Encouraging Health

Want to avoid that “thing” that’s been going around? Your mood may have something to do with it.

People who are carefree and calm seem to have extra armor against winter bugs. They get sick less often — and even if they do pick up a bug, they tend to have fewer symptoms. Yep, putting on a smile could be just the ticket.

Don’t Worry, Be Happy
Researchers recently asked healthy volunteers to describe their moods and then exposed them to a cold or flu virus. People who described themselves as happy, full of pep, and at ease — versus depressed, anxious, or hostile — had fewer symptoms like coughing, achy joints, and sinus pain. The researchers concluded that positive emotions may strongly influence the human immune system.

How to Get There
Everyone wants to be happy, but what makes one person light up may do little to lift another. Step one is figuring out what makes you happy. Try these other tips and tricks for boosting your emotional well-being:

Do a plate check. Certain foods — like those rich in healthy omega-3 fats — can be good for the spirit.

Grab your trainers. A simple walk or light workout is a surefire way to elevate your body’s natural “happy” chemicals.

Phone a friend. There’s a reason why social butterflies seem so chipper.

Don’t Worry, Eat Happy

Ever wish there were a happy pill to spritz up your spirits when you’re out of sorts? To make you laugh when you’re feeling down? Or to calm your nerves when you’re about to bite someone’s head off? Well, get this: There are several things in your kitchen that might just do the trick, and they taste a lot better than any pill.

A Little Dessert: Sugar soothes us when we’re stressed — or at least it soothes stressed-out rats — which are remarkably good models for stress in people. But before you race to the vending machine with a license to binge, know that while a little sugar may soothe rattled nerves, too much will re-rattle them by causing havoc with your blood sugar. Here are some treats that’ll give you just enough:

• A small slice of angel food cake with 1/2 cup of strawberries
• 2 Fig Newman cookies and a 6-ounce glass of juice
• Fast Fruit-and-Chocolate Fondue:

· 1 cup fresh strawberries
· 1 peeled, sliced kiwi
· 1/4 cup fat-free chocolate syrup

Dunk fruit into syrup, lean back, and smile!

Toast and Jam: “Carbs raise levels of the feel-good brain chemical serotonin, which lifts our spirits,” says Elizabeth Somer, RD, author of Food & Mood. That’s why we crave bread and other carbohydrates when we’re down. Opt for whole-wheat bread and other whole-grain carbs, because they also help stabilize blood sugar levels — unlike refined grains (white bread, pasta, rice), which send blood sugar on a roller-coaster ride, leaving you jittery, grumpy, and hungry. Get a happy serotonin boost from these snacks:

• Half a toasted whole-wheat English muffin or bagel with jam or honey
• A small bowl of oatmeal with some dried cranberries and a bit of brown sugar
• A comforting, creamy open-faced peach sandwich:

· 2 tablespoons fat-free cream cheese
· 1 teaspoon honey
· 1 peach, peeled and chopped
· 1 slice 100% whole-grain bread
· 1/2 teaspoon chopped walnuts
· 2 tablespoons fat-free cream cheese
· 1 teaspoon honey
· 1 peach, peeled and chopped
· 1 slice 100% whole-grain bread
· 1/2 teaspoon chopped walnuts

Blend cheese, honey, and chopped peaches; spread mixture on bread, and sprinkle with nuts. Yum!