How To Raise Your Serotonin Levels And Why You Should

Photo credit: bigstockphoto.com

When people start to talk about the brain, depression, and how to feel more positive, serotonin levels always are mentioned. But what exactly is serotonin, and why should you concern yourself with raising these levels?

Serotonin is a mood stabilizer that is responsible for your appetite, your moods, social behavior, your sleep, and overall frame of mind. Many times it has been called the “happy hormone.” There are medications that can be prescribed for you by your doctor, but many people would rather go the natural route instead of taking something like Prozac to make themselves feel better.

If you feel deeply depressed and are not able to pull yourself out of this state of mind, you may want to see your doctor. But if you would like to handle this situation naturally, there are many things that you can do, foods you can eat, and supplements that you can take that will automatically make you feel happy and better able to face each day.

Because serotonin has to do with tryptophan, it is associated with your digestive tract. This brain chemical is responsible for so many of your actions it is important that the serotonin levels are always elevated instead of low. Here are 8 foods that can safely raise your serotonin levels:

1. Consume more protein

It is suggested that you eat more fish, chicken, turkey, nuts, and cottage cheese. All of these types of protein contain a high level of tryptophan, which is a derivative of serotonin.

2. Eat eggs

When it comes to eating eggs, don’t be afraid to eat the entire thing. The egg whites are full of protein which can raise the blood plasma levels in the tryptophan. The egg yolks have been found to not only contain tryptophan, but also tyrosine. Both work with to give eggs their antioxidant properties.