Whole Foods is deeply committed to the concept of community, something I also support via my Green Club.  Surrounding yourself with like-minded people offers strength and reinforcement for whatever goals you hope to achieve.

In that vein, Whole Foods offers all sorts of super helpful free tips and tools with their Be Good to Your Whole Body series.  Their Healthy Mood brochure is particularly interesting, harkening back to the old adage ‘you are what you eat.’ While depression is a very real condition and cannot be ‘fixed’ by diet alone, there’s definitely a link between what you eat and your outlook on life.

Here are some of my favorite tips from Whole Foods’ Healthy Mood brochure:

• Keep blood sugar in check: healthy diets should include sufficient protein, fiber, antioxidants and healthy fats (another vital Green Club tenet)
• Drink tea daily: green, black and certain herbal teas have all been linked to happier states of mind
• Enjoy low-glycemic foods which may be associated with a healthy mood
• Support your adrenal glands: they’re the manufacturers and gatekeepers of stress hormones; chronic stress overworks them (start by never allowing yourself to get too hungry)
• Provide your body with a steady supply of mood-enhancing and stabilizing vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytonutrients including 5-HTP, adaptogens, Vitamin B, essential fatty acids, ginkgo, iron, l-theanine, passionflower, SAMe, St. John’s Wort, Valerian and Vitamin D.

Other top tips for a healthy mood include acupuncture, massages using real essential oils and yoga, breathing and meditation.

What nutrition or fitness tips do you tap into to keep your mood elevated?  Let us know – we love hearing from you!