Tag: mood

Blue Monday, 5 yoga positions to regain a good mood – Italian Cuisine

Monday 18 January is the saddest day of the year. Here are the yoga positions to deal with it with the right charge and free yourself from anxieties and tensions

Today we celebrate Blue Monday, the saddest day of the year. The story of this anniversary began in 2005 when an English psychologist through a series of calculations including the reduction of daylight hours identified the third Monday in January as the depressing day of the whole year. In reality, the anniversary has nothing scientific because it was born on the occasion of a publicity stunt by a travel agency. What is certain is that Monday is generally a difficult day of the week to deal with. To do this with the right gear, yoga can also help. "Through movement and breathing it facilitates calm and relaxation, acting in a positive way on mood. In fact, it promotes the production of endorphins, neurotransmitters that reduce stress hormones such as cortisol ", says Francesca Miccoli, certified Hatha yoga teacher, who here suggests 5 yoga positions to regain a good mood and face Blue Monday (and not only) with the right gear.

The position of the mountain (Tadasana)

Stand upright with your feet together, your arms close to your body and your palms facing forward. Lift the tips of your toes off the floor and then place them on the ground, taking care to distribute the weight of the body over the entire sole. Pushing the belly in, stretch upwards and let the shoulder blades slide downwards. This asana is useful for finding harmony and balance.

The position of the triangle (Utthita Trikonasana)

Stand with your legs spread just over shoulder width apart. Bring your arms parallel to the floor while keeping your palms down. The legs are straight and the heels aligned. Turn your right foot and the toe of your left foot to the right. As you exhale, lower your torso sideways to the right and touch the corresponding leg with your right hand. Lift your left arm upwards and rotate your head towards the corresponding hand. Then inspiring, return to the starting position and repeat everything on the other side. This asana is great for opening up posture and counteracting tension.

The position of the child (Balasana)

Kneeling with your legs together, rest your buttocks on your heels and spread your legs so that the space between the knees is equal to the width of the hips. As you exhale, bend your torso forward. Rest your head on the ground and your arms at your sides. The palms of the hands are facing upwards. Stay in this position for a few minutes, focusing on the breath. This asana is perfect for counteracting stress and fatigue that can promote nervousness and irritability.

The location of the bridge (Setu Bandhasana)

Lie on the ground on your stomach, with your arms along your body and your palms resting on the floor. The knees are bent and the feet parallel and hip-width apart. Pressing your feet to the ground and exhaling, lift your buttocks and pelvis off the floor and lift your back off the ground trying to form an arch that goes from the shoulders to the knees. Stay in this position for 30 seconds and then slowly return to the starting position. This asana is great for relaxing and relaxing your body and mind.

The inverted position on the wall (Viparita Karani)

Position yourself on the ground face up with your arms extended along your body, palms facing upwards and buttocks resting against a wall. Raise your legs and lean them against the wall. Stay in this position for 5 minutes, focusing on the breath. This asana relaxes and helps to get rid of thoughts and anxieties. It gives immediate relief and a feeling of well-being.

Winter fruit as an ally of a good mood: which one to choose – Italian Cuisine

Some seasonal varieties are a real natural supplement of super substances to ensure energy for body and mind. Here are the most useful ones in this period to fight stress, fatigue, anxiety and irritability

In winter, drops in energy and lack of motivation are commonplace illnesses that risk affecting the days. "In this season, due to changes in weather and the reduction in exposure to sunlight, the body produces less wellness neurotransmitters which, in addition to making you feel more energized and in a good mood, are real" reducers "of 'agitation and stress,' says the nutritionist Valentina Schirò, specializing in food sciences. A food that can be an excellent ally to combat bad mood, sluggishness and nervousness is fruit. Inserted in a healthy and balanced diet and consumed in the right quantities (3 servings a day), it acts as a real natural supplement of energy and good mood. "Provides fructose and other simple sugars that make you feel instantly loaded and a whole host of vitamins, minerals and substances that support mind and body". But which varieties to choose? Here is the winter fruit ally for a good mood to bring to the table.

Apples and pears for nervousness

Do cold and rainy days make you nervous and susceptible? Don't miss out on apples and pears for breakfast. "Both of these fruits are rich in substances that counteract irritability. They are a good source of minerals such as potassium, magnesium and calcium, which are important for emotional well-being. They also provide essential vitamins for the production of good mood hormones such as the B complex vitamins. Finally, they provide fibers that promote the balance of the intestine, essential for the production of well-being neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine ".

Kiwi for stirring

Thanks to the richness of vitamin C, this fruit is an excellent ally for states of anxiety and agitation. "It counteracts the levels of stress hormones such as cortisol and helps you feel more relaxed." It also boasts a whole range of calming minerals. "Kiwi in particular is rich in copper and zinc which play a very important role in regulating mood. Finally, it ensures tryptophan, an amino acid essential for the synthesis of serotonin .

Grapefruit for the slack

Grapefruit is a citrus fruit rich in soluble fiber. "Contains good amounts of pectin, which slows down the absorption of sugars, avoiding the fluctuations in blood sugar that favor drops in fatigue. This fiber is also useful for the balance of the intestinal bacterial flora, which contributes to the psychophysical well-being of the whole organism ". But its benefits are also others. "It provides many polyphenols, which protect the brain cells from oxidation. However, this fruit is not recommended if you take drugs including those to reduce pressure, antihistamines, antibiotics and anxiolytics .

Oranges for low energy

Red or blonde, oranges are a booster for energy and vitality. They are ideal as a snack because thanks to the richness of fibers and many other substances they give satiety and counteract the lack of concentration. "Blood oranges in particular are an excellent source of anthocyanins, flavonoids that fight free radicals and oxidative stress and help keep neurons young and in shape. The blond ones, on the other hand, have an excellent remineralizing effect. In addition, they provide a high amount of vitamin C which helps to counteract fatigue both physically and mentally. Combined within the same meal with foods that contain iron such as almonds, they facilitate assimilation, counteracting slack ".

Food and well-being: what are the foods that are bad for the mood – Italian Cuisine

Food and personal well-being: discovering the foods that can negatively affect our mood, and which is therefore good to know and consume in moderation

When it comes to the combination diet food and wellness attention generally falls on foods that contain substances that can relieve stress, fatigue and insomnia and are therefore able to stimulate a good mood. In particular, these are foods characterized by a high content of tryptophan, which is an essential amino acid that regulates mood in the brain. While on the one hand it is good that these "foods of good humor" are present or that they are introduced as part of a balanced diet, on the other it is also important knowing and limiting the intake of those who, otherwise, can increase negative sensations and feelings.

What are "foods of unhappiness"

It should be noted, first of all, that to decree what these foods are from unpleasant side effects on our happiness it's science. This category of foodstuffs and food products, in fact, is mainly characterized by a high quantity of refined sugar and refined and starchy carbohydrates, but also hydrogenated fatty acids and sodium. All these substances, although initially giving a pleasant sense of fulfillment, then end up being harmful both for our body and for our mood. In particular, the increase in the blood sugar level can cause symptoms such as anxiety, fatigue, irritability and difficulty concentrating; the consumption of hydrogenated fats (or trans fatty acids), on the other hand, can make us more nervous and aggressive since, in addition to decreasing the level of good cholesterol and having effects on the metabolism, they hinder the intake of Omega 3 fats, able to regulate mood and behavior.

Attention to "comfort junk food"

The bad news is that, as we have seen, foods that can worsen mood often hide behind the deceptive label of "comfort food", or foods, often associated with traditions, habits and happy personal memories, from which we feel more easily attracted. Although some comfort foods are healthy, low-calorie and nutritious, most of them contain the harmful substances that we have analyzed before and that, in fact, give us a fleeting happiness and then leave us with a sense of irritability, sadness, listlessness and, last but not least, with great feelings of guilt. To make it more complicated is that the temporary feeling of well-being is a chemical effect of contained sugars and fats, which initially increase the release of dopamine, or the famous neurotransmitter that stimulates pleasure and personal motivation.

The pursuit of happiness can begin at the table: which foods to limit

In short, these high-calorie foods that can worsen mood are a real trap that is easy to fall into. Among the many foods for which moderate consumption is recommended, there are first of all packaged, frozen, or freeze-dried foods and baked goods that are high in hydrogenated fats, refined sugar, and salt; they range from potato chips in bags to sweet and savory snacks to less suspicious food products, such as canned foods, cereals, yogurt, fruit juices or energy bars. Knowing how to read and understand food product labels is essential, also because the danger often hides behind reassuring labels and terms such as "light", "vegan" or "palm oil free". It is good then, to pay close attention to alcohol and carbonated drinks, often rich in sugar, and last but not least, in drinks and foods they contain caffeine. This substance, in fact, can have positive effects on mood if consumed moderately, otherwise it can cause agitation and anxiety.

In short, a varied and balanced diet is not enough to be happy, but it is also important think about the effects of what we eat on our feelings and what we feel and choose the foods that make us smile and feel good.

Photo: food worsens mood_pixnio.com.jpg
Photo: foods that make us more unhappy_pxfuel.jpg