Thursday, July 27, 2017

7 Power Foods That Boost Your Immune System

The stronger your immune system is, the better chance you have of fighting off germs and disease. You can eat your way to a stronger immune system by adding these 7 power foods to your diet that boost your immune system.

1. Tomatoes
Tomatoes contain lycopene that can aid in the fight against free radical damage to white blood cells with its antioxidant properties. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a study in which people ate a diet high in tomatoes for 3 weeks, then ate no tomatoes for 3 weeks. During the period they ate lots of tomatoes, these people showed as having 38% less free radical damage to their white blood cells.

2. Whey
Whey contains cysteine, an amino acid that the body converts into the antioxidant glutathione. Antioxidants fight the damage to our bodies' cells caused by free radicals. You generally find whey in milk products for example the clear liquid you see at the top of your yogurt before you stir it up is whey. You can also get powdered whey protein isolate for a very high source of protein. Protein aids the body in white blood cell production and antibodies.

3. Oats
You know breakfast is the most important meal of the day and starting your day off with oatmeal is healthy in many ways one of which is the boost it gives your immune system. Macrophages produced in your bone marrow and an important part of the immune system, are activated by beta-glucans. Oats are a great source of beta-glucans. Eating steel cut oats is better than rolled or quick cooking oats.

4. Mushrooms
Mushrooms have been shown through various studies to increase production and activity of white blood cells. White blood cells are a part of the immune system that help fight off infections. Shiitake and maitake mushrooms seem to be the best ones for immune system support.

5. Tea
Black and green tea are good sources of antioxidants and actually have more than fruits and vegetables do. Studies have also shown that when brewing your tea, if you bob the tea bag or tea ball up and down several times then you can increase the amount of antioxidants released by 5 times the amount. Green tea also has EGCG that may help in preventing heart muscle damage. Chamomile tea has also been shown to help with boosting the immune system. A study at London's Imperial College found that subjects who drank 5 cups a day for 2 weeks showed an increase in a compound that has antibacterial properties. 

6. Beets
Beets get their color from betacyanin which is a phytonutrient known to help fight off disease. They also contain folate which helps in the prevention of colon cancer and osteoporosis and are a good source of fiber and beta-carotene. The body takes beta-carotene from foods and converts it into the antioxidant nutrient, Vitamin A. Vitamin A is one of the vitamins that helps keep skin healthy and your skin is your body's first line of defense in the immune system for keeping out bacteria and viruses.

7. Alliums
Alliums are foods such as leeks, onions and garlic. Foods in this family are known to have natural antibiotic properties to help fight off germs. They have also been found useful in helping lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels and there is research that suggests they can help reduce the growth risk of prostate, stomach and colon cancer cells.

Other Natural Solutions to Boost Your Immune System

Antioxidants
Eating fresh fruits and vegetables every day is the preferred method of getting antioxidant defense from free radicals and other nutrients that support your immune system function, and improve skin health. But we know sometimes it's hard with a busy lifestyle, traveling and eating out to get all the fruits and vegetables your body needs. When you can't get your antioxidants from the food you eat, you can add supplements to your diet that provide antioxidant nutrition. One such supplement combines wheat sprouts, blue green algae and red beta algae to nourish the body with a variety of vital nutrients. Even people who do get their daily recommended servings from foods can benefit from this type of supplement.

Probiotics
Your intestinal tract is also part of your immune system and is full of "friendly bacteria" or probiotics that keep harmful bacteria and other invaders from getting into your body through the intestinal wall. So many things we encounter today, such as antibiotics, chlorinated water, high fat high protein diets, environmental toxins, and other medications, destroy these populations of friendly bacteria that we need help replenishing them.

Acidophilus is especially important for keeping the small intestine healthy since without proper cleansing, the small intestine can accumulate harmful byproducts that impair natural digestive function. Taking a high quality acidophilus supplement can help the body process food efficiently and eliminate waste. Bifidus helps creates a favorable environment for the growth of "good bacteria" in the large intestine which is responsible for absorption of water from food that is consumed and passage from the body of remaining waste products. Lactobacillus casei is another probiotic known to give a boost to the immune system.

Beta Glucan
Scientists found in the 1960s that the complex carbohydrate beta glucan has immune boosting properties. Beta glucan activates macrophages, which are a type of white blood cell produced in bone marrow, that travel throughout the body fighting off bacteria, viruses and other foreign invaders. An immune system boosting supplement that contains a patented form of beta glucan called WGP beta glucan has been shown through research studies to activate macrophages resulting in a stronger immune system. Numerous studies conducted at such prestigious research institutions such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, and Johns Hopkins University have documented this supplement's potential for boosting the immune system through WGP beta glucan's ability to activate macrophages.

Your immune system is so important in keeping you healthy and it needs your support to keep it working efficiently for you. Try adding some of these power foods and other natural solutions to your diet and see for yourself if your immune system is the better for it. Getting sick is no fun and a strong healthy immune system means a stronger healthier you.



If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to have future articles delivered to your feed reader. Also, check out the free health resources or order blue-green algae products at wholesale prices on our website.


Sources:
http://www.prevention.com/food/food-remedies/five-foods-healthy-immune-system
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/boost-immunity
http://www.oprah.com/health/HIV-Nutrition-and-the-Immune-System
http://www.oprah.com/food/Superfoods-Ingredients-and-Recipes-for-a-Healthy-Diet


Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Want to Slow Aging? Forget Time, Think Healthy Cells Instead

Do you believe that aging is the result of time? Not really. Check out this enlightening quote from health and nutrition counselor Carlson Wade:

"It is not the passage of time that brings on aging. Instead it is the destruction of your cells by free radicals that destroys your youth."

If you want to stay youthful, forget about the passage of time. Instead, think about keeping your cells healthy. How do you keep your cells in top shape? I've got just one word for you:

Antioxidants.

Antioxidants and Youth: The Link
The word "antioxidant" may sound complicated, but in reality the concept of antioxidants is simple. When you think about antioxidants, just think about "anti-aging." Here's why.

Our bodies are made of over 75 trillion cells ... that's a lot of cells! These cells are under constant attack by unstable molecules called free radicals. Some of these free radical molecules are the result of natural processes in the body, while others come from the daily stresses of life, including air pollutants, smoking, alcohol, over-exertion, heavy exercise, and poor diets.

As your 75 trillion cells are constantly attacked by free radicals, the result is aging. Specifically, free radicals can react with your cells' DNA and RNA, the blueprints by which your cells duplicate themselves. You can guess the results: heart disease, chronic pain, and other ailments related to aging.

Luckily you can keep your cells healthy and slow the aging process. That's where antioxidants can help. Antioxidants not only stabilize the unstable free radical molecules, but also help with cellular repair, if and when your DNA is damaged.

Says Carlson Wade: "Antioxidants act as cleansers or scavengers by searching out neutralizing free radicals, often before any molecular damage is done." Pretty neat, huh? When you view aging in this way, antioxidants become the equivalent of an anti-aging solution (or a reverse time machine).

Which Antioxidants Are Right for Your?
Now that you know the benefits of antioxidants in slowing the aging process, the trick is to pick the right antioxidant for maximum effect. Commonly-known antioxidants include vitamins A, C, and E. Another well-known source of antioxidants is blueberries. Your body also makes many of its own antioxidants.

The key to choosing the best anti-aging antioxidants is to weigh the ORAC value of each antioxidant. ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity, and measures the ability of an antioxidant to slow aging and neutralize free radicals. In fact, ORAC is becoming an industry standard for measuring antioxidant capacity.

For instance, blueberries have an ORAC value of about 26. Now get this: blue-green algae has an ORAC value of 128! That's five times the antioxidant capacity of blueberries. The great news is that antioxidant compounds like blue-green algae are effective at very low concentrations, so you don't have to add huge quantities of antioxidants to protect your cells.

Adding even modest quantities of antioxidants with high ORAC values like blue-green algae, wheat sprouts, coenzyme Q10, Gingko biloba, turmeric, or garlic can make a big difference in the aging process.

Sounds pretty simple, right? Anti-aging doesn't have to be complicated. Just add a dash of antioxidants to your daily regimen to slow the effect of time on your body.

If  you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to have future articles delivered to your feed reader. Also, check out the free health resources or order blue-green algae products  on our websiteSign up for our twice monthly email newsletter for even more health and nutrition related articles.


Sources:

http://naturalremediesforlife.blogspot.com/2010/07/want-to-slow-aging-forget-time-think.html

Thursday, July 20, 2017

Nutrition for Faster Recovery from Injury

The body is uniquely qualified to heal itself after an injury. The right nutrition plays a key role in helping the body rebuild muscle, bone, and tissue that have sustained injury. You can help an injury recover faster by making sure you get the right nutrition and supplements so that your body has the energy it needs to devote to this healing process. Since it will need extra energy to direct towards healing, you actually need more calories when injured. The worse the injury, the more calories that are needed.

The Body's Healing Process
When injury occurs to tissues they are cut off from the oxygen and blood they need which results in killing off cells. The first step in the healing process is inflammation. The body sends its macrophages, leukocytes, phagocytes and other chemicals to the area that is injured to clean up the damaged or dead cells and replace them with new cells. We see inflammation as characterized by pain, swelling and redness. Many people view inflammation negatively and in a chronic state that would be true. But for acute injury, this is a necessary part of the healing process.

Nutrition For Injury Recovery
Whether you need additional nutrition to help the body heal from an injury or are fighting chronic inflammation, the types of foods to add to your diet are much the same. Specific types of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals can help your body repair itself and make your muscles, bones and tissues stronger to help prevent injury from occurring.

Protein –
Lean protein helps keeps muscles and tissues healthy, is a must for injury repair and should be included at each meal. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, protein is necessary to maintain muscle mass, and to boost immunity. Food sources for protein can be categorized as either complete proteins or incomplete proteins. The complete proteins have all the amino acids needed to build more proteins. Incomplete proteins only have some of these amino acids, not all of them. Complete proteins usually are found through animal food sources, whereas plant sources fall into the incomplete category. Alex Popple, English Institute of Sport (EIS) Performance Nutritionist, advises that increasing proteins, especially the kind with the amino acid leucine, is necessary to repair damaged cells and grow new ones. Good lean sources of protein include chicken, turkey, salmon, tuna, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, tofu, nuts, and beans.

Vitamins and Antioxidants –
Vegetables and fruits are a must for a body in repair. The brighter colored fruits and veggies are going to have the most nutritional benefit. Vitamins that can help in the body's repair process include:

Vitamin A – is an antioxidant nutrient that comes from foods with beta-carotene and used for cell growth, and replacing skin and tissue cells needed in healing. Food sources such as dark green leafy vegetables, and yellow or orange fruits or vegetables like sweet potatoes and carrots, liver and eggs are needed in abundance to provide the body with enough Vitamin A.

Vitamin C – is an antioxidant used for making collagen in bones, tendons, ligaments, cartilage and blood vessels and repairing damaged tissues. Good food sources for Vitamin C include berries, oranges, cantaloupe, Bell pepper, potatoes, winter squash, tomatoes and broccoli.

Minerals -
Zinc, iron, calcium, and magnesium are at the top of the list of minerals needed to speed up recovery from injury and for boosting your immune system. Good food sources for zinc include lean beef, pork, oysters, poultry, fortified cereals, sesame seeds, milk, yogurt, and miso. Beef, poultry and seafood are also high in iron as are lentils, soybeans, white beans, and spinach. Calcium is especially important for injury to bone and Vitamin D goes along with it to help the body be able to absorb the calcium. When healing an injury, calcium can make bones stronger and help in the repair. Good food sources for calcium include sardines, cheese, milk, tofu, salmon, spinach and kale. Most people can get the Vitamin D they need from being outside exposed to sunlight.

Fats –
Whereas inflammation that is the start of the healing process may be necessary, it is not usually comfortable. Including a balance of fat types in the diet can help act as a natural anti-inflammatory. Stay away from trans fats as they are bad for your health in general, but are especially bad when trying to control or manage inflammation. Most people get more than enough saturated fat already in their diets, so focus on including a balance of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Foods with omega-3 fatty acids are another good addition to the diet. Watch out overdoing the omega-6 fatty acids however as this can cause more inflammation than necessary. The optimal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids is 3:1. One way to be sure you get the exact ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids is taking AFA blue-green algae since it has the exact ratio of fatty acids the human body needs. Other healthy fats to choose from are avocados, olives, nut butters, coconut milk, almond milk, oily fish like salmon, mackerel and tuna, nuts, flax and chia seeds.

Supplements for Injury Recovery
If you can't get all this extra nutrition from your diet, wholefood supplements are another alternative. There are also supplements that can help specifically with managing inflammation. Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate supplements have been reported to help with inflammation especially for people with joint conditions such as osteoarthritis. They also have been found to support the growth of cartilage. Before deciding on these type of supplements, be sure to check with your healthcare provider to see if they are safe for you. Chondroitin, for example, is not safe if you are on blood thinner.

You know that AFA bluegreen algae is packed full of the vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fatty acids and other nutrients that we've already talked about as good nutrition for supporting a body responding to injury. But there are several algae supplements that have ingredients found to be especially directed towards supporting injury recovery.

Algae/Enzyme Supplement  – This supplement combines plant-based proteolytic enzymes--bromelain, papain, protease, lipase, and serratiopeptidase with AFA bluegreen algae for nutrition needed for joint support, overworked tissues and combating cellular oxidation.

Antioxidant/Algae Supplement  – This supplement is packed with antioxidants which help fight off free radicals and repair the damage they do. It also supports your own natural stem cells which can replace cells damaged at the injury area. 

Glucosamine/Chondroitin/Algae Supplement  – This combination of vegetable-based glucosamine, chondroitin, UC-II® undenatured collagen and AFA bluegreen algae aid the body in supporting joint and cartilage health.

Medicinal Mushrooms/Algae Supplement  – This supplement uses six of the most extensively researched mushrooms that findings have reported positive immune system support: reishi, cordyceps, maitake, shiitake, Turkey Tail, and Agaricus blazei, with astragalus, beta glucan and AFA bluegreen algae.


Injury is unfortunately a part of life that can't always be avoided. When you get an injury, hopefully you now have a better idea of the type of nutrition that will help you recover faster. The right foods and supplements can make all the difference when it comes to how long you are down and out with an injury or how fast you can get back on your feet and back into life.


If  you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to have future articles delivered to your feed reader. Also, check out the free health resources or order blue-green algae products  on our websiteSign up for our twice monthly email newsletter for even more health and nutrition related articles.



Sources:
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/nutrition-for-injury-part-1
http://www.runnersworld.com/nutrition-runners/food-rx?page=single
http://www.orthoassociates.com/SP11Dg/
http://www.livestrong.com/article/412947-the-best-diet-for-recovering-from-a-sports-injury/
http://www.eis2win.co.uk/Pages/news_eatingrightforrecoveryfrominjury.aspx
http://www.examiner.com/article/eating-while-injured-best-diet-tips-for-recovering-runners

Thursday, July 13, 2017

Leaky Gut Symptoms: Do You Have Them?

One of the difficulties many doctors face in diagnosing leaky gut syndrome is the variety of leaky gut symptoms a patient can exhibit. These leaky gut symptoms often appear unrelated and they can manifest in a wide range of health conditions. Leaky gut symptoms can range from chronic stomach pain and bloating to shortness of breath, insomnia, poor memory, anxiety, depression, rashes, joint pain, headaches and many, many more. Leaky gut syndrome can lead to conditions such as Celiac disease, Fibromylagia, Crohn's disease, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Eczema, food allergies and a growing list of other health concerns.

As more information becomes available about Leaky Gut Syndrome, more doctors are recognizing it as the condition behind a range of other conditions. This makes sense when you think about what happens in the body with Leaky Gut Syndrome. Basically it is a problem in the intestinal system. The lining of the intestines acts like a filter. It is only supposed to allow very small particles that have been properly digested through into the blood stream to be carried to other body organs to feed them. When this filter starts letting bigger undigested particles, bacteria, viruses, and waste through to the bloodstream, it causes the immune system to go into action, resulting in inflammation and leaky gut symptoms. Such a variety of symptoms and resulting conditions exists because there are so many different places these particles can be carried to in the body. Which leaky gut symptoms an individual person displays depends on what parts of the body or body organs end up being affected.

What To Do About Leaky Gut Symptoms
While more is being learned about Leaky Gut Syndrome all the time, there is some information indicating that leaky gut symptoms can be caused by poor diet, chronic stress, some medications and an imbalance in the intestinal bacteria. There are no tests that can tell you absolutely if you have Leaky Gut Syndrome, but an Intestinal Permeability Test can help indicate if there are problems with your intestinal lining. Two non-metabolized sugar molecules are used and measured in their ability to cross the lining. Information from this test can indicate what problems with the digestive lining are contributing to leaky gut symptoms.

If you are suffering with leaky gut symptoms, there is no magic cure, but there are things you can do to restore the intestinal lining and help with inflammation. Solutions that involve diet are the first to consider. Avoiding refined sugar, gluten, artificial sweeteners and dairy products can stop the support of inflammation. Then eating a diet full of green leafy veggies, essential fatty acids such as found in coldwater fish, flax and olive oils, AFA bluegreen alage, and nuts, lots of food high in fiber and fermented foods can help with preventing further inflammation and supporting the friendly bacteria in the gut.

Supplementing Your Diet For Relief From Leaky Gut Symptoms
There are several supplements that can also help with leaky gut symptoms. Here's a few and how they can help.
1. Probiotics - Supporting a balance of "good" bacteria versus "bad" bacteria in the gut is a key to maintaining a healthy digestive system. Taking supplements of acidophilus and bifidus can help in the healing process of the intestinal lining, help in the absorption of nutrients, and the normal movement of food through the intestines. Eating yogurt with live active cultures can help, but to fully replenish your supply of healthy intestinal bacteria, oral supplements are your best bet. Yogurt tends to not have enough density of probiotics to truly replenish.

2. Enzymes - Digestive enzymes can help in breaking down food into smaller particles and they go through the intestinal system removing toxins, bacteria and damaged cells.

3. Glutamine – This amino acid can be helpful in the repair of damage to the gut including the intestinal lining as well as reduce cravings for sugar.

4. Slippery Elm – Supplementing your diet with slippery elm adds antioxidant protection against inflammation and supports the intestinal tract and stomach lining.

5. Marshmallow Root – Is used to relieve inflammation in stomach lining and to protect the digestive lining. It is helpful in treating diarrhea and constipation.

You now have several natural solutions presented to help you deal with leaky gut symptoms. A convenient solution that combines two kinds of bluegreen algae, acidophilus, bifidus and enzymes is found in these daily packets that give you all these without the hassle of several bottles. Whether or not you can get an actual diagnosis of Leaky Gut Syndrome, you know your leaky gut symptoms can make your life miserable. These natural solutions to support your gut health and ease inflammation can go a long way towards giving you relief from leaky gut symptoms and a healthier lifestyle.

If  you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to have future articles delivered to your feed reader. Also, check out the free health resources or order blue-green algae products  on our websiteSign up for our twice monthly email newsletter for even more health and nutrition related articles.
 

Sources:
http://www.leakygut.co.uk/symptoms.htm
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/could-leaky-gut-be-troubling-you
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-9336/8-supplements-to-heal-a-leaky-gut.html

Tuesday, July 11, 2017

Best Energy Foods and Supplements for a Mood Boost

Whether you have consciously thought about it or not, you probably know on some level that there are some foods you eat that give you a mood boost and others that leave you feeling tired and weighed down. You also know that some foods are better energy foods than others. Think about the times you have eaten a heavy lunch or grabbed fast food only to find yourself drowsy in the afternoon and unable to concentrate. Then think about the times you have eaten a lighter lunch with good proteins, fruits and veggies and how different your afternoon went. Scientific study is supporting the results that we intrinsically know, that mood and energy can be influenced by what we eat. For example, a study in Public Health Nutrition reported people eating junk food regularly as being 51% more likely to have depression than people who hardly ever or never eat junk food. (http://ow.ly/qhPP1)

The Science Behind Energy Foods for a Mood Boost
Certain chemicals in the brain affect our moods. According to Gary Wenk, PhD, psychology and neuroscience professor at Ohio State University, foods are chemicals and are very like the chemicals in our brains (http://ow.ly/qhPP1). This is the reason foods can have a powerful influence. For example, since serotonin is a brain chemical that regulates mood, eating foods with the nonessential amino acid tryptophan which helps in producing serotonin, can give you a mood boost. Here are some components that make up the best energy foods and supplements for a mood boost.

Tryptophan – As mentioned in the above example, tryptophan helps in producing serotonin. Nuts such as pistachios, almonds and cashews are high in tryptophan. Tryptophan levels can also be increased by eating "good" carbohydrates. This would include whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables.

Omega-3 – Fish oil high in omega-3 fatty acids has been found through research studies to help prevent depression by affecting the brain's neurotransmitter pathways. Omega-3 is vital to brain function and can be found in bluegreen algae, walnuts, fatty fish, and flaxseed.

Vitamin D – Serotonin levels are also increased by vitamin D. Getting 600 IU a day from foods has been shown to help with depression. Vitamin D can be found in fish such as salmon, herring and mackerel and raw fish is higher in vitamin D than cooked fish. If you are not a sushi fan, then look for vitamin D fortified cereal, dairy and soy products, white button mushrooms and possibly consider a cod liver oil supplement.

B Vitamins – The B vitamin folate, vitamin B9 to be precise, has been shown in research studies to reduce symptoms of depression. Folate aids the brain in producing serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine which are all brain chemicals affecting mood. Folate can be found in dark leafy green vegetables such as spinach and in Brussel sprouts, beans such as pinto and garbanzo, asparagus, peanuts, soybeans, liver, lentils and sunflower seeds. Vitamin B6 deficiencies have also been identified as contributing to depression. Foods high in vitamin B6 include papaya and oranges, which are also high in folic acid, tuna, chicken, turkey, rice and wheat bran, garlic, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds.

PEA - PEA, which stands for phenylethylamine, is a naturally occurring substance in the human body that is linked to energy, mood, and attention. PEA is a vital part of your brain function and is responsible for feelings of pleasure as well as mental acuity. In one study, adding 10-60 mg per day decreased depression symptoms in study participants by 60%. In another study, PEA was shown to elevate mood and increase the quality of life. Not getting enough PEA can make it difficult to learn new things, make quick decisions, form new memories, stick to a diet, find pleasure in life and be in a good mood. According to the Natural Research Council of Canada, two foods very high in PEA are AFA blue-green algae and cheddar cheese.

Selenium – There have also been studies linking a lack of selenium as negatively affecting mood. One such study reported that adding 200 micrograms daily of selenium for seven weeks to the diet improved mild and moderate depression. The normally recommended amount of selenium to get a day is 55 micrograms (http://ow.ly/qi456). Too much selenium can be bad for you so it is better to get this from foods such as oysters, clams, crab, sardine and fish, nuts and seeds, lean meats, whole grains, beans and legumes than from supplements.

Chocolate – Dark chocolate has been known for quite a while give one a mood boost. While it is not exactly clear how this works, there are theories that it has to do with the antioxidant polyphenols in it, that it has carbs that boost serotonin, that it contains chemicals that can boost dopamine levels or that it is high in PEA. Whatever the reason, dark chocolate is a tasty way to get your mood boost. Just don't overdo it since it also has more calories than other mood boosting alternatives.

St. John's Wort – This plant based herbal supplement has been used for many years in alternative medicine for a mood boost. A 2009 review of 29 different studies done internationally on this herb found it to be effective in treating mild and moderate depression and to perform as well in these cases as many prescription antidepressants. This is thought to be due to the herb's ability to stop reabsorption of chemicals such as dopamine and serotonin by the brain's nerve cells. There are some medications that do not react well with St. John's Wort, so be sure you consult your healthcare provider before using it.

Algae and Coenzyme Q10 Supplement – One of our favorite energy foods for a mood boost is this supplement with ubiquinol, the active and bioavailable form of Coenzyme Q10. Coenzyme Q10 is one of the best-known supplements for heart health. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, this coenzyme is also good for mood. That is because the heart "shen" is responsible for the feeling of joy, thus a healthy heart equals a joyful mood. Scientifically, this coenzyme also shows positive effects on mood. According to Chris D. Meletis, ND, "The antioxidant coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) may possess antidepressant properties, according to a new study published in January 2013... 'The researchers concluded... CoQ10 may have a potential therapeutic value for the management of depressive disorders.'"

Hopefully you now have some new ideas on energy foods that can give you a mood boost and how they work with your body. Many of these are just common sense healthy eating. Add in a few specialized supplements, vitamins and minerals and you'll be on your way to keeping your mood and energy levels up and working for you.

If  you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to have future articles delivered to your feed reader. Also, check out the free health resources or order blue-green algae products  on our websiteSign up for our twice monthly email newsletter for even more health and nutrition related articles.




Sources:
http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/how-food-affects-your-moods
http://www.prevention.com/food/smart-shopping/5-foods-make-you-happier
http://www.oprah.com/health/Foods-That-Boost-Your-Mood-Food-That-Improves-Your-Mood

http://www.goodmoodsupplements.com/supplements-for-good-moods/