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The Definition of Kindness.
The mantra of this site is daily kindness, to improve the lives of those around us by being generally nicer to our fellow man. Sometimes I’ll share with you stories of inspiration or personal triumph against adversity to show you what YOU are capable of. We hope to warm your spirit.
And then there’s a video like the one below where one man chose to make a difference in his own dramatic way. I’m not sure I’ve been so touched by a story as I have been by this one.
Would you all please email this story to your friends and fans using the form below and hit LIKE so that it’s on your FaceBook? I think once you’ve watched it you’ll see why.
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6 Feel-Good Foods That Naturally Boost Your Mood
Editor’s Note:
Over the past few years we’ve identified that in addition to making the world a kinder, better place that our readership of Kindhearts like you also want to live longer and healthier lives. As such, we’ve gone on a recruiting mission to find great new writers who can give us ideas so that we can all “Live well. Be kind.”
Today is our first of many great ideas for living better. Enjoy!
6 Feel-Good Foods That Naturally Boost Your Mood
When we’re feeling down, we often turn to our friends for solace or look for an activity that can distract us from our worries. Our first instinct isn’t usually to turn to food — unless it’s to dig into a pint of ice cream for comfort— but eating the right diet can actually boost your mood and your happiness overall. Whether you’re stressed out and anxious or you just don’t have the energy or motivation to get through the day, picking the right foods can help keep you feeling relaxed and upbeat.
It might sound farfetched that food can so greatly affect your mood, but research shows that certain types of diets can have a significant effect on your happiness levels. One study from the Journal of Psychosomatic Research found that people who ate a typical Mediterranean diet filled with whole and unprocessed foods such as fruits and vegetables, nuts, legumes, and olive oil were much happier than those who ate a standard Western diet that included a lot of fast food, dessert, and soda.
Eating healthy foods can provide you with the nutrients your body needs to help fight off depression and keep your stress levels at bay. If you need a little boost in your mood, try eating one of these six feel-good foods that will have you smiling in no-time.
1. Dark Chocolate
As if you need another excuse to eat the sweet treat: dark chocolate has been found to fight off anxiety and depression. One study from the Journal of Proteome Research found that daily consumption of chocolate led to lower levels of stress hormones. Cocoa also contains antioxidants called polyphenols which can help fight against depression and other mental disorders.
Make sure you opt for chocolate with 70 percent cocoa or higher, and avoid kinds with added sugar, which can actually have the reverse effect.
2. Berries
Berries such as raspberries and strawberries contain a natural ingredient that closely resembles valproic acid, a chemical used in prescription mood-stabilizing drugs. One study from the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine also found that daily consumption of goji berry juice increased people’s general feelings of wellbeing
3. Turkey
Turkey contains two important nutrients that help play a role in your mood: selenium and tryptophan. Research from the journal Biological Psychiatry found that subjects who received selenium supplements experienced a decrease in anxiety and elevated mood. Additionally, tryptophan is an amino acid that is responsible for synthesizing serotonin, the “feel-good” neurotransmitter. Increasing your intake of tryptophan results in higher levels of serotonin, which can not only improve your mood, but even your behavior.
4. Nuts
If you’re a fan of snacking throughout the day, start chowing down on some nuts. Like turkey, nuts can also help boost your serotonin levels, and it only takes one ounce of nuts such as walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts to improve your happiness.
5. Fish
Fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, and sardines contain omega-3 fatty acids, an important mood-boosting nutrient. Research shows that increasing your intake of omega-3 fatty acids can help relieve symptoms of depression. One study from the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry even found that omega-3 fatty acids are just as effective at improving mood as an antidepressant.
6. Leafy Greens
Greens such as spinach, kale, broccoli, and other lettuce contain folic acid, an important B vitamin that plays a role in mood regulation, including the synthesis of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. Research from the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry shows that increasing your intake of folate can help reduce depressive symptoms.
When in doubt, you’re always best sticking to whole, unprocessed foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals, but the above foods especially can help keep you calm and positive overall.
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14 Jul 2016
6 Feel-Good Foods That Naturally Boost Your Mood
Editor’s Note:
Over the past few years we’ve identified that in addition to making the world a kinder, better place that our readership of Kindhearts like you also want to live longer and healthier lives. As such, we’ve gone on a recruiting mission to find great new writers who can give us ideas so that we can all “Live well. Be kind.”
Today is our first of many great ideas for living better. Enjoy!
6 Feel-Good Foods That Naturally Boost Your Mood
When we’re feeling down, we often turn to our friends for solace or look for an activity that can distract us from our worries. Our first instinct isn’t usually to turn to food — unless it’s to dig into a pint of ice cream for comfort— but eating the right diet can actually boost your mood and your happiness overall. Whether you’re stressed out and anxious or you just don’t have the energy or motivation to get through the day, picking the right foods can help keep you feeling relaxed and upbeat.
It might sound farfetched that food can so greatly affect your mood, but research shows that certain types of diets can have a significant effect on your happiness levels. One study from the Journal of Psychosomatic Research found that people who ate a typical Mediterranean diet filled with whole and unprocessed foods such as fruits and vegetables, nuts, legumes, and olive oil were much happier than those who ate a standard Western diet that included a lot of fast food, dessert, and soda.
Eating healthy foods can provide you with the nutrients your body needs to help fight off depression and keep your stress levels at bay. If you need a little boost in your mood, try eating one of these six feel-good foods that will have you smiling in no-time.
1. Dark Chocolate
As if you need another excuse to eat the sweet treat: dark chocolate has been found to fight off anxiety and depression. One study from the Journal of Proteome Research found that daily consumption of chocolate led to lower levels of stress hormones. Cocoa also contains antioxidants called polyphenols which can help fight against depression and other mental disorders.
Make sure you opt for chocolate with 70 percent cocoa or higher, and avoid kinds with added sugar, which can actually have the reverse effect.
2. Berries
Berries such as raspberries and strawberries contain a natural ingredient that closely resembles valproic acid, a chemical used in prescription mood-stabilizing drugs. One study from the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine also found that daily consumption of goji berry juice increased people’s general feelings of wellbeing
3. Turkey
Turkey contains two important nutrients that help play a role in your mood: selenium and tryptophan. Research from the journal Biological Psychiatry found that subjects who received selenium supplements experienced a decrease in anxiety and elevated mood. Additionally, tryptophan is an amino acid that is responsible for synthesizing serotonin, the “feel-good” neurotransmitter. Increasing your intake of tryptophan results in higher levels of serotonin, which can not only improve your mood, but even your behavior.
4. Nuts
If you’re a fan of snacking throughout the day, start chowing down on some nuts. Like turkey, nuts can also help boost your serotonin levels, and it only takes one ounce of nuts such as walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts to improve your happiness.
5. Fish
Fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, and sardines contain omega-3 fatty acids, an important mood-boosting nutrient. Research shows that increasing your intake of omega-3 fatty acids can help relieve symptoms of depression. One study from the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry even found that omega-3 fatty acids are just as effective at improving mood as an antidepressant.
6. Leafy Greens
Greens such as spinach, kale, broccoli, and other lettuce contain folic acid, an important B vitamin that plays a role in mood regulation, including the synthesis of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. Research from the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry shows that increasing your intake of folate can help reduce depressive symptoms.
When in doubt, you’re always best sticking to whole, unprocessed foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals, but the above foods especially can help keep you calm and positive overall.
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28 May 2015
“I’m Going to be The Best Dad”
Get ready to watch the most adorable video of 2015!
This wife loves to give her husband little pep talks and make him repeat all the beautiful things she says about him!
As if that wasn’t heart-warming enough, this certain pep talk has a surprise and hilarious ending!
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11 Comments
DON
This man’s kindness and compassion shines as a bright light in our broken world . The joy that he shows in carrying out this great mission surely penetrates the hardest of hearts. It must be true that it is more blessed to give than to receive.
Bless all those who show kindness to those less well off.
29 Mar 2011 01:03 pm
Athena
This man is the epitome of human compassion and kindness. We walk in our own world without regard to the world, to the people and to the animals. A single act of kindness can move mountains. If you have the faith of a mustard seed you can move mountains. Blessed are the poor in spirit for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed is this man who attend to the poor in spirit for he has promoted a legacy for those who are disgarded as forgotten in society. He has touched what the world has deemed the untouchable. God Bless You and thank you from the bottom of my heart and soul!!!!
29 Mar 2011 01:03 pm
RITA B.DEAN
THE POWER OF HUGS!!
29 Mar 2011 03:03 pm
Mona
ALL I CAN SAY IS WOW WHAT A WONDERFUL MAN. MAKES A PERSON THINK WHAT MORE CAN I DO FOR OTHERS. GREAT STORY.
29 Mar 2011 03:03 pm
MM
This is exactly what I needed to see today. I am struggling with my own purpose and whether I should continue in my paying job that selfishly takes care of my own needs, my boss’s needs and my family’s needs but does nothing to support others and the community. It is just a job, and unfulfilling. But how can I just quit like the man in this video and dedicate my life to helping others without sacrificing my earnings to support my family? How do we help others while helping ourselves at the same time? This is what I’m struggling with at this moment. I will continue to pray to God for the answer, to quiet the voice of fear within me and figure out a way to make my job to help those in true need.
29 Mar 2011 05:03 pm
Esther
This man is truly a God send! God bless him and may he continue to bless others in his passion to help others. 🙂
29 Mar 2011 05:03 pm
rose mcgrath
What a wonderful human being and to know how he must feel having helped so many.
We in this country, even the poorest of us, have never experienced such humility as have these poor souls. I wish I could be there to help.
29 Mar 2011 09:03 pm
Susan
A lesson on the “God Within”. We all have that in our makeup. It is whether or not we choose to listen to that “still small voice” in order to learn our true purpose. This man is much further along his spiritual path than most of us, but we all are where we need to be at this point in time. Use him as an example as he may have used Mother Teresa as his. Let all Christians (of which I am one), recognize that ALL religions believe the same when it comes to LOVE and how we are supposed to treat our fellow man. God blesses him and his work. Thanks for sharing.
29 Mar 2011 10:03 pm
noel
You are Great! A perfect living example of Gods Love working through this man. I know God will continue to bless you my brother.
30 Mar 2011 03:03 am
Wens
This man’s life portrays God’s love in action.
He makes himself a blessing to others.
30 Mar 2011 10:03 am
S.S.Daniel
This is LOVE IN ACTION and this is what is required to be done as Christ said a parable of the good Samaritan and we too must do the same, May the Lord be with you and grant you the strength to go on.
Go on my Brother.
31 Mar 2011 03:03 pm