Good Food As A Natural Antidepressant?

An interesting article in the April issue of Vogue discusses this possibility. "According to proponents of the food-as-antidepressant theory, deficiencies in certain nutrients are responsible for the current epidemic of low mood." Ya think? When you don't take time, at least once a week, to plan and cook a good meal and then sit down and enjoy it with family and/or friends, that is depressing. It's depressing to eat out too often and then add up the total amount you spent- knowing you could have saved a lot of money, calories and sodium in-take by eating at home. So the best approach to boost your mood is a "nutritioncentric approach"- cook yourself and load up on vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, fish, lean meat, poultry, and healthy fats. This week-end I went to a local farmer's stand and loaded up on fresh strawberries picked that morning. No vitamin C deficiency here and my mood is high! Go find a depressed friend, neighbor or co-worker and try cooking co-op, team cooking, for one month and see if you can't change the world!

Killer Combo of High Gas, Food Prices...

This from Consumer Nation- tracking the pulse of America's spenders- by Christina Berk. We know the price of gasoline has been rising. But with the huge events in the Middle East, we might soon see gas prices moderate but with energy costs over 6% of consumer's spending, energy takes a big bite out of our disposable spending. Fewer trips to the grocery store by having a plan (list) and less driving to eat out can save. Plus food costs have gone up 6.5% since the beginning of January. Why are food costs going up the most in a generation? There is more world-wide demand for food from a growing middle class in areas such as Chinia. By banding together we can defeat this Killer Combo. Now is the time to work on your cooking and meal-planning skills. Cook for your family and recruit other cooking co-op families. As Patrick Henry said, " We must fight." Fight for that time to enjoy your own home-cooking.