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12 Super Foods That Will Make You Super Happy (We Love #5!)
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If you find that you are feeling down or have the blues, it could be that you have low levels of an important neurotransmitter called dopamine. Dopamine determines your creativity levels, level of alertness, feelings of satisfaction, attention, and concentration levels. It also affects the part of the brain that controls your movements and emotional responses.
When you have low levels of this important neurotransmitter, you can have difficulty with concentration, feelings of fatigue, anxiety, overeating, insomnia, and very frequent mood changes.
Sometimes what you really need to pull yourself out of the dumps is a two week all-expenses paid vacation to a tropical island. Unless you have that in the works, what you can do is to increase foods that will give you a good boost of dopamine.
We have a list of 12 of the best super foods that can naturally increase your levels of dopamine, increasing your feelings of satisfaction and happiness.
Keep reading! Happiness is just around the corner at your supermarket!
1. Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds are rich in tyrosine, a compound that will increase your dopamine levels. These seeds also have vitamin E, which stimulates the production of dopamine and reduces the free radicals that can cause damage to the brain on a cellular level. Pumpkin seeds can make you more alert and sharpen your thinking skills. These tasty little seeds are known to lower cholesterol levels, prevent kidney stones, and help prevent prostate cancer. Roasted pumpkin seeds are a super healthy snack in which you should feel free to indulge.
2. Herbs
There are several herbs that often get overlooked when it comes to health benefits, especially for increasing dopamine levels. The best herbs to stimulate the production of this neurotransmitter are:
- Peppermint
- Milk Thistle
- Fenugreek
- Nettle
- Ginseng
- Red Clover
These are best consumed as herbal tea to get the full benefit. Drink two or three cups each day until you start doing your happy dance.
3. Apples
There is a powerful antioxidant found in apples called quercetin, which is well-known for encouraging brain health. Studies have shown that this compound prevents neurodegenerative disease while stimulating the production of dopamine. This will make you feel more passion and pleasure in your life. Apples also contain polyphenols, which is another type of antioxidant that protects your very important dopamine cells from damage. To get all the dopamine benefits possible, eat one complete apple, including the skin, each day. Any type, color, variety, or flavor that suits you is the one you should eat!
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