Mood-Boosting Tips to Help you Look and Feel Your Best
This year has been challenging for many, with pandemic restrictions changing the way we live and interact with others in profound ways. Self-isolating and limiting social gatherings can be a major stressor on our mental health, so it’s important to find ways to cope through self-care.
Use this guide to learn about proven coping techniques, from eating more nutritious foods to clearing out bad energy from your home to alleviating tension through South Centre Chinese Acupuncture’s effective methods.
Focus on Nutrition
One way to boost your mental and physical health quickly is by eating nutritious foods for every meal. There are even some foods that can help alleviate depression. Some of these depression-fighting foods include avocados, sweet potatoes, carrots, and walnuts.
Avocados, also known as the “fat and happy fruit” have multiple health benefits. The fruit has high quantities of folate (in the B family of vitamins) and helps regulate a substance called homocysteine which blocks the production of serotonin and dopamine. Serotonin and dopamine are important for deep sleep, which does wonders for your mind and body.
Sweet potatoes have a number of great qualities, one of which is their high levels of magnesium. Magnesium deficiency can lead to mental health disorders including depression and mood instability, whereas high levels of magnesium can help you relax and fend off anxiety.
Did you know that eating carrots could make you more optimistic? Carrots are high in beta carotene, and according to one study, people who consume foods high in the antioxidant are more hopeful. Along with increasing optimism, carrots are also great for your immune system and your eyesight.
For another mood-boosting snack, turn to walnuts: they’re one of the best dietary sources of serotonin, which helps decrease anxiety and depression. Walnuts are also high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are shown to help improve brain function and memory.
Clear Out Your Home
While cleaning the house may seem like nothing more than an annoying chore, it can actually help improve your mood and clear out stagnant or anxious thoughts.
If you’ve found that your household is arguing more than usual, or you feel low-energy when you’re home, you can inject positivity into your home by doing a thorough cleaning.
It’s important to declutter before you clean, and remember to open a window to invite soothing fresh air into your space.
After you clean, consider smudging your home to help invite good energy into your house. Smudging is the act of burning sage, a traditional custom that Native Americans practice to clear out negativity. Smudging is also helpful to eliminate harmful pathogens: sage has antimicrobial properties, so burning it helps keep viruses at bay.
Pain-Relieving Techniques
Chronic pain can be a major source of negativity or stress for some, so it’s vital to find ways to alleviate the pain. One option for treating chronic pain at home is getting an inversion table to realign your joints. But before you buy a table, check out customer reviews and learn about the various specifications: durability, stability, and height/weight limit are important factors to consider.
Another great pain-relieving option is acupuncture, which also does wonders for stress management. Acupuncture aims to realign your Qi, helping you sleep better at night, restore balance to your mood, and relieve brain fog.
Finding ways to boost your mood and get healthy will help you look and feel your best as the pandemic restrictions begin to lift. Focus on eating depression-fighting foods for a natural mood boost. Eliminate clutter in your home and clean it top to bottom to help release bad energy. And, if you’re dealing with chronic pain, consider acupuncture or an inversion table to help soothe your muscles.
Are you stressed or in pain? Contact Dr. Yan of South Centre Chinese Acupuncture to discover the incredible benefits of acupuncture for both your physical and mental health! 403-271-6662.
