If you find yourself feeling down, anxious or suffering from fatigue, then there is a chance your body may be missing or deficient in some key vitamins and nutrients. Not only do vitamins and nutrients keep you and your body feeling healthy, but they can also play a role in increasing your levels of happiness, quelling anxiety and aiding you in a better nights sleep. We've taken a look at a selection of supplements you can add to your daily routine which has known mood boosting effects. Magnesium Often referred to as the 'most powerful relaxation mineral available' due to its powers to aid with tight, cramped, stiff body parts or an irritable mood. It can also be used to help people relax into a peaceful night sleep. The critical mineral is found in over 300 enzyme reactions in our bodies and can be found in our bones, muscles and the brain, this is why the list of problems related to magnesium deficiency is so long - as it can be found in so many places! If you suffer from any of the following symptoms relating to the mood you may find, like many people, you have a magnesium deficiency: irritability, anxiety, chronic fatigue or insomnia. You can ensure you keep your magnesium topped up by limiting your intake of coffee, salt, sugar and alcohol as well as introducing magnesium into your body via supplementation or through oil. Wild Nutrition refer to magnesium as 'nature's tranquilliser' as their Wild Nutrition Food Grown Magnesium plays a central role in normal energy metabolism, reducing tiredness and fatigue. If you are not a fan of supplements and are looking for a way to increase your magnesium levels, KIKI Health Magnesium Oil can be sprayed directly onto your skin where it is reabsorbed and transported into your cells. Food-Grown Magnesium from the experts Wild Nutrition Vitamin B-12 Vitamin B-12 helps in the production of healthy red blood cells that carry oxygen around the body and play a role in producing the chemicals in our brain which can affect our moods and other brain functions. Low levels of B-12, therefore, can be linked to feelings of low mood, depression, irritability and fatigue. There is a risk of having too low a level of B-12 for people who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet as they do not gain B-12 from food sources such as meat, eggs or dairy products. Taking a daily supplement of B-12 helps your body get the nutrients it needs, such as Wild Nutrition Food Grown Vitamin B12 Plus. Vitamin D Vitamin D is already present in most of the tissues in our body, including the brain, and it helps to regulate cell growth, plays a part in maintaining the immune system, and when paired with calcium, it works to protect your bones. This essential vitamin has also shown to be associated with depressive symptoms when the levels in the body are low. More often, thought to be caused by the reduced exposure to sunlight during the shorter months of autumn and winter, and known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD); common symptoms can include feeling depressed, lethargic, loss of interest in certain activities, feeling irritable and wanting to sleep for longer. The exact cause isn't completely understood, but the link to lack of sunlight might stop part of the brain working properly which affects the production of your sleep hormone, melatonin, and your mood hormone, serotonin, which can affect your mood and appetite. If you're feeling blue or have low levels of vitamin D due to a result of remaining inside and away from the sunlight, try the plant-sourced Viridian Vitamin D 1000iu to protect against and alleviate signs of depression and SAD. We all need a little sunshine in our lives! Probiotics The way we treat our gut affects virtually every aspect of our health, so we should be taking extra special care of it! Our digestive track contains a couple of kilos of beneficial bacteria, or probiotics, which creates energy from food to feed the gut wall, help digestion and influence our emotional responses. Recent studies have shown that there is a connection between our mind and the health of our gut. Information is passed continuously between the brain and the gut using more than 30 neurotransmitters (brain chemicals). It is estimated that 95% of our bodies serotonin (the feel good hormone) is found within the GI (gastrointestinal) track - so it's no wonder there is a link between how our gut is feeling and our mood. There are two main ways of ensuring you keep your stomach happy and that is by taking a multi-strain supplement with a variety of good bacteria along with a proper diet. When choosing a probiotic look out for one with many different known strains of bacteria such as Chris James Mind Body Brilliant Biotic, a clear list of labelled strains such as Fushi Total Probiotic and look out for high numbers as the stomach acid can kill off a lot of the good bacteria. You should be aiming for about 10 billion bacteria per dose to ensure your gut is benefiting. Shop here for Vitamins, Minerals and Probiotics.
