Down in the Dumbs? Boost your Mood!

Boost my mood? How?

 

Easy: 

Have chocolates

Although sweet and rich, you may eat dark chocolate without any guilt feelings. The health benefits of dark chocolates are that it lowers blood pressure, increases the blood flow and assists the ‘good’ cholesterol. But, please only moderate portions per day, ladies but it will do wonders for your mood.

Aromatherapy is good for you

Aromatherapy seems to be good for you. Studies show that breathing in natural perfumed scents can lift mood, like lavender which is my favorite. So, indulge in some aromatherapy. Spray lavender water on your pillow tonight. Sweet dreams!

Send all your kisses for him or her

In your hectic daily schedule stop with a peck here or there or even blowing kisses to your loved one. The secret is that you must give your loved one a really lingering kiss.

Not only will giving your sweetheart a good kiss burn calories, but that kiss also reduces stress, boost your immune system, and strengthen your bond with your loved one.

Treat yourself with a manicure

Those hands of yours are like busy bees. They fly over a computer keyboard, wield hammer and nails, tuck in the kids, hug your honey, scrub, brush, etc. Treat these little hard workers with a manicure. Like massage, a manicure involves contact with another person through touch, which not only makes you feel pampered, it may even improve self-esteem. Now that's a stress reliever.

Have a good laugh

No one will differ from me – laughter is good for you. Studies show that a good laugh decrease stress, boosts up your immunity, improves blood flow, and stabilizes blood pressure. A good laugh may even help keep blood sugar levels down and aid digestion.

Call a friend

Good friends are good for you. Whether you see them every day or once in a while, friends foster a sense of belonging, purpose, and self-worth. Friendship even keeps you on a mental high. So grab the phone and give your friend a call.

How Colors Can Influence Your Mood

Research confirms that changing your mood may be as simple as changing the colors around you. Clothing, room decors, even small colors object like accessories or a handbag will give you benefits. For example:

Blue: Any shade can have a calming effect and creates feeling of serenity.

Green: Brings balance to your mind and smooths out your hectic day-to-day routine.

Orange:  Makes you feel more optimistic. A pick-me-up when you are sluggish.

Red:  Increases your energy level and stimulates your heart rate.

Purple: Shades of lilac and violet generate creativity.

There you are, be like a chameleon.

Interesting facts on sugar

Sugar is a popular part of peoples’ everyday lives. They spoon it into coffee. Stir it in cakes, and enjoy it in hundreds of foods known to be high in sugar. There are also dextrose, fructose, mannose, maltose and more. 

Sugar is found in many processed food. If the label on food products is scrutinized carefully, a person may be surprised to note its presence - as dextrose, or under some other lesser known name - in beans, soups, yoghurt, baby food, canned ham, vegetables, bread, even non-sugar coated cereals, tomato sauce, peanut butter, salad dressing, chilli and many other foods.

Sugar refining is the process which extracts the sugar from the cane or beet, separating it from those elements which permit its proper digestion and assimilation.

Thus it becomes actually a very negative substance with the following 6 of many side effects:

·         It causes irritability;

·         It leads to obesity and restlessness;

·         As it really does not provide quick energy, it actually on the long run, drains the body of energy.

·         With a high intake of sugar, the pancreas must constantly produce insulin.  Eventually the pancreas can wear out and is no longer able to clear sugar from the blood, and diabetes is often the result.

·         In women, it can increase PMS symptoms

·         Sugar causes the brain to release the chemical serotonin, boosting a person’s mood, and causing a mild feeling of happiness.

To avoid the negative side-effects of sugar, the best is to cut down on the consumption of sugar, by trying the following:

·         Always read the label on processed foods and avoid those with sugar - or other sweeteners such as dextrose or fructose - high on the list of ingredients.

·         Switch from soft drinks to fruit juices or water.

·         Reduce the amount of sugar you use in coffee or tea – or eliminate it altogether.

·         Do not keep sweetened foods in the house, or use them to reward children.

·         Serve more fresh fruit and fewer baked goods for snacks and dessert. Beware of the high sugar content in the syrup of many canned fruits.

·         Experiment with gradually cutting down on the amount of sweetener in recipes. Adding a grated carrot to a recipe can replace some of the sugar in tomato sauce, salads and even biscuits.

In conclusion, while some popular scientists link sugar and heart disease, there is no specific support for such speculation. However, a diet high in sugar - or, of course, high in any source of kilojoules - may lead to obesity, which is often associated with heart disease as well as various other health problems.