There is so much coming at you all the time. Managing a job, caring for loved ones, and taking care of yourself-often the last priority-are constant demands.
The world is going crazy and seems determined to take you on the roller coaster ride. The ups and downs come at you fast and furious. You barely have time to finish one thought or task and the next twist is on you.
There are days when it becomes too much to deal with. You don’t want to hear about anyone’s anything. You can barely find the energy to fall out of the bed and get your feet under you to move through another day.
Right now, you are in dire need of a pick-me-up. Caffeine isn’t doing it anymore, and neither is the exercise you don’t have the energy to do.
You’re trying to keep things clean and healthy, but the last thing you want is to pour more money into the already full supplement cabinet of unfulfilled health, vitality, and abundant energy promises.
What if I told you there are mood-boosting foods you can eat that could make a difference? Would you be up to cooking a few tasty dishes that could give you a little natural giddy-up? Read on and learn about three foods that research has shown to improve mood and energy.
Adaptogens
Adaptogens are naturally occurring substances found in plants that help your body adapt to stressors. Stressors are anything that your mind perceives as danger, change being a big one. Life events like a new job, ups and downs of relationships, moving into a new home, having a baby, and so much more are all stress-inducing changes.
Your most basic brain, responsible for your survival, considers anything new a stressor. Adaptogens help you adapt to stress until changes become routine.
Adaptogens tend to work best when eaten in their whole food forms as they’re prepackaged with all they need to be most effective.
Mood-Boosting Foods
There are three mood-boosting foods that are easy to incorporate into your diet: turmeric, holy basil, and reishi mushrooms.
Turmeric: This root has been shown to improve ability to maintain attention and working memory. It can reduce fatigue and promote a greater sense of calmness and contentedness.1
Turmeric is easy to find as it is sold in most supermarkets, health food stores and online. It can be used as the fresh root, dried powder or as a spice blend such as curry powder.
Turmeric with its bright yellow hue, offers a warm, earthy flavor and a slight bite, reminiscent of ginger. It goes well in curries, as well as soups, stews, rice dishes and marinades.
Holy Basil: A study showed holy basil, also known as Tulsi, improved participants’ perception of stress and sleep quality.2
It can be found in some grocery stores. Those with organic or more extensive international food sections are most likely to carry it. It is more readily available online and can be purchased as fresh or dried leaves and in tea blends.
Holy basil and basil are not the same thing. Though both have health benefits, only holy basil is a mood-boosting food. The closely related basil is beneficial as an antioxidant and for heart health. Its more subtle flavor is best suited to Mediterranean dishes. Holy basil is more intense in flavor, best used in Southeast Asian dishes such as curries.
Reishi: Reishi mushrooms have proven to be able to reduce the sense of fatigue while increasing the feeling of well-being.3
Of all the mushrooms, these pack the most intense flavor. They have been described as both woody and earthy. They have a somewhat bitter edge to them making them best used in slow cooking dishes supporting the main ingredient.
These mood-boosting fungi are often found incorporated into herbal teas, broths, soups, elixirs, and smoothies. Surprisingly, they pair well in cacao-based desserts.
Reishi mushrooms can be found in specialty health food stores and Asian markets as well as online. They can be used as fresh, dried, and in powdered form. The powdered form makes it easy to incorporate into a variety of dishes.
A Few Simple Recipes to Get Started
I appreciate a little assist when adding something new to my health routines and I thought you might too. Here are links to a few tasty recipes that incorporate the mood-boosting foods turmeric, holy basil and reishi mushrooms.
Golden Mushroom Milk
Golden Milk is a drink that has been used in Ayervedic medicine over the centuries. Originating in India it is known as haldi doodh. It has been used to help recovery from colds, coughs, inflammation, and pain.
It’s flavored with warming spices like cinnamon and ginger then sweetened with honey. This recipe, by Andrea Beaman, adds the bonus of reishi mushroom powder for an extra health boost.
Get the recipe from Life is Delicious here: Immune Boosting Golden Mushroom Milk.
Pork and Holy Basil Stir-Fry (Can be made into a vegetarian dish)
Holy basil also has a long tradition of use in India both in Ayurvedic medicine and as part of sacred Hindu ceremonies.
Though both fresh basil and Thai basil are found in plentiful supply, holy basil is a little more challenging to find, so you’ll need to plan ahead. I did find it available as started plants at Walmart and online at Amazon.
This recipe does include pork; however, it can be made over as a vegetarian meal. Pork is not essential to the benefits of the dish.
You can add reishi mushrooms by either cooking them fresh or adding the powdered form. The same can be done with turmeric. They’ll add depth of flavor as well as giving the dish even more mood-boosting power.
Get the recipe from The Woks of Life here: Pork & Holy Basil Stir-Fry.
Reishi Mushroom Ramen Bowl
Reishi mushrooms have a long history in China and Japan. They have been used in Chinese medicine for over 4,000 years. In Japan they are called “mannentake” meaning mushroom of 10,000 years. They were given the name because they were thought to be spiritual and immortal.
This recipe makes reishi mushrooms the star of the bowl. It can be made with bone or vegetable broth without losing any mood-boosting food benefits. It includes turmeric and you can use holy basil to season it as it will go well with the ginger and cloves.
Get the recipe from My Tiny Laguna Kitchen here: Reishi Mushroom Ramen Bowl.
With three easy-to-eat mood-boosting foods now in your pantry, you’ll be able to better help yourself move through the challenges life sends your way.
Do you have a recipe featuring any of these three ingredients? Share it with us in the comments!
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