Eat Anti-Inflammatory Foods: Aim to eat 6-8 portions of nutrient dense foods including broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, onions (all types), cabbages, green beans, leeks, turnips, parsnips, swedes, carrots, pak choi, parsley, coriander, garlic, ginger and radishes.
Include protein with each meal: Maintaining stable insulin levels are essential when dealing with low mood and brain fog. Focus on animal proteins such as poultry, red meat, cheese, eggs or tofu.
Eat regularly and don’t skip meals: For the same reasons above: eat three main meals with snacks or several smaller meals with protein and fat.
Eat fewer carbohydrates at breakfast and lunch: Have more carbs at dinner: This will support stable insulin levels and neurotransmitter production.
Avoid alcohol: Avoiding depressant substances as well as content including Netflix and the News can have a very positive effect on mood and brain fog.
Avoid caffeine and sugar: Although they can help us feel great in the short-term stimulants just ‘whip the horse’ and cause more harm in the long-run because our nervous systems become more dysregulated. To break the negative cycle, avoid caffeine and sugar and focus on supporting the underlying causes of low mood.
Lifestyle Tips and Tricks
Focus on sleep quality: Focussing on sleep quality is absolutely critical if you struggle with low-mood. People who sleep before 11pm and avoid technology 1-2 before bed tend to have better sleep efficiency which can help improve mood and resilience (see my sleep talk).
Have some pleasure:. If you want to optimise your mood: read, sit in the garden, walk in nature, meditate or practice a hobby you love like swimming, listening to music or even writing. It’s important to spend enough time doing something you enjoy. Even 20 minutes of your favourite activity per week can make a significant difference.
Breathwork: Anxiety is often driven by imbalances in our nervous system. One important way to balance the nervous system and calm the symptoms of anxiety is using breathwork 5 minutes three times per day. Here is an example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VwufJrUhic
Supplements to consider
Magnesium citrate or glycinate: 500mg twice per day. Magnesium is an essential mineral that has a calming effect on the nervous system.
Ashwagandha (Ashwagandha complex from Allergy Research Group): 2 capsules at breakfast. Contains herbs that reduce cortisol and boost neurotransmitter levels.
Stabilium 200: A fish extract found to support resilience and boost mood through increasing GABA levels. 4 capsules at breakfast and 4 capsules at lunch.
CurcumRx (Biotics Research Group): Can be very effective in people with inflammation associated depression. 2 capsules twice per day.
B-vitamins (Bio-3BG BY Biotics Research Group): If you feel your mood is associated with low-energy trying a potent multi B vitamin may help. 3 tablets with each main meal.
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