workout
Eat meals made with fresh ginger.
How it works
Ginger is a potent anti-inflammatory. Researchers at the University of Georgia found that after 11 days of eating two grams – or about half a teaspoon – of raw or cooked ginger daily, people experienced 25% less muscle pain following a resistance-training routine.
Boost the effect by:
Having a drink of low-fat chocolate milk as soon as you’ve finished exercising. Following two studies at the University of Texas, researchers found that compared to sports drinks or water, milk not only helped build more muscle and shave more fat, it also improved aerobic endurance, probably due to its mix of protein and carbohydrate.
To pep up your digestion
Eat a handful of pistachios.
In a study carried out at the University of Florida, scientists found the phytochemicals and non-digestible food components, such as fibre, that pistachios contain, enhance the growth of beneficial bacteria in the body’s digestive tract.
How it works
In a study carried out at the University of Florida, scientists found the phytochemicals and non-digestible food components, such as fibre, enhances the growth of beneficial bacteria in the body’s digestive tract.
Boost the effect by:
Seasoning your food with an extra grind of black pepper. Researchers in India say the spice contains piperine, which stimulates the production of enzymes critical to digestion.
To improve your concentration
Eat a piece of steak.
How it works
Red meat contains iron and, according to researchers at Pennsylvania State University, even mild iron deficiency impairs thinking. Other foods, including non-meat sources such as spinach, lentils and fortified cereals, are also rich in iron, but it’s a different variety, say the experts. So, while 20% of the iron in a steak will be absorbed, just 5% of the iron in spinach will be.
Boost the effect by:
Consuming some caffeine for an instant pick-me-up. Scientists at the UK’s University of Bristol discovered how women complete pressure tests 100 seconds faster after drinking three cups of coffee.
CREDIT: AREMEDIASYNDICATION.COM.AU/MAGAZINEFEATURES.CO.ZA