Boost Your Happy
Higher Nature Nutrition Team
If you want to lift flagging spirits, make today the day you get up and out doing something you love. Dancing, cycling, running or just a spot of walking all produce feel good endorphins and serotonin which make us smile. Music can boost your mood too and help foster a sense of connection. So pop on a favourite tune. Exposure to trees, the sky and birdsong whether in towns, cities or the countryside, also lifts spirits and improves mental well-being.
Top up on foods which help make you beam such as fibre which positively alters the gut flora which in turn influences brain function, a concept known as the gut -brain axis. Add oily fish too, which is rich in omega 3 fats Good mood also depends on various neurotransmitters, like serotonin which makes us feel relaxed and happy, and dopamine which is associated with feeling alert, pleasure and motivated. Tyrosine found in dairy foods, nuts, seeds, meat, fish, and eggs is needed for making dopamine, whilst tryptophan found particularly in turkey and chicken, cheese, fish, meat, tofu, chia and sesame seeds is used to make 5-HTP, and then serotonin.
Pick up our Positive Outlook which contains these and more, to help you find your smile.
Stay Sun Aware
If you are out and about this summer take a look at our summer supplement Astaxanthin and Blackcurrant. Derived from fresh water algae, the amazingly pink carotenoid antioxidant, astaxanthin is a perfect summer time skin supplement, with studies showing it leaves skin more hydrated and with increased elasticity. Astaxanthin (pronounced asta-zan-thin) is believed to be many times more powerful than vitamin E and beta carotene in mopping up damaging free radicals caused by UV sunlight, which is linked to the visible signs of skin ageing.
One study found benefits from taking just 4mg daily. Great news for sun lovers.
If that’s not exciting enough we have combined astaxanthin’s benefits with even more protection from blackcurrants which contain vitamin C plus the plant pigments anthocyanidins and polyphenols. We add tomato powder too which is a natural source of skin loving lycopene. Found in the Mediterranean diet, this potent carotenoid is also great at quenching free-radicals. If you want to outsmart damaging free-radicals, this is the summer supplement for you.
