On some days, you just feel crappy. Yup, I am going to say it how it is.
You don’t feel like getting out of bed in the morning. You don’t feel like going to the gym and you don’t feel like going to work. You’re grumpy and not in the mood to do anything.
Your mood can and will determine whether you will stay true to your word and follow through on your commitments for the day. When people are in a bad mood (or they’re not in a peak state), they will skip the gym and their veggies and they will eat junk and watch T.V.
People will also skip working on their business plans, skip paying their bills, and skip working on their skills and what they’re passionate about. So it’s important to keep your mind and your mood in top shape.
You certainly can use your will-power to push through and do these things on certain days, but using your will-power alone without the proper overall plan will lead to burnout. And you will go back to square one.
In this post, I want to offer natural remedies that can put you in a better overall mood in as little time as possible. In fact, I am just going to remind of the natural enhancers you already know about.
1. Cleanse and Unclog
Research shows that the food you eat can (over time) alter the chemical structure of your brain in such a way that may lead to altered behavior. And the better your diet and the more brain enhancing nutrients it has, the better your mood will be.
So let’s first look at what you should avoid if you want to feel better and be happier.
- Reduce the consumption of simple carbs as much as you can. Simple carbs are easily digestible carbs that are quickly absorbed by your body. These include white bread, sweets, and certain sugary fruits. Simple carbs tend to spike your insulin and give you a short-lived boost of energy, however, this boot will come to an end and you will crash very quickly. And when you crash, you won’t be in the mood to do much.
- Avoid junk food. You obviously know this. But please note that salty food and processed meat have the potential to impact your digestive system and overall health dangerous and irreversible ways. It’s also addicting. So try to reduce it as much as possible. In addition, salty junk food (which is pretty much all of junk food) only satiate your appetite. It doesn’t give you the nutrients you need to feel good throughout the day. It will make you feel fatigued.
And that’s really all you need to avoid. If you’re healthy, you don’t need to avoid these foods altogether. You can eat sweet and salty food in moderate amounts and still be in a great mood. And by moderate amounts I mean no more than two servings twice a week. It’s simple so don’t overcomplicate this step.
Complex carbs. Complex carbs are your best friend. All of the carbs that I eat are complex carbs and I eat them on a daily basis for energy. But I don’t stuff myself. And I feel good throughout the day. In fact, I haven’t crashed since I started eating complex cabrs and I don’t feel sleepy. That’s because complex carbs keep your insulin level under control. And that’s what you need if you want to feel better, lose weight and even build muscle. So eat whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, and find a way to start liking oatmeal. There are a ton of recipes on the web to help you make oatmeal that tastes good. I personally shake it up with my protein…and it’s the fastest and easiest breakfast to make and eat/drink.
Veggies. Veggies are your best friend. Their benefits are widely studied and cited, and I won’t bore you with more studies. So please include a serving of veggies in every meal. Now don’t go overboard with this step. Focus on broccoli, asparagus, spinach and put a little bit of olive oil on it and you’re good to go. Eat your veggies…and I mean with every meal.
2. Water and Green Tea
Drink plenty of water throughout the day. In fact, you would benefit from drinking two glasses of warm water first thing in the morning when you wake up. It will hydrate you after a night of fasting and it will help you flush out toxins. But it will also better prepare your stomach for breakfast. It will fire up your metabolism and also prevent you from overeating. And for taste, try squeezing in a few drops of lemon.
In addition to drinking plenty of water, I highly recommend drinking green tea. Research has shown that anti-oxidants can help you live longer and feel better, and green tea contains a lot of those anti-oxidants. So swipe your coffee for green tea. It still has the caffeine you need but it doesn’t have as much as coffee to give you the jitters. It will give you a nice balanced and milder “buzz.” But what green tea has that coffee doesn’t is L-theanine. This is an amino acid that, when mixed with caffeine, works synergistically with it to make you feel great. It’s a natural mood booster.
3. Exercise
This tip is one that people hear all the time but don’t take it seriously.
Not only do we know that exercise can help increase the release of serotonin (the feel good hormone) into your system and improve your mood, exercise; as the act of being engaged in goal-directed pursuits, such as physical activity, also gives you a different perspective on what you’re capable of doing. Going out for a run and coming home afterwards to a healthy meal is good. You’ve accomplished what you’ve set out to do and that feels great.
If you haven’t exercised in a while (and even if you regularly exercise) I recommend adding a 10 minute walk to your day. You don’t have to be in gym clothes to go for a walk. Just get out of the house and walk for 10 minutes. And the earlier you exercise, the better your day will be. So use the early morning hours for exercise if you’re not in a good mood. It will help you kick start your day.
Lastly, if you’re too buy for a walk on certain days, try to stay active. Make an activity out of waking up early and getting the mail. Be creative, you can do a lot of things to keep your body moving and to feel better throughout the day.
And there you have it.