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4. Garlic
Garlic has been used as both a flavor enhancer and as a source of medicine for thousands of years. Modern science has backed up these claims, showing that garlic contains powerful anti-virus, anti-depressant, and antibacterial compounds that will help to reduce inflammation, improve blood circulation, and maintain a balanced blood sugar level while encouraging detoxification of the body.
5. Turkey Breast
There is a reason you feel relaxed and sleepy after that big Thanksgiving Day feast: Turkey! This meat is a great source of tryptophan, an important amino acid that your body will convert into serotonin. One research study showed that when argumentative people consumed foods rich in tryptophan, they became much more pleasant, increasing their agreeable behavior and decreasing arguments among the participants. Perhaps this is why your mother-in-law smiles at you a great deal more after the Thanksgiving meal! For your own health, always buy organic, free range turkey breast.
6. Leafy Vegetables
Leafy green vegetables, such as spinach, are super rich in a B vitamin called folate, which stimulates your body to produce more of the mood-regulating neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin. One 2012 study showed that people who consumed diets high in folate had a much lower risk of depression than those who did not eat folates. The University of Otago found in a research study that eating fruits and vegetables of all kinds (with the exception of dried fruit and fruit juice) helped young adults calm their nerves. In this study, on the days when subjects were told to eat more fruits and vegetables, they reported that they felt happier, calmer, and more energetic. Dopamine and serotonin are two of the most important feel-good substances in the body, and anything you can do to increase the levels of these neurotransmitters will help to fight stress naturally.
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