If the Monday blues have you down, try this mood boosting
cherry chocolate oatmeal smoothie for a quick dose of happiness.
I think we all suffer from the blues occasionally. Let’s
face it, it’s hard to be happy all the time. Daily activities can weigh on us,
relationships can be trying and work incredibly challenging and
exhausting. It’s easy to get in a
funk that’s hard to shake.
Personally, I had post partum depression with my first baby
(17 years ago) and have battled some ups and downs ever since. Therefore, being
a foodie and all, I felt there must be a natural way to boost your mood through
food. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter,
biochemically derived from tryptophan, that basically makes you feel good.
Tryptophan and serotonin are naturally found in many food items such as turkey, bananas, cherries and wild fish and seafood.
This dark chocolate cherry oatmeal smoothie contains 4
ingredients that have mood boosting properties – cherry, dark chocolate, banana
and flaxseed oil. Not to mention whole grains and yogurt for calcium and
protein. Oh yeah, and you got some omegas in there too. I personally think it’s
the perfect way to start your day; especially a Monday.
If this isn’t enough to get you out of your mild funk, try
these 8 quick and effective stress busters from Prevention Magazine:
1.
Meditate – you can download a relaxation or
meditation MP3 on itunes. It only takes about 10 minutes a day to decrease your
blood pressure and activate your relaxation response.
2.
Make a great iPod mix – music can have a calming
effect on the brain especially while you’re facing down a major stressor.
3.
Hit the sack early or take a nap – the
recommended 8 hours of nightly shut-eye allows your body enough time to recover
from the days stress. If you can’t get 8 hours, try to get a 30 minute nap the
next day to rejuvenate.
4.
Sip some black tea – the “cup that cheers”
works. Naturally occurring chemicals such as polyphenols and flavonoids may be
responsible for tea’s calming effect.
5.
Hang out with a funny friend – the pal that
keeps you in stitches may help temper your hormonal stress response. Laughter
can work wonders.
6.
Schedule a massage – a little pampering can rub
your stress level the right way. Plus massage sessions promote the production
of Seratonin and dopamine, the feel good hormones.
7. Do something spiritual – religious rituals
fortifies many people against everyday pressure. If organized religion is not
your thing, try finding your spiritual side on a nature hike, a stroll on the
beach or volunteering for a charity.
8.
Chew a piece of gum – yes, I said chew gum.
Popping a stick in your mouth can diffuse tension and increase alertness.
(For more info see the original article at http://www.prevention.com/mind-body/emotional-health/how-lower-cortisol-manage-stress).
Dark Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal Smoothie
Yield: 1 smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup frozen cherries
- 1 banana sliced
- 1/2 cup old fashioned oats (use can also you GF oats)
- 1 cup low fat plain yogurt
- 1 ounce dark chocolate (divided) - I used 2 squares of 60% cacao Ghiradelli chocolate
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon flax oil
- 4 ice cubes
- In a blender combine the first 4 ingredients and blend until smooth. Add 1/2 of the dark chocolate, honey, flax oil and ice cubes. Blend until smooth.
- Grate the remaining chocolate and sprinkle it on top.
