Foods that Boost Serotonin

Serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin, and endorphins are famously happy hormones that promote positive feelings like pleasure, happiness, and even love.

Hormones and neurotransmitters play a crucial role in regulating and maintaining various processes in our bodies. They handle autonomic functions like heart rate, breathing, and pupil dilation, as well as non-autonomic functions like digestion. But that's not all! They also have a say in your mood and feelings. These chemical messengers are known to help people bond, feel joy, and experience pleasure

A lack of these healthy hormones can sometimes lead to serious mental health issues.

In our hectic and demanding lives, it's easy to feel overwhelmed and exhausted. That's why prioritising self-care is crucial, going beyond being just an occasional indulgence - and it's important to note, that it's so much more than just surface level.

Since 2013, there's been a whopping 47% increase in major depression diagnoses among Millennials. The overall rate has gone up from 3% to 4.4% among 18-34-year-olds. According to Harvard Medical School, the main symptom of major depression is a deep and persistent low mood, often accompanied by intense sadness or a feeling of despair. On another note, mental health conditions are on the rise in Gen Z. Researchers at Harvard found that 29% of young adults in this generation reported experiencing depression, compared to 15% of teens. Additionally, 36% of young adults reported anxiety, in contrast to 18% of teens.

So what can we do to fix it?

While the rise of social media and other life pressures definitely contribute to feelings of overwhelm and sadness (especially for the younger generations), there are other ways to boost that feel-good hormone, serotonin - and luckily it's as easy as changing up what we eat.

Forming Healthy Eating Habits

Serotonin is the ultimate hormone for stabilising mood, and it promotes a state of well-being and happiness. Serotonin can impact your entire body, contributing to a healthy sleeping pattern, digestion and eating.

The truth is, you can’t directly consume serotonin from foods (if you could they would be as in demand as pumpkin-spiced lattes at Christmas!). You can however consume tryptophan – an amino acid that converts into serotonin. We can source this predominantly from high-protein animal and plant-based foods.

From a nutritionist’s standpoint, you will always be advised to consume whole foods containing these benefits in their truest form, rather than as a tablet. So where possible, ensure you have a balanced diet as opposed to additional vitamin supplementation.

CBD

As we know, CBD is a naturally derived plant extract that demonstrates great results in improving mood and reducing the symptoms of depression.

Over 260 million people worldwide suffer from anxiety and mood disorders, affecting an estimated 25% of the European population. [2] CBD positively reacts with more than 65 key targets[tg1], including the serotonin receptor.

CBD is a naturally derived compound from the cannabis plant. It possesses remarkable healing properties, is non-psychoactive, and exhibits neurotransmitting effects. Notably superior to antidepressant medications, CBD offers a safer alternative without the risk of addiction or permanent harm to our bodies.

A balanced diet enriched in tryptophan accompanied by your daily dose of CBD has great potential to target the receptors on the surface of cells found in your immune system (CB2) and the nervous system (CB1) that will enhance those good, positive vibrations.

CBD is a lipid (naturally non-water-soluble) which means it dissolves in your system better with fat. It will therefore produce greater results when consumed with a meal.

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Foods that Boost Serotonin

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