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Yes, you really can eat your way to happiness, but perhaps not in the way you might first imagine. By "happiness," I mean lasting happiness, not the fleeting kind of sensory happiness that might be experienced from sucking the cream filling out of a twinkie. And that's the distinction that really matters here: When I talk about happiness, I'm talking about sustainable happiness, not a brief moment of spurious excitement that soon reverses itself and leads to depression.
You see, a lot of people try to eat their way to happiness by eating the "instant joy" foods like ice cream, donuts, cookies and yes, even twinkies. Sugar can, indeed, make us momentarily uplifted because this refined molecule temporarily boosts blood sugar and actively alters brain chemistry. But like any drug, the depression after it wears off is far worse than the brief happiness it appeared to give us. And in the worst cases, we sometimes fall into a pattern of treating that mental rut with yet another hit of sugar to try to keep the happiness going.
This downward cycle of sugar dependence leads us to long-term obesity, diabetes and depression.
As author Timothy Brantley says in The Cure: Heal Your Body, Save Your Life: "How did these foods affect their moods? Food Group A (Standard American Diet). The subjects all had radical energy fluctuations, staying in a cycle of having to manipulate to produce quick energy after a radical drop. The subjects all remarked that they never realized how addicted they were to sugar and other stimulants, like caffeine, simply to function. The roller-coaster effect on their energy swung them into high and low moods, and many of them got sick consistently."
The Standard American Diet is obviously not the solution we're looking for. But what works better?
Foods for long-term happiness
Fortunately, there are a huge number of other foods that promote long-term happiness. That's what this article is about: Sharing with you the good news on foods that can support healthy moods and promote a positive outlook on life for the rest of your life.
And I have to say that list starts with omega-3 oils. High-quality omega-3s provide one of the most powerful and sustainable boosts to healthy moods of any commonly-available food.
Read up on omega-3s at _NaturalPedia:naturalpedia.com/omega-3s.html
You can get omega-3 oils from fish, quality marine oil supplements like Moxxor, chia seeds, flax seeds and other quality nutritional supplements.
Beware of grocery store foods that claim to be "made with omega-3s" because the actual quantity of omega-3 oils in those foods is usually so tiny that it hardly matters to your daily nutritional intake.
Enjoy healthy nuts
Pecans are extremely beneficial to supporting not just healthy moods but healthy brain function as well. It's the oils in the nuts that do the trick. Read more at naturalpedia.com/pecans.html
Other nuts can also be strongly supportive of healthy moods in the long term: Almonds, pistachios, macadamia nuts and walnuts all have powerful health-supporting properties that affect brain function and therefore mood experiences, too. Eat more raw nuts and you'll create better brain balance for the long term!
Adaptogens and green tea
Green tea seems to provide a subtle mood lift without all the problems of typical stimulants. Just make sure you're getting decaffeinated green tea, and check your source to make sure it doesn't suffer from fluoride contamination (some green tea products grown in certain countries have been known to carry a lot of fluoride).
Adaptogenic herbs are also very, very good at helping your neurology better handle stress. This can often translate into an easier day, reduced stress and improved moods. Adaptogens include ginseng, ashwagandha, rhodiola, cordyceps mushroom and many others.
Learn more about adaptogens at NaturalPedia_http://www.natural...
Herbal tonics for mood support
While we're in the realm of herbs, there are several herbal tonic products that are well known to help support healthy moods. St. John's Wort has been clinically shown to work as well as antidepressant drugs to ease symptoms of depression. I usually take it with dandelion or yellow dock to provide additional liver support.
Learn more about St. John's Wort at NaturaPedia_http://www.naturalpedia...
Several Traditional Chinese Medicine herbal formulas are also known to help support healthy moods. Chinese herbs are always used in combination, never in isolation, but one herb that's found in many mood-supporting formulas is Bupleurum.
The history and use of this herb is quite fascinating. Check it out here_http://www.naturalpedia...
Eat lots of fresh fruits and veggies
In addition to the omega-3 oils, nuts and herbs mentioned here, focus on consuming large quantities of fresh fruits and vegetables. You simply cannot over-eat fresh fruits and vegetables, so eat all you want. They're loaded with mood-lifting nutrients that can also help prevent cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
Be sure to buy organic produce wherever possible!
What to avoid
This section can be summed up in just two words: Sugar, Caffeine.
Seriously. If you want to maintain healthy moods, it's crucial to avoid refined sugar and caffeine from all sources. That means no caffeinated coffee, no donuts, no cookies, no Pepsi, etc.
These two chemicals do more to destroy healthy moods in the long term than probably any other chemicals in the food supply. And yet, ironically, they are precisely the two chemicals that people reach for to try to get short-term mood lifts.
They do provide short-term boosts, much like a drug. Heroin might make you feel good in the short term, too, but it's highly addictive and causes huge health problems over the long haul. Sugar and caffeine are similarly addictive and problematic; except they're legal and you don't inject them with a syringe. (Well, at least I hope not.)
If you suffer from mood swings or depression right now, the first and most important change you need to make in your diet is to eliminate refined sugars and caffeine. The second change to make is to start bringing in mood-enhancing health foods such as omega-3s, raw nuts and lots of fresh produce.
But the really important step is to find new ways to enjoy your feed by expanding your experience of all the amazing tastes to be found in the universe of foods provided by Mother Nature. If you've never tried raw food cuisine, definitely check it out at a local raw food restaurant (or find a raw food chef in your area). You'll be amazed at the new spectrum of tastes and sensory experiences provided by raw foods -- and you'll experience huge long-term health benefits from the raw foods, too!
Stay happy with healthy foods
Yes, food can make you happy, but only if you focus on consuming health-enhancing foods that are natural, non-refined and packed with nutrients. Don't compromise your mental experience of life by turning to sugar, caffeine and other short-term stimulants. Or if you're on those right now, find ways to slowly transition off them while embracing some of the healthier choices I've covered here.
In the long term, you'll discover that healthy foods = healthy moods.
But give it time: It may take 30 days of eating right before you really feel the full effects with improved mood. Foods are not isolated chemicals that kick in right away. Transitioning to a healthier body and brain with healthy food takes some time. But it's time well spent. After all, you get to eat your way to a more positive outlook on life. And that sounds kinda fun anyway, doesn't it?
参考译文：
是的，食物真的可以使人快乐，只是可能和你想的不太一样。我所谓的「快乐」是长久的快乐，而不是口中充满奶油派时，这种短暂的、感官上的刺激。这之间的分别非常重要：我所提到的快乐，是持续性的快乐，而不是过后即会使人感到忧郁的短暂性刺激。
很多人喜欢吃可以「立即使人感到快乐」的食物，如冰淇淋、甜甜圈、饼干及奶油派等。糖分确实可以使人短暂地提振精神，因为这种精制的成分可以暂时提升血糖浓度，改变大脑的化学变化。但是就如同药物一样，当短暂的快乐消退之后，随之而来的负面情绪往往影响更大。最坏的情况是我们可能会因此掉入莫名的陷阱，反复地以糖分维持精神上的刺激。
这种依赖糖分的恶性循环长期下来即会使人肥胖、罹患糖尿病及忧郁症。
如同《救命疗法》(The Cure: Heal Your Body, Save Your Life) 一书的作者提摩西布朗特利在书中提到的一样：这些食物如何影响人们的情绪？采用一般美式饮食的人，体力时好时坏，并且必须反复地补充低落的能量。他们都未发现自己已经过于依赖糖分及咖啡因等刺激物。大幅波动的体力也使得他们的情绪忽起忽落，很多人因此不断地生病。
一般美式饮食显然不是我们想要找的答案。但是还有更好的方式吗？
可以维持快乐的食物
所幸实际上还有很多食物可以让人维持长久的快乐。这篇文章的主旨即在于此：告诉你可以让你的人生充满正面能量，并且增进正面情绪的食物。
首先要介绍的就是 ω-3。优良的 ω-3 可以提供比其它食物更好的能量，而且持续更久。
前往 NaturalPedia 即可获得更多有关 ω-3 的信息：naturalpedia.com/omega-3s.html
你可以从鱼类、Moxxor 等高质量的鱼油补充品以及奇异子 (Chia Seed)、亚麻籽等营养补充品中获取优良的 ω-3。
要当心一般商场中声称「以 ω-3 制成」的食品，这些食品中的 ω-3 含量实际上可能非常少，对你的每日营养素摄取量没什么帮助。
有益健康的美味坚果
富含健康油脂的胡桃不仅可以维持正面的能量，还可以增进大脑功能：
其它如杏仁、开心果、澳大利亚坚果及核桃等坚果也都可以长久且有效地维持正面能量，并且都有强力的保健作用，可以增进大脑功能，常保身心健康。
适应原及绿茶
绿茶可以稳定情绪，避免一般刺激物可能造成的问题。只是必须确定其中不含咖啡因或是受到氟化物污染 (已知某些国家出产的绿茶制品含有大量的氟化物)。
适应原药草 (Adaptogenic Herb) 则非常有益于神经系统，可以帮助纾解压力，增进生活质量及正面能量。常见的适应原包括人蔘、南非醉茄 (Ashwagandha)、红景天 (Rhodiola) 及冬虫夏草 (Cordyceps) 等。
前往 NaturalPedia 即可获得更多有关适应原的信息:www.naturalpedia.com/adaptogens.html
可维持健康情绪的药膳食补
既然我们已经提到中药，那就来谈论已知可以维持正面情绪的药膳食补。临床上已经证实贯叶连翘 (St. John’s Wort) 的效用和抗忧郁症药物一样，可以减轻忧郁症的症状。我通常会将其与蒲公英或是皱叶酸模 (Yellow Dock) 一起服用，以保护肝脏。
前往 NaturalPedia 即可获得更多有关贯叶连翘的信息：www.naturalpedia.com/St_Johns_wort.html
许多传统的中药配方都有助于维持正面能量。中药通常是几种药草混合在一起使用，从来不会单独使用。很多用来维持正面能量的配方都含有柴胡 (Bupleurum)。
这种药草的历史及用法非常有趣。详情参访：http://www.naturalpedia.com/Bupleurum.html
大量食用新鲜蔬果
除了 ω-3、坚果及中药之外，大量食用新鲜的水果及蔬菜也是很好的选择。新鲜的水果及蔬菜可以爱吃多少就吃多少；其中丰富的营养素除了可以提升正面能量之外，也有助于预防癌症、心脏疾病及糖尿病等疾病。但是请尽可能购买有机的水果及蔬菜。
必须避免的食物
可以浓缩为两个名词：糖分及咖啡因。
如果你想维持正面的能量，避免所有含有精制糖分及咖啡因的食物是很关键的。意思就是含有咖啡因的咖啡、甜甜圈、饼干及百事可乐等都不能吃。
这两种化学物质长期下来对于正面能量的破坏，可比其它食物中的化学物质还要严重。所谓短暂的快乐即是这两种化学物质的作用。
它们确实可以带来短暂的快乐，就像毒品一样。海洛因也可以让你在一时之间感到非常快活，但是它非常容易上瘾，而且长期使用会造成严重的健康问题。糖分及咖啡因具有相似的成瘾性及问题 ─ 除了它们合法且不需要使用针头注射以外。
如果你经常情绪不稳或是患有忧郁症，首先最重要的就是在你的饮食中避免含有精制糖分及咖啡因的食物。第二则是食用可以改善情绪的健康食品，如 ω-3、生坚果及大量的生鲜蔬果。
但是真正重要的是找到尽情享受大自然所给予的天然美食的方式，如生食料理。你一定会对生食的全新口感及感官体验感到非常讶异，而且长期食用生食也非常有益健康。
健康食品可常保快乐
所以，食物确实可以让人感到快乐，但是只有食用完全天然、不含精制成分，而且营养丰富的健康食品才有用。千万不要为了短暂的快乐向糖分及咖啡因等刺激物妥协。如果你有摄取这些成分的习惯，请尽可能想办法摆脱它们，试试我提的这些健康食品，然后慢慢改变饮食习惯吧。
长久下来，你就能感受到健康饮食与良好情绪的紧密关系。
但是罗马不是一天造成的：你可能需要维持正确的饮食习惯长达 30 天之后心情才会开始有所改变；天然食物并不像化学药剂一样可以立即见效。以健康饮食改善身体及大脑健康需要一些时间，但是一切都是值得的；只要吃得正确，你会人生的看法也会更积极正面，听起来不是很棒吗？
相关阅读：让你快乐的食物
