Diet
How To Relieve Anxiety and Depression With Easy & Yummy Mediterranean Diet?
‘Good food is a good mood.’
Eating good food can help you feel better, not only physically but also mentally. This has been proved recently in a randomised controlled trial conducted by a team of Australian researchers. The assignment further suggested that the Mediterranean diet, rich in vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts and fish, can heal anxiety disorders and symptoms of depression.
But, can the Mediterranean diet really boost someone’s mental health? Is it truly capable of reducing one’s anxiety disorders or symptoms of depression? You may have all these questions popping up in your mind right now. Thus, it is essential to know what Science has to say about the link between the Mediterranean diet and anxiety disorders.
Mediterranean Diet and Mental Health: Do They Really Have A Connection?
food
Several participants aged between 17 and 35 years old were selected for the randomized controlled trial in Australia. All of them scored high for stress, anxiety and depression. They were divided into two groups. One group had to follow the Mediterranean diet for three weeks. They had to avoid saturated fats, processed foods and refined sugars. The other group had to follow their normal diet.
After three weeks, the group that had to follow the Mediterranean diet noticed a decrease in their depression scores from moderate range to normal range. The students even said that they felt less stressed and anxious after the diet.
What did the researchers say?
One of the researchers in the randomized controlled trial wrote: “These results are the first to show that young adults with elevated depression symptoms can engage in and adhere to a diet intervention and that this can reduce symptoms of depression.”
What about the other experts in this field?
According to Lisa Richards, an author and a nutritionist of The Candida Diet, the Mediterranean foods integrate healthy fats in the body, thereby getting rid of the processed foods. She also added that the Mediterranean diet releases anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids. These reduce inflammation and its side effects in a body.
Owing to all the studies, researches and facts, it shows that the Mediterranean diet has a great role to play in reducing anxiety, stress and symptoms of depression. Now that you know the importance of Mediterranean dishes, let’s find out the right diet for a good mood.
5 Ways You Can Use The Mediterranean Diet To Uplift Your Mood
Mediterranean food is way more than just pasta, pizza or lamb chops. The traditional diet includes a wide slew of fruits, vegetables, seafood, olive oil, beans, nuts, olive oil, etc. The switch from pasta and pepperoni to avocados and fish is not easy. But, you need to try and focus on the nutrients-enriched diet to lead a healthier and happy life. Here’s how you can use the Mediterranean dishes to refresh your mental health.
- Eat plenty of fresh vegetables.
Eat plenty of fresh vegetables
Research suggests that the Mediterranean diet primarily consists of fresh fruits and vegetables. It has been confirmed by organisations such as the American Heart Association, the Cleveland Clinic and the Mayo Clinic.
Try out a simple plate of sliced tomatoes dipped in olive oil and sprinkled with feta cheese. That is enough to make a delicious breakfast, isn’t it? If you are planning to eat pizza, make sure the thin crust consists of mushrooms and peppers instead of sausage and pepperoni. You can also have salads, soups and crudite platters prepared out of the vegetables.
- Have seafood two times a week
The authentic Mediterranean diet involves a wide range of seafood, particularly fishes. The most popular ones are tuna, herring, salmon, sable fish (black cod) and sardine. You can prepare your favourite seafood dish for lunch or dinner.
Seafood generates a considerable amount of omega-3 fatty acids. These are anti-inflammatory. Thus, it will not only improve your heart’s condition but also lowers blood pressure. It keeps you calm and helps you reduce anxiety disorders easily. You can also try out shellfish such as oysters, mussels and clams. These can also help your brain, as well as heart, develop.
- Do not skip breakfast.
Do not skip breakfast
You can use fruits, whole grains and other fibre-rich foods to start your day with. You can also choose healthy fats such as fish, nuts and seeds for breakfast. Try to combine all these elements to kick start your day confidently.
Many people even consider having avocados and eggs for breakfast. If you want to make something creative, it is better to go for overnight oats along with vegan grilled cheese. My favourite breakfast in the Mediterranean diet includes Greek yoghurt along with flax seeds and berries. Whip up toast with banana slices and peanut butter since that takes only a few seconds for the preparation to complete.
Prepare a vegetarian meal at least one night a week
Are you one of those who can’t imagine living a single day without bacon or meat? In that case, you need to opt for ‘Meatless Monday’ trends to prepare a vegetarian meal for dinner once a week. Build meals based on freshly picked beans, whole grains and vegetables.
Sauté chickpeas and pour some Greek yoghurt to make a lip-smacking dinner for yourself or your loved ones. You can even prepare veggie-heavy soup and use all the vegetables you have in your refrigerator. Grain salad can also make a wonderful option for Mediterranean dinner. However, add sliced avocado or chickpeas and white beans on the top to enhance the flavour to a great extent.
- Enjoy fresh fruits for desserts.
enjoy fresh fruits for desserts
You can do wonders with the Mediterranean dishes for your desserts. You can mix and combine nuts, herbs and spices and whole grains with your favourite fruits. In fact, olive oil is apt for nectarines, dates, strawberries, pomegranates, etc.
You can use crème Fraiche or yoghurt to make a simple fruit tart. Stuff the goat cheese or ricotta with dates or figs and top them with nuts. Grill the pineapple with fresh mint or strawberries and that can make you feel better in no time. Some of you may find it hard initially to come up with the right desserts. However, don’t lose hope. It will be easier once you get a hold of it.
Wrapping Up,
Mental health is not just about having therapies or sessions with your psychiatrist. It is also about having the right food at the right time. The Mediterranean diet is perfect for boosting your mental health. All you have to do is implement the tips mentioned above and see the results for yourself. But, don’t forget that this diet is just a small part of the huge mental wellness program. You must consult with your psychiatrists as and when required. Good Luck.
Author Bio:
Suhana is a passionate blogger and digital marketing enthusiast. Suhana Williams is one of the most talented assignment experts who also provide assignment help through Assignmenthelp.us. She enjoys the ever-evolving world of digital marketing and loves to share her opinion on every possible update with her audience. When not creating magic with her words, you can find her sky-diving or trekking in the most bizarre locations.
Diet
5 Most Common Misconceptions About Vegan Lifestyle It’s Time To Root Out
Plant-based diets are becoming increasingly popular in today’s environmentally friendly world. Every once in a while, someone will try going vegetarian for a time to see how it feels. In many cases, they find that it suits their body and philosophy just right. That’s how a lot of vegans start out, but it’s not where the story ends. Being vegan is more of a lifestyle choice than it is a dietary shift, though most people don’t see it as such. There are a lot of misconceptions that surround veganism and its aspects, and it’s time to debunk them.
It’s just about cutting out the meat
It’s true that vegans will avoid meat, but this is an aspect of the lifestyle people put too much emphasis on. It’s not just about getting rid of meat and dairy products from one’s diet, it’s an entire philosophy that affects everyday activities, including food consumption. When you go vegan, you’re tacking on all of these responsibilities at once.
Everything from the clothes we wear to the food we eat can come from unethical sources. If a living animal is harmed to create these things, it doesn’t seem morally right to use or benefit from them. While you may not be holding the knife or the shears, by buying these things, you’re allowing the propagation of cruel methods.
The avoidance of exploitation of animals is what veganism is all about, and this is something that can affect just about everything in your day-to-day life. Eating plant-based food is just a small part of it.
Veganism is unhealthy
People often parrot the idea that veganism is an inherently unhealthy way to live. This is attributed to the fact that certain foods contain some pretty essential elements that our bodies need to function properly. It’s not quite as simple as most people make it out to be.
While meat, dairy, and fish are rich in nutrients that help our bodies grow and develop, they aren’t absolutely essential. More importantly, these nutrients aren’t exclusively found within animal and fish products. There’s certainly a risk in getting a nutritional deficiency or two, but this risk is severely mitigated when you compensate with the right supplements and foodstuffs.
Contrary to popular belief, vegans don’t just eat vegetables alone. The vegan diet can be pretty complex and often contain special fruits, nuts, grains, and many more. Vegan food can also replace most of the common foodstuffs people eat every day. There’s even vegan cheese available, which isn’t made from typical dairy products. There’s a lot more variety than you might expect of vegan food, which is precisely why so many individuals are turning to this philosophy of their own accord.
Vegans are pushy and annoying
It’s not exactly fair to throw veganism under the bus this way. While there might be a vocal minority of vegans that push their lifestyle onto others or try to guilt-trip them into changing, this is definitely the exception, rather than the rule. You have to consider that this kind of behavior is common in all lifestyles that differ somewhat from the norm. The good nature of veganism just provides a platform for those that might abuse it to try to influence other people. The vast majority of vegans are simply trying to live their life according to their principles, without trying to change or “convert” others. While encouragement is always there, it’s hardly ever aggressively shoved in peoples’ faces.
Vegan diets leave you weak
It’s no secret that people don’t exactly have the best view of veganism and those who adhere to it. In many cases, the root cause of this is the view that a vegan diet doesn’t supply your body with enough nutrients to keep it healthy and strong. There’s a pervasive view of vegans as being frail and relatively weak, even though this couldn’t be further from the truth.
The most oft-mentioned essential nutrient that should be lacking is none other than the common protein. A lack of animal products seems like it would decrease your protein intake, but that shouldn’t be the case with a healthy vegan diet. There’s no shortage of protein-rich vegetables and legumes that would satisfy the average vegan’s daily protein needs. Let’s not forget about grains and nuts, which also pack quite the punch with proteins.
Even if you don’t enjoy these options, there are tons of ways to supplement protein intake, whether you’re a vegan or not. Finding an organic protein powder that suits your diet isn’t such a difficult task anymore. Vegans can enjoy having more than enough protein to go around. This can help with diets that need to be adapted to increased physical training and exercise. It would be hard to differentiate between a bodybuilder that’s sticking to a regular diet versus one that is on a vegan diet. The results remain the same.
It’s not affordable
When you get everything else out of the way, money starts being an issue. Veganism is often thought of as a “rich man’s” lifestyle. If you’re able to avoid all the essential meats and dairy products, you must be able to afford some pretty interesting foods to compensate. The truth is far from it, as vegan diets aren’t particularly expensive or difficult to maintain. What you see at restaurants doesn’t reflect the real price of vegan food. You can make just about any vegan meal on a budget, as long as you are adept enough at cooking. A few spices here and there make a real difference, but the core foodstuffs remain cheap.
Conclusion
There are lots of harmful and untrue stereotypes that surround the vegan lifestyle. Debunking them isn’t a matter of making veganism more popular or widespread, it’s just about telling the truth. If someone wants to try out a vegan lifestyle, these stereotypes will only hold them back. It’s important that there are no lies or misconceptions that influence their decision.
Diet
Getting Pregnant: Here’s How to Prepare Your Body for Pregnancy
You have decided that you want to conceive and intend to plan your actions accordingly. Getting pregnant involves mental, emotional, and physical preparation to ensure the health and safety of the baby. And this pregnancy involves your partner too, as both of you have to be well and ready.
The physical aspect of preparing yourself for conception is a challenge within a challenge. Depending on your current condition, you may have to adapt or modify your behavior to make room for healthy choices.
So what do you expect when you want to expect?
Consult Your Doctor before and during Pregnancy
baby
Mayo Clinic recommends women, along with their partners, trying to conceive to go on a preconception appointment that covers a tall order of critical issues relating to fertility and more:
- Birth control
- Vaccines, especially if you are up-to-date
- Medications or supplements
- Chronic conditions
- Health history (yours and your family’s)
- Age
- Previous pregnancies
- Weight ideal for conception
- Lifestyle
This visit to the doctor sets you up for realistic and deliberate planning for your pregnancy. As you conceive successfully, you have to undergo ultrasound scans to monitor the growth of your baby. The ultrasound transducer typically glides over the abdomen to perform the scan. You can look into what ultrasound transducers that hospitals and clinics use here.
Go Easy on Coffee
A study reveals that there’s little association between coffee intake and fertility or achieving pregnancy. However, the study finds that consuming 300 milligrams of caffeine every day during early pregnancy is tied to a greater risk of spontaneous abortion (SAB). To be on the safe side, limit your coffee intake to less than 200 milligrams a day or a 12-ounce cup, according to the American Pregnancy Association.
What about herbal tea?
It may be generally safe for you to drink tea products while waiting to conceive. Still, consult with your medical practitioner regarding the consumption of such products and their effect on your fertility, if any.
A study notes that consuming more than four cups of green tea a day leads to low serum folate levels during the early stage of pregnancy. Folic acid reduces the risk of birth defects such as neural tube defects (NTD), and tea consumption may increase such risk.
Eat Healthy and Right
You may have to lose or gain weight to get pregnant. What’s important is to achieve this ideal weight prior to pregnancy.
Thus, eat a balanced meal by doing these:
- Cut back on junk food, empty calories, and high-sugar foods.
- Include fruits, vegetables, and grains in your meal plan.
- Take vitamins and mineral supplements, including folic acid.
Ask your doctor about specific restrictions or inclusions to your diet.
Move Around
Exercise plays a role in improving fertility and helps you manage or control your weight for pregnancy. According to the Fertility Society of Australia (FSA), obese women who have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) but exercise regularly can increase their frequency of ovulation. That then leads to regular menstrual cycles and higher chances of conceiving.
Per FSA, do at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity that includes brisk walking and dancing every day.
Can you travel during the preconception stage?
Traveling itself can influence the levels of melatonin and cortisol. That, in turn, affects your monthly cycle. The fluctuations in the levels of those hormones can disrupt the window of fertility. You may have to scale back on traveling that can unduly stress you and mess up with your cycle. Instead, bank on sleep and rest.
Abstain from or Quit Drinking, Smoking, and Using Drugs
Medical experts always warn both men and women about consuming cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs and its effects on the unborn baby.
- Alcohol: the substance can interfere with ovulation and may make it difficult for women to get pregnant. Alcohol can also decrease men’s sperm count.
- Smoking: it can damage the eggs and cause miscarriages. Aside from lowering the sperm count on men, cigarettes have been linked to sluggish sperm motility.
- Drugs: they can cause hormonal imbalance that leads to fertility issues. If your partner chronically smokes marijuana, then the sperm count and development of the sperm also take a hit.
Thus, you need to abstain or refrain from taking any such substances leading to and during pregnancy. You must also avoid environmental toxins, such as those from pollutants that can interfere with the baby’s development.
You can refer to this ultimate guide to flush drug toxins out of your body and pass a drug test if you or your partner needs to take one for the workplace. The key takeaway is that you have options to ensure you are clean months or so before you plan to get pregnant.
Follow these tips to physically prepare for conception, and coordinate your efforts with your doctor every step of the way.
Diet
6 things you shouldn’t forget while following a particular diet
First things first, the goal of losing weight is something personal to everybody.
Sure, there are plenty of health and wellbeing benefits if you do decide to lose weight. But if you choose not to, that is just fine too!
However, if you do wish to do something about those extra pounds this year and have no clue where you should start, you are not alone.
You’d be surprised to know that a quarter of people in the US who resolve to change different aspects of their lives for the better this New Year will also be hoping to lose weight. And that means they are also going to hope for cookie-cutter solutions – fast weight loss alternatives, fad diets, quick fat burn exercises, etc.
You see, the thing is, losing weight successfully and without suffering any adverse side effects is something frightfully complicated.
There is a lot of dedication, will power and commitment attached to losing weight, not just following a strict diet. Anybody can go on a diet; a few can stick to it. Remember, this is something long-term that is you want to bring about a positive change in your life truly.
Top 6 things to always keep in mind when you start any particular diet
Stay realistic
It is good to be determined and committed to attaining a goal, such as weight loss. However, what is equally vital to achieving that goal is being realistic.
The ability to effectively lose weight is directly proportional to personal honesty. Always make sure that your weight loss goals are realistic and in tandem to your lifestyle.
What that means is you will never have the time to cook a diet-conscious meal every night. And that is especially a truism if you don’t like spending the on standing in front of your stove.
As per a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, it was identified that many diet relapsers did lose weight by going on fast or by taking fat loss supplements. However, the same study also discovered that those relapsers were able to maintain their weight loss in the long term.
A good workaround to staying committed yet comfortable is to cook for two nights any day of the week and ordering healthy options for the rest of the week.
Moreover, it is also crucial that you stay honest when it comes to your food preferences. If you don’t like to eat quinoa to lose weight, don’t. Go for something that suites your taste buds.
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Get in-tune with your inner motivation
It is one thing to jump on a weight-loss bandwagon with a free gym pass and then quitting a week into your routine. To stay consistent, you have to first intrinsically realize why it is that you want to lose weight.
Knowing why you are setting a goal will help you stick to the pathways that lead towards a positive outcome.
Ask yourself questions like:
- Why do you want to get into shape?
- How are you going to feel once you lose weight?
- Would accomplishing your goals make your loved ones happy?
Jot down your answers in a notebook and keep reminding yourself!
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Go for a dietary plan that suits you and your lifestyle
Don’t get sucked into new diet fads – those so-called magical tips and ingredients to melt fat. There is no such thing as a secret to lose weight. The only secret is to understand what suits you.
The best diet is one that you can comfortably accommodate in your lifestyle while giving you all the nourishment you need to function normally.
Don’t look at food as just means to curb your calories – encourage yourself to eat healthier foods overall. Go for more wholesome foods, minimize your daily sugar intake, balance your calories, etc.
Practicing moderation is a heck of a way to stay healthy and lose weight at the same time rather than trying and forcing yourself to stick to a strict meal plan each day.
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Don’t rush anything!
Sure, you may experience rapid weight loss. However, keep in mind that this is very short-term and is challenging to sustain. Slow and gradual weight loss far outweighs melting your fat as fast as you can.
That is because taking things slowly will enable you to get used to your routine. Losing half to two pounds every week is normal. But don’t get too worked up about numbers – practice moderation and consistency.
Gradually change your habits, start making time to go to the gym – you don’t have to go every day, every alternate day is fine.
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Remember not to get too caught up in just the food you consume
It is effortless to concentrate on what just what you are consuming day in and day out. However, losing weight more sustainably requires a couple of other elements as well.
For example, hire a personal health coach if you can join a supportive community, etc. You see, without good moral support, you will never be able to get the knowledge that is vital to designing a long-term eating plan you can sustain.
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Keep fueling your resolve
It is essential to understand that your weight loss journey can be exciting, and at the same time, it can also be a total letdown.
When you slowly lose the motivation to attaining a goal, it can knock the socks off you. This is one of the most challenging parts of losing weight.
To maintain and sustain your weight loss, you are going to have fuel your resolve and keep moving forward!
Just keep on eating healthy, you can have a cheat day once or twice a month – but be sure never to quite your physical training sessions.
The bottom line
As you take the first steps in your weight loss journey, endeavor and fight your desires, never forget to be your cheerleader. Don’t neglect self-care! Remember to reward yourself in full when you achieve a goal. But more importantly, never compare yourself to anyone else!
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