Occasional feelings of sadness can come up during the holiday season for many reasons. When unable to spend time with friends and family, we can feel lonely. Alternatively, we can feel stressed if every moment of every day is scheduled with holiday events. Between the financial stress of gift buying and the time crunch of working, caring for children, creating happy family holiday memories, and finding time to shop, the holiday season can be overwhelming and leave us feeling exhausted. To top it all off, our best eating habits have a tendency to fly out the window during the holiday season, leading to weight gain and negative self-image.

No one wants to be a Grinch, and fortunately there are many ways to cope. Setting a foundation of healthy eating, adding in mood-boosting foods, and redefining dessert make up one food strategy that can pay off in a more relaxed and enjoyable holiday season.

I love the 80/20 principle, and the holidays are a great time to put it into action. With this perspective, you eat a balanced, healthy diet 80% of the time and then don’t worry about what you are eating during the other 20%. This is a great strategy for those with many holiday functions and parties to attend. With this mindset, you can allow yourself to enjoy sampling party food, knowing that you have a healthy foundation of a balanced diet the vast majority of the time.

This page on our website describes the basic principles of healthy eating. We emphasize the importance of a veggie-rich diet that includes adequate protein and healthy fats along with higher carbohydrate vegetables as needed for energy. With a healthy foundation in place, some specific foods can help you maximize your diet for mood support:

• If you feel especially stressed during the holidays, additional protein could be helpful. As an essential building block of neurotransmitters (the chemical messengers that play a big role in mood), protein requirements can go up when stress goes up. It can be especially helpful to get adequate protein in your snacks. Our Spicy Salmon Dip is a simple and delicious high protein option.
• Foods that contain the B vitamin folate, including leafy greens like spinach, help to fuel neurotransmitter production pathways. Getting more folate-containing veggies in your diet can support healthy mood, and the fiber they contribute also supports healthy weight! Try this tasty recipe for Lemon Herb Spinach, or this simple Lemon Broccoli to get in some extra folate.
• Probiotic bacteria found in fermented foods also support healthy mood. Because probiotic bacteria support a healthy inflammatory reaction in the digestive tract, and healthy levels of inflammation play a role in supporting healthy mood, a regular dose of fermented foods can be an important part of your healthy holiday mood tool kit. These little bugs have also been found to support digestion and healthy weight, so there are many reasons to eat your sauerkraut, kimchi, or kefir!
• Foods that contain omega-3 fats, especially fatty, cold water fish, like salmon and sardines, are essential for healthy mood. These healthy fats get incorporated into brain cell membranes where they support the function of neurotransmitters and thus healthy mood. Whether or not you are a fan of sardines, these Sweet Potato Fish Cakes are a delicious way to get omega-3 fats into your day.
• Foods that contain turmeric are also a great choice for supporting healthy mood. Inflammation in the brain can disrupt the function of neurotransmitters, and curcumin (the main active constituent in turmeric) helps support a healthy inflammatory response in the brain. So add some spice to your holiday season with Chicken Tikka Masala or Golden Milk.

One of the dietary pitfalls of the season is the deluge of sweet treats. Sugar is especially damaging to mood because it spurs inflammation which interferes with brain functions, including mood. It also spurs weight gain, another factor that can negatively affect mood. Using the 80/20 principle with sugar is a little too generous, so instead, arm yourself with delicious lower sugar treats and avoid the dessert table altogether. You can also make extra to bring as a hostess gift or to share!

• Our Almond Chia Truffles are sweet because of whole dates. Not only do whole dates provide a rich sweet flavor, their fiber, vitamins and minerals support digestive health. These delicacies take a bit of time to prepare, but the rich coco flavor makes them worth the work. I like to roll the finished balls in shredded coconut–yum!
• This chocolate mousse pie is a great option for those sensitive to both dairy and gluten. Sweetened with a bit of honey, along with banana and semi-sweet chocolate, this is a holiday treat everyone can enjoy!
• For those who want a truly no-sugar treat, these stevia-sweetened Coconut Macaroons are a great option. These little cookies are easy to take with you so that you have an alternative to sweets that pop up unexpectedly.
• A favorite of our friends and family are the Gotta Have Chocolate Candied Nuts from our good4u Holiday Table eCookbook. These tasty nuts are gently sweet (with coconut sugar), flavorful and crunchy. We made multiple batches of these last year to give to friends and family over the holiday season. I knew they were a hit when my neighbor’s kids came to my door asking if I had any more!

Building from the foundation of a healthy diet, emphasizing mood supportive foods, and redefining dessert can help us all do better than just get through the holiday season. With the tips above in your mood support tool box, we can actually enjoy and appreciate every special moment.

Wishing a happy and healthy holiday season to you and yours!