"If you are suffering from mood swings, depression, difficulty in sleeping and anxiety, it could be your chemicals in the brain, called Neurotransmitters, that are out of balance.Powerful chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters regulate numerous physical and emotional processes, such as concentration, feeling happy or sad and pain response. Concentration and focus are sharp when neurotransmitters are in balance (due to a good diet and balanced hormone levels), making you feel ready to handle (difficult) tasks at work and home. "

1. The Brain Food Diet.
Have you ever thought of feeding your brain? Sounds strange - but the foods you eat go
beyond affecting your waistline and hips. Did you know by providing the right nutrients and
eating foods rich in vitamins, minerals and fatty acids could keep brain communications
healthy, resulting in better sleep, feeling happy and boosting dwindling energy?
If you are suffering from mood swings, depression, difficulty in sleeping and anxiety, it could
be your chemicals in the brain, called Neurotransmitters, that are out of balance.
Powerful chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters regulate numerous physical and
emotional processes, such as concentration, feeling happy or sad and pain response.
Concentration and focus are sharp when neurotransmitters are in balance (due to a good diet
and balanced hormone levels), making you feel ready to handle (difficult) tasks at work and
home.
But, day-to-day disruptions such as stress, heavy pollution and an unhealthy diet cause small,
yet dramatic, miscommunication amongst the neurones: it is reduced neurotransmitters levels
that cause mood swings, anxiety and depression, alterations of appetite, lack of sex drive and
feelings of apathy.
Below are some of the chemical reasons why we experience mood swings, obesity, anxiety
and sleep disorders:
Mood swings: low levels of Serotonine , Norepinephrine (adrenaline),
Dopamine and GABA.
During the menstrual cycle, towards the end or around the peri-menopausal and menopausal
time, women experience mood swings; they feel depressed, irritable and aggressive because
estrogen levels drop, causing a big dip in the serotonin (mood stabilizes) levels in the brain.
Anxiety: low or high levels of GABA, Glyceine or Taurine.
Experiencing palpitations, a fleeting fear of something unpleasant that could happen? Well,
we all experience anxious moments as a normal response to unpleasant situations or danger
but it becomes harmful to your health when anxiety attacks become the norm. Taurine is an
amino acid which plays a major role in the brain as an inhibitory neurotransmitter that calms
an excited brain.
Sleep disorders: Low or high levels of GABA, Serotonine, Taurine.
Counting sheep all night, getting in and out of bed, running your daily activities over and
over again is not uncommon. This could be because of an imbalance of serotonine and taurine
neurotransmitters.
The case study below illustrates an example of what happens when Neurotransmitters are
imbalanced:

2. Samantha 45*, was suffering from mood swings, anxiety and sleepless nights. She was
putting on weight and eating too much and no amount of exercise and dieting was helping.
Samantha was happy but gradually became depressed and couldn't cope with the stresses at
work or home. She decided to have a urine test to check what was wrong with the chemistry
in the brain. Tests revealed low levels of serotonine and dopamines (it controls mood
swings). By following the nutritional advice and taking the right supplements, she restored
her happiness, lost weight and regained her focus. After few months, Samantha became the
attractive and confident woman she once was.
Feed Your Brain Diet.
Eating a healthy diet enhances brain activity and increases memory and concentration,
together with the ability to learn. Serotonin, dopamine and endorphins are the three main
neurotransmitters in the brain that have a strong emotional connection to food. To keep the
chemicals in your brain balanced,include the following foods:
To increase memory function: egg yolks, red meat, fish, chicken, turkey, calves liver,
cereals, cucumber, courgettes, lettuce.
To increase the “feel good factor: chicken, duck, germinated wheat, cottage cheese.
Be careful of sugar cravings and caffeine addiction because once sugar levels drop,
you begin to feel moody and tired afterwards.
To increase calm and relaxation: whole grain oats, walnuts, almonds, halibut, calves
liver, bananas, broccoli, brown rice, citrus fruits.
To stabilise mood: avocado, cheese, dark chocolate, pork, duck.
Though this diet has nothing to do with making you slimmer, it has everything to do with
stabilising your mood, keeping you happy and enhancing your memory functions. Isn't that
what we all want?