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The new year brings a lot of new things--new habits, new outlooks, new friends--but it's also the season of breakups, which means you or someone you know has recently gone from taken to single.
While we all have our own heartbreak remedies, science has taken the time to come up with foods that will actually help you through the roller coaster of emotions in the coming days--just in time for the dreaded Valentine's Day.
Put down the Ben & Jerry's and listen up, because these definitely are not your average breakup foods!
1. Salmon.
Fatty fish like salmon are amazing for keeping your adrenaline levels down, which will help you stay calm. Those omega-3 fatty acids also help keep your hair and skin looking bright and beautiful, so it will also keep you looking good. Who doesn't want to look good this Valentine's Day? Other foods to try: tuna, sardines, walnuts, flaxseeds, canola oil, tofu.
2. Almonds.
Breakups can lead to high levels of stress, which can severely weaken your immune system. Too help give it a boost, amp up your intake of vitamin E and zinc with almonds! Almonds also contain a lot of B vitamins, which can help your body cope with high levels of stress and give you a small boost of energy. Other foods to try: walnuts, pistachios.
3. Greek yogurt.
Stress can also effect your stomach in weird ways. Have you noticed that you feel bloated, crampy, sick to your stomach, abnormally hungry, or even gassy? All of that could be due to stress. To help balance everything out, eat some yogurt with live and active cultures: this will help keep you regular and counteract the side effects of stress. Other foods to try: traditional yogurt, some frozen yogurt, kefir.
4. Dark chocolate.
We know what you're thinking: "Thank goodness, at least one of the classic breakup foods is on this list!" According to Yahoo! Health, "Studies have linked dark chocolate to lower levels of stress hormones." The sugar found in dark chocolate also has been shown to release the mood-improving hormone serotonin. Don't overdo it, though, or you could give yourself a major sugar crash. Try eating no more than a 1-ounce portion a day.
5. Whole grain cereal.
If there's one thing you probably don't want to do after a breakup, it's cook yourself a solo meal. Lucky for you, whole grain cereal is not only easy and fast, but it's also great when you find you're reaching for a lot of carbs (carbohydrates release serotonin, so it's no wonder people reach for carbohydrate-rich foods when they're sad!) but want to maintain an even blood sugar level. Whole-grain cereals to try: Grapenuts, Erewhon Raisin Bran, Kashi GOLEAN and GOLEAN Crunch!, Barbara’s Original Puffins and Cinnamon Puffins, Cascadian Farms Hearty Morning and Multi-Grain Squares.
What do you think of these foods? Are you surprised by this list? Let us know what you think in the comments!
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