The holidays have come and gone and now we may be facing the added pounds from all those Christmas goodies. There can be a feeling of disappointment or even disillusionment as we pack away the Christmas decorations. Those New Year’s resolutions are already a challenge to keep. Maybe we can look to food to improve our mood and avoid further negative thought. .

We have all heard that eating a healthy diet can help cut the risks of illnesses especially as we age. Now studies are showing what we eat can affect our mood. I am part of a task Force at Sierra View Homes Retirement Community to study and provide healthier, plant based and protein meals for the Sierra View residents.

There is a strong connection between your brain and your gut. When you are depressed the level of healthy gut bacteria goes down. A healthy gut builds the good chemicals in the brain. Neurotransmitters like norepinephrine, gamma-aminobutyric acid, serotonin are created in your gut. It is important to have good food to keep up your gut health and produce these important brain chemicals.

Studies have been done on diets high in ultra-processed foods. Sodas, instant soups, pre-made and pre-packaged foods tend to lead to obesity and cardiovascular disease. The European Journal of Nutrition examined the diets of almost 15,000 people. They found the people who ate the most ultra processed foods had a 33 percent higher risk of depression than those who ate only minimal amounts. The ultra-processed food have little nutrition such as omega-3 fatty acids and B vitamins that provide brain health. They also are full of sugar and additives that feed the bad bacteria in your gut. The findings show there is a higher chance of depression when this diet is followed.

There is more to mood maintenance than just eating the right food. To have good mood hygiene we need to look at some nutrition strategies:

• Eat regular meals and snacks at the same times every day. This helps keep your blood sugar levels even. Eating regularly helps keep your body fueled and your gut health in top working condition.
• Don’t skip meals. When you skip a meal it is easy to over eat at the next meal. Have you heard the term “Hangary”? The combination of hungry and angry.
• Avoid carbohydrates and junk foods with high sugar content such as candy and soda etc. Sugar creates blood sugar spikes that can have a serious effect on your mood when the sugar spikes wear off.
• Eat foods that boost mood such as protein. Protein helps to slow the absorption of carbohydrates. It also improves your gut health and therefore increases good brain chemicals. Vitamins such as vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin, give the brain a good boost. Folate helps to ward off depression. Foods such as broccoli, lentils, oatmeal, oranges, and dark leafy greens provide folate. Also, B-12 found in cottage cheese, lean beef and salmon give the brain a feel good boost.
• Eat foods that contain soluble fiber, like complex carbohydrates. These can slow the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream and increase serotonin the “feel good” chemical. Both work to help maintain a good mood. Complex carbohydrates can be found in oats, beans, pears, peas and Brussel sprouts.

There is a strong connection between food and your mood. By combining strategies for eating regularly with foods that may have a positive effect on your well-being you can develop a plan for feeling better in the New Year.

The seven wonders of the world are not places, but…

Laughter is contagious. It is a way to create friendships and give everyone the opportunity to be part of something. Recently, I visited the Sierra View Homes Kings Canyon Dining Room during the evening meal. As I encountered the people at each table, I asked for a “good Joke.” I said I was writing an article about humor and its effects on people and I needed some jokes to add to the mix. There were smiles all around and then the person who always has a joke ready responded “You know I have had several good years in my life.” but they were all tires.” It took a moment for that one to sink in but as each person at the table got the meaning of the joke, you could hear the groan and laughter. All of us knew about Goodyear Tires. I thought it was a good joke and repeated it at several tables that evening. Each time we all enjoyed the laughter.

Laughing makes people feel good. Studies show that laughter boosts the immune system and triggers the release of pleasure-inducing neurochemicals in the brain. The brain then releases powerful endorphins, which are morphine-like compounds that reduce pain, increases our sense of well-being and improves the amount of oxygen in the bloodstream.

Laughter helps to create a positive mood. You cannot stay angry while you laugh. Anxiety and tension release giving way to good feelings. Laughter can become a temporary vacation from everyday problems. Your sense of humor is one of the most important tools you have to enhance your mood and support good health.

If you laugh easily and are pleasant natured you will find people will want to be around you. Being able to laugh at yourself adds to your appeal to those around you.

Laughter stimulates memories and improves mental acuity in the population that have a dementia diagnosis. Studies show clowns clowning around with people help improve memory, language and communication. Maybe it is the red nose that enables these folks to reach back in their memories and bring those memories to the present.

Some of us have to work at laughing and some of us laugh easily. I have a few suggestions on how to work on increasing your ability to laugh.

Do you smile often? If you smile easily, you have a good start in a great sense of humor. Smiling is contagious just like laughter and instantly creates a warmth and a feeling of enjoyment. People gravitate towards people who are smiling. Practice smiling at the people you meet. See if they will smile back at you. You might be surprised at how good this makes you feel.

Counting your blessings helps you look on the brighter side of life. I encourage you to write down your blessings and add to the list as you encounter new ones. This activity will keep you from dwelling on what is wrong in your life and encourage you to search for positive things to add to the list.

You can watch movies or TV shows that make you smile. “I Love Lucy” is a TV show that comes to mind. Some people make a hobby of collecting jokes. I found out the resident who is always ready with a joke collects jokes so he is ready to tell a new one. There are humorous books to read and then there documentaries such as the one Carl Reiner hosted. The documentary is titled, “If you are not in the obituary, eat breakfast.” Famous elderly people talk about how humor has kept them heathy and has helped with their longevity. Mel Brooks, 93, and Betty White, 97, are a couple of the people interviewed.  

I have noticed if I am in a jovial mood with a ready laugh the people I meet easily and quickly relate to me. It is easy to strike up a conversation and people feel comfortable talking with me. They are ready to share a laugh with me. It seems like everyone is waiting for a smile and/or a laugh.

So, have you heard this one? “An elderly gentleman had serious hearing problems for a number of years. He went to the doctor and the doctor had him fitted for a set of hearing aids. This allowed the gentleman to hear very well. The elderly gentleman came back to see the doctor a month later. The doctor said, ‘Your family must be really pleased that you can hear again.’ The gentleman replied, ‘Oh, I haven’t told my family yet, I just sit around and listen to the conversations. I have changed my will three times!’“

P.S. If you need another emergency dose of good feels, just spend some time scrolling through the Creative Commons image search category “LAUGHTER.” So joyful it’s impossible not to smile!