{"id":4363,"date":"2012-11-29T08:53:35","date_gmt":"2012-11-29T13:53:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/ourladyofweightloss\/?p=4363"},"modified":"2012-11-29T09:32:38","modified_gmt":"2012-11-29T14:32:38","slug":"holiday-diet-tip-eat-this-be-happy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/ourladyofweightloss\/2012\/11\/holiday-diet-tip-eat-this-be-happy.html","title":{"rendered":"Holiday Diet Tip: Eat This, Be Happy"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"As we head into December, with our extra long to do list in one hand, and invitations to holiday parties and feasts of plenty in the other hand, I thought it might be utterly useful to know what foods keep the energy flowing strong and happy!<\/p>\n

Research shows that nutrition does alter the production or release of neurotransmitters.\u00a0 A neurotransmitter is a chemical messenger that carries, boosts and modulates signals between neurons and other cells in the body.<\/p>\n

Serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine are neurotransmitters that have a positive effect on our moods.<\/p>\n

Serotonin gives us a feeling of calm and relaxation, a general sense of well-being. High levels of serotonin can cause a person to feel sluggish and drowsy. Low levels of serotonin can intensity food cravings.<\/p>\n

Foods that release serotonin in the brain are:<\/p>\n

fruits
\nbreads
\ngrains
\nvegetables (to a lesser extent)<\/p>\n

Dopamine and norepinephrine increase our energy and level of alertness. Protein causes both dopamine and norepinephrine to be released in the brain.<\/p>\n

Foods that are connected to the release of these two neurotransmitters are:<\/p>\n

meat
\nchicken
\nfish
\nnuts
\nsoy products
\neggs
\ndairy products<\/p>\n

Including 3-4 oz of protein in your lunchtime meal may help you to stay alert and happy throughout the afternoon. (Imagine \u2013 no 3 p.m. slump!)<\/p>\n

On the other side of the coin, should you have trouble sleeping at night, you might limit your protein and increase your carbohydrates \u2013 particularly at dinner time (no, I did not say have cake; I am referencing the above list).<\/p>\n

Overeating, regardless of the amount of protein in the meal can cause lethargy and sleepiness. When we overeat, the blood flow is redirected to the stomach and away from the brain.<\/p>\n

The ideal amount of calories per meal is between 300 and 500 calories. This will keep your energy flowing, and your mood on even keel.<\/p>\n

In addition, other \u2018foods\u2019 that have an affect on our brain are caffeine, alcohol and sugar. Both caffeine and alcohol are diuretics and tend to dehydrate the body. Caffeine is a stimulant while alcohol is a depressant.<\/p>\n

A good guideline for sugar, especially for us sugar-addicts who experience the \u2018sugar-high\u2019 and \u2018sugar-low,\u2019 is to limit your consumption to less than 200 calories per day. That should help to eliminate the \u2018sugar-blues.\u2019<\/p>\n

What about water? Yes, drink up, my friend.<\/p>\n

As you head off to your holiday parties, family gatherings, remember to make a beeline for the fruit platter instead of the<\/p>\n

\n

Tushkateers, talk about happy foods at the Kick in the Tush Club<\/a> on Facebook<\/a> and be sure to reserve your seat at the Holiday Diet table! REGISTER NOW!<\/a>\u00a0 Expect a miracle!!!<\/p>\n

Spread the word\u2013NOT the icing!
\nJanice<\/p>\n

\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014
\nFor the best life, wellness and weight loss wisdom, visit Janice:
\nOur Lady of Weight Loss<\/a>
\nsign up for the\u00a0Kick in the Tush Club<\/em><\/a> e-letter
\njoin and chat: Facebook\/ a KICK in the TUSH CLUB<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As we head into December, with our extra long to do list in one hand, and invitations to holiday parties and feasts of plenty in the other hand, I thought it might be utterly useful to know what foods keep the energy flowing strong and happy! Research shows that nutrition does alter the production or…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":123,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1684,457,2793,177,70,82,213,60,978,1488,1,176,349,369,2511],"tags":[3836,689,3820,1049,671,3826,3827,3825,8,3837,248],"class_list":["post-4363","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-balanced-life","category-depression","category-happiness-tips-2","category-healthy-living","category-janice-taylor","category-kick-in-the-tush-club","category-mental-health","category-our-lady-of-weight-loss","category-the-happiness-diet","category-the-holiday-diet","category-weight-loss","category-weight-loss-coach-2","category-weight-loss-motivation","category-weight-loss-tips-2","category-weight-loss-wisdom","tag-diet-tips","tag-foods-that-make-you-happy","tag-happiness","tag-happy-foods","tag-how-to-lose-weight","tag-janice-taylor","tag-kick-in-the-tush-club","tag-our-lady-of-weight-loss","tag-weight-loss-coach","tag-weight-loss-motivation","tag-weight-loss-tips"],"yoast_head":"\nHoliday Diet Tip: Eat This, Be Happy - Our Lady of Weight Loss<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/ourladyofweightloss\/2012\/11\/holiday-diet-tip-eat-this-be-happy.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Holiday Diet Tip: Eat This, Be Happy - Our Lady of Weight Loss\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"As we head into December, with our extra long to do list in one hand, and invitations to holiday parties and feasts of plenty in the other hand, I thought it might be utterly useful to know what foods keep the energy flowing strong and happy! 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