12 Days of Valentine’s – Eat Yourself Happy (part 1)

Welcome to part 1 of Eat Yourself Happy, which is day 7 in 12 Day’s of Valentine’s – Love Yourself! series. Food is a necessary fuel to keep us going from day to day. I know that when I am tired or stressed out I often look for the easiest thing to eat, instead of the best, healthiest food to eat. I have a physical education degree, so I know this stuff, I know what I am suppose to eat, but tiredness, poor organization or just lack of time and prep can sometimes make me eat less than the best. It seems that in this age of fast food and microwave dinners we’ve forgotten that we can still enjoy food AND make sure that it is nutritious food fueling us with energy and helping us to stay healthy. It’s ongoing in our house, and I am always researching what’s best for our whole family to eat.

In recent times, their has been a buzz around Superfoods and foods that make you happy! I’m going to look at a few here in part 1 that I particularly enjoy and in part 2 I’m going to look at – you guessed it, chocolate, or cacao (raw 100% chocolate)!

Oily fish

Good old oily fish like salmon and sardines are full of Omega-3 which is good for lifting your mood. I use to like sardines when I was younger, not so much these days but I make myself eat them once in awhile because oily fish is also good for the skin. Studies show that people who eat more fish are less likely to be depressed, so eat up!

Get your tryptophan

Tryptophan is a type of protein that is present in foods like milk and bananas – yum, can you say banana smoothie. If you can start your day with a smoothie or a glass of milk and a banana (but wouldn’t you combine them!) you are off to a good start. Tryptophan is needed to make serotonin, which is a feel good hormone that is also responsible for that exhilarating rush you get after exercising.

Eat your greens

The more greens and the darker the greens you can eat, the better. Don’t boil the bejeezus out of them either, or else you are boiling all the goodness away. Instead, lightly steam your veggies or get used to crunching into them raw. Broccoli, spinach and kale are all excellent greens that are rich in Vitamin B, the stress fighting vitamin. I’ve been experimenting with Kale quite a bit in the past year and mostly have put them in green smoothies, or marinated them in salad dressing before adding them to a salad. My most recent discovery has been making kale chips! I will definitely share the recipe here with you, it is so easy and are well received by littlies.

It’s true enough for anyone that we should try and eat fresh and limit the processed foods. I’ve been finding it a little bit more of a challenge on the days that I am tired, but I’m trying my best. We don’t have a microwave, so that’s a big help in our desire to eat more raw and fresh foods. I find that when we do have a microwave, it becomes easier to buy quick cook foods that are just gap fillers and not really nourishing.

If you’re a mama, how are your eating habits? Do you find they have changed since becoming a mama? If so, for the better or for the worst?

– Image courtesy of © Beatricekillam