Nutrients that help BOOST your mood!

During these winter months, sometimes I don't feel as energized or excited as I do during the summer. So I try to make sure I eat foods that make me feel good! Here are a list of some nutrients that help you boost your mood during these dreary winter months:

1. Omega 3-fatty acids
Some people believe that omega 3-fatty acids could possibly help elminate depression. So what foods are rich in omega 3's? Oily fish (ex. salmon), ground flaxseeds, canola oil, walnuts, and eggs rich in omega 3's.

2. Folic Acid and B12
These two B vitamins are believed to have a great effect on your mood. Some scientists believe that these vitamins helps create serotonin in our bodies. Serotonin a key neurotransmitter that helps balance our mood. Eggs, wild salmon, fortified whole grain cereal, low fat yogurt, and low fat milk are all foods rich in B12. Oatmeal, beets, lentils, broccoli, and oranges contain folate.

3. Vitamin D
Vitamin D has been known to help alleviate the winter blues! Recently some studies have shown that vitamin D increases serotonin in the brain. There are a few foods that do contain vitamin D such as fat free or low fat milk, fortified soy milk, and egg yolks.

Try to get these nutrients into your body daily to help eliminate those winter blues!

How to deal with anxiety!

I am the queen of anxiety! I struggle with my own anxieties on a daily basis. And sometimes it feels like it is hard to escape with the everyday struggles. But you can overcome that anxious feeling! Here are a few ways:

1. Practice Relaxation

    I am not telling you to chose unhealthy ways to relax, instead meditate. One thing about the anxious mind is it'a hard to shut off, but if you focus on meditating you can relax. Mediation when one self-induces a mode of consciousness in order to realize a bit of internal self benefit. So how do you meditate? One type of meditation is breathing meditation. Simply breathe naturally, try to breathe through your nostrils, don't control your breath, instead try to become aware of the sensation of your breath as it enters and leaves your nostrils. The sensation of our breath is the objective of meditation. Don't fret if at first it's hard to calm your mind. Just keep practicing. 

2. Don't focus on your anxieties, change your environment

   When I am anxious, if I focus on my anxiety, it just makes it worse. Instead what I do is I try to change the environment I am in. Often I take my dog on a very long walk. I don't go to environment taht will make me feel more stress. If I really don't feel like leaving the house (even though I should), I will research a new exercise to try. Do something that will take your mind away from your own anxiety. Don't try to escape through drugs or alcohol because it won't take it away. Approaching your anxiety with natural techniques will have a much greater effect! 

3. Make sure you eat well, sleep enough, and exercise!

   The best way to deal with anxiety is get the right amount of sleep, healthy foods, and exercise. If you fuel your body correctly, you are in a better place to deal with life's crazy roller coaster. Eat loads of fruits, veggies, lean meats, and healthy carbs. Sleep just the right amount, not too little because that will make you more irritable, and not too much because then you will feel tired throughout the day (or atleast I do). Exercise! Move your body. Exercise helps enhance our physical fitness and and general health.

You can fight anxiety- I did! It is not the end of the world, if you know how to handle it naturally! 

The BEST place to fuel your body!

As a teenager, I know how hard it can be to find health food that actually tastes good. Sometimes it tastes like dirt or the place looks sketchy. There are many ways health food can turn you off. However, there are health food stores/restaurants that are amazing and will totally change your thoughts about eating healthy. During my trip to Hawaii, I was able to find the most delicious health food at BASIK ACAI. When you take a bite of the BASIK’s bowls or have a sip of one of their smoothies, you feel like you can do anything.

            BASIK unearths a new and nutritious style of eatery. They offer a variety of healthy ‘real foods’ including power packed acai bowls, fresh fruit smoothies, and many other raw, local, and organic products. So why is it important to eat real food? ‘Real food’ gives you more energy, a clearer mind, and overall a healthier lifestyle. The highly processed food teenagers often eat is packed with preservatives, that don’t support a healthy lifestyle. BASIK has none of the artificial junk found in most of America’s foods, instead they have a variety of remarkable ingredients, such as cashews, almonds, hemp seed, fresh berries, seasonal fruits and acai. What is acai? Acai fruit is a palm berry found in the Amazon rainforest and is loaded with 16 different antioxidant compounds, essential amino acids, omega fats, and fiber. So what inspired the owners to start BASIK? Eating acai in Hawaii and California throughout college inspired them to bring the concept of the bowl to the Big Island of Hawaii. Honestly there is no better meal before a long exam or a long surf session.

            I find myself often searching for food that I can feel good about putting in my body. Anything you eat at BASIK will make you feel like you are on top of the world. Food has the ability to change your mood, health, and lifestyle. And when you eat at BASIK that is the exact affect their food will have on you!

Check out their website: http://www.basikacai.com/ or http://www.facebook.com/pages/Basik-Acai/105431692826588

Tough Situations of the Teenage Years

Peer Pressure. The phrase "everyone's doing it" is probably the most common phrase among teenagers. This is one of the unfortunate and not so fun parts of being a teenager. Feeling pressure from your friends to do something you don't want, is a really awful feeling. You don't want to do the activity and you don't want to be kicked out of your social group. So what's the best way to deal with peer pressure? First listen to your gut feeling. If your being pressured to drink or smoke or any other situation, and you don't want to participate, get out the situation and just keep telling yourself that your cool for going against all the stupid things teenagers do. So how do you get out of a situation? You can blame your parents. Tell them your parents will put you up for adoption if you touched drugs or alcohol (it might sound far fetched, but come up with something that will get them to shut up) or you can tell them your mom sends out spies to look after you. This might sound lame, but it's always good to come up with a code word that your parents or close relatives know, so that if you text them that word, they will know to come get you. But the overall best way to avoid these situations is to hang out with people that have the same feeling towards drugs and alcohol that you do. That way your not surrounded by people who will try to influence you in a negative way. It's up to you to chose which path you want to go down!

Pre-Midterm Prep!

I know midterms are coming up and the normal feeling is stress and anxiousness, especially before the first one. I use to get so nervous about taking tests. I would wake up super early (3am) to study and that is not healthy and I don't recommend it. Now I have learned the best way to start your day before a midterm. What I do before I take a test is visualize myself taking a test. Take a few moments to close your eyes and picture yourself taking the test, worry-free, finding it easy, and being totally relaxed. You can also picture where you are going to sit and the grade you want to get. I do this before I take tests and it really helps me stay calm. For breakfast before a midterm, make sure you eat lots of protein and very little sugar (if it's natural like from fruit, that's okay). I would make myself a protein smoothie with fruit and almond milk or make myself scrambled eggs and fresh fruit and a slice of whole wheat toast with natural peanut butter. This is the best way to start any day, but especially a day filled with tests! Good luck on your midterms!

When feeling stressed what should we do?

For me the hardest part of the teenagers is the stress we have to deal with from our social life, school and sometimes our families. In moments where I feel like I am just so overwhelmed I can't  move, I know I have to take my mind away from whatever is stressing me out. Not just physically remove myself from the stress, but mentally. I could sit and watch t.v., but my mind will still wander. So I pick up a book because I have to pay attention when I read, I have to be physically and mentally there. Sometimes I practice yoga because yoga is not only a physical discipline, but a mental discipline, too. What I most often do, is ride a stationary bike and blast music into my ears, so that I can't think. When I ride the bike, I don't focus on what stressing me, instead I focus on going a farther distance or getting my heart rate up. I use to play brain games, that are meant for testing your memory and focus abilities. These help me a lot. Lumosity is a great website for brain games. Remember if you are feeling stressed, STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING, and find something that is mentally distracting, whether it's a physical activity or not. Don't do anything that will harm your body, instead do something good for your body. Something that will make you feel good about yourself and not make you feel worse! These are key elements that will help you when you are in a mental state of stress.

Almonds

When you are in need of a snack, grab a handful of almonds. I personally could eat almonds and raisins all day (best combination ever, in my opinion). Not only because they are super delicious, but healthy. Almonds are loaded with Vitamin E! Vitamin E is a name for a-Tocopherol. Which is the most important antioxidant of fats, and that it protects cell membranes from oxidation (the loss of one molecule when two or more substances interact). I know us teenagers aren't to interested in our cell membranes, but we do tend to obsess over our skin. Almonds help improve our complexion. You can eat almonds or apply almond oil to your face and massage it in, this too will enhance your complexion. I personally don't apply almond oil to my face, but I have read and researched it and people believe it makes your skin fairer and less oily. If you do decide to try almond oil. Here is what is recommended to do. Since this is a natural product, it is affected by temperature and sunlight. Make sure to purchase oil in a dark jar to protect it from sunlight. Keep the oil in a cool dark place, and be sure to use it quickly after opening because it will lose it's quality. Apply small dabs to your face, your face should not feel like you are drowning in oil. I consume a handful of almonds, sometimes every day, and this helps my skin stay clear. I am not saying almonds are the cure for acne, but they do help in the fight for clear skin!

Dark Chocolate-Is it healthy?

Here are three reasons to eat dark chocolate:
1. Boosts your mood
A compound called phenylethylamine in chocolate is responsible for boosting your mood and helping with mood swings.
2. Brain Fuel
University of Nottingham Medical School conducted a study that showed that flavanol-rich chocolate can help boost blood flow to the brain.
3. Helps boost metabolism
Flavonoids also increase sugar metabolism in your body and may help you reduce your risk of diabetes.

So the next time you are craving a sweet treat choose a chocolate that has at least 60% cocoa in it. But remember the next time you are eating dark chocolate, make sure to eat it in moderation!

Relaxation Tip #2/ Mood Booster!

Aloha everyone! I am currently in Hawaii, therefore I have not been able to post for a bit! While being in Hawaii, I realized the importance of vitamin d. I know UV rays aren't good for you, but a daily dose of vitamin d is a mood booster. Professor Walter E. Stumpf of the University of North Carolina is the man who started the belief that vitamin d is a mood booster. I am one who believes in Professor Stumpf's theory. I notice when it's raining and cloudy, I feel more tired and sometimes even anxious. However when the sun is out, I feel calmer and more content. What I am trying to say is take advantage of sun. It's a natural mood booster!