Mend A Broken Heart With Chocolate
According to About.com's Guide to Panic Disorders, chocolate mimics the feeling in the body that we get when falling in love via phenylethylamine, a drug created by our bodies that is similar in nature to amphetamines. As well, dark chocolate has been found to lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of some cardiovascular issues because of its naturally occurring flavonoids. So why not indulge in a piece or two to lift your spirits and mend a broken heart.
Related: Health Benefits of Chocolate, from the About.com Guide to Longevity.
Mend A Broken Heart With Turkey
Turkey is well-known for its ability to make a houseful of Thanksgiving guests fall asleep after a meal. But not only does turkey provide a relaxing effect, it also provides the necessary building blocks for feel-good neurotransmitters (like serotonin), through its high percentage of tryptophan. Tryptophan can also be found in peanuts, soy products, chicken, eggs and milk, so it wouldn't hurt to try and mend a broken heart using one, or a combination of all of these foods.
Related: Turkey Health Benefits from the About.com Guide to Home Cooking.
Mend A Broken Heart With Vitamin B
A slew of recent research has the B vitamins as major players in the mood-food connection. Although some people choose to get their B vitamins through a daily supplement (please talk to your doctor before starting any vitamins, over the counter or otherwise), you can try eating more leafy green vegetables, cereals, bananas, milk, chicken and orange juice, while avoiding the three things that destroy vitamin B in the body as much as possible: nicotine, alcohol and sugar.
Related: Vitamin for Depression? from the About.com Guide to Depression.
Mend A Broken Heart With Tea
Rooibos tea (Buy Direct) to be exact. Rooibos, Afrikaans for red bush, is a lush and mildly sweet non-caffeinated tea reputed to soothe frayed nerves and reduce insomnia. So why not pour yourself a pot and let it steep (a bit longer than other teas - up to ten minutes), while taking a peek at some more break up comforts.
Related: Red Rooibos Tea Health Benefits from the About.com Guide to Coffee and Tea.
Mend A Broken Heart With Walnuts
Since the shelled walnut looks very brain-like, for years it was considered 'brain food'. But recent studies have shown that walnuts do more than just resemble our gray matter; they also feed it. As excellent sources of Omega-3 fatty acids, walnuts offer up the kind of nourishment brain cells need to keep depression at bay and neurotransmitters firing. If walnuts aren't your thing, you could also try flaxseed, fish, or even an Omega-3 supplement.
Related: Walnut Recipes from the About.com Guide to Home Cooking.
