Serotonin benefits for Diet

High levels of serotonin cause someone to be relaxed, lazy, and sleepy. This explains why some people like to drink coffee after eating carbohydrates, in order to stay awake. While low serotonin will cause 'cravings' heavy for food. Not surprisingly, the low-carb dieters often 'tortured' with cravings that can not be arrested.

Women are more sensitive to changes in serotonin than men, says Catherine Christie, Ph.D., RD, a nutrition specialist in Jacksonville, Florida. "When low levels of estrogen and progesterone is high, too low serotonin levels. This is what makes her carbohydrate cravings at certain times of the menstrual cycle.

"This also occurs in the pre-menopausal, when estrogen levels slid down. That is why, at this time the weight goes up. This has been demonstrated by several studies that show a direct relationship between obesity due to overeating with decreasing levels of serotonin.

One solution to overcome the problem of low levels of serotonin are doing a planned and controlled pause while on a diet. Namely, back to eating 'normal' as before on a diet. Generally, with a gap of 1-2 times a week, the weight will come down, but the mood remained stable.

Here is a tip that you can optimally utilize serotonin in the diet:

1. Begin breakfast with a menu rich in protein, which will give you energy, but still help you lose weight. At three o'clock the next morning tea, a snack made from carbohydrates will raise serotonin levels, so you do not feel tired, hungry, and restless until noon.

2. The same pattern can you do for lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, and evening snack - if necessary. Night snack rich in carbohydrates is important for women who have trouble sleeping. Drink warm milk can also, because milk contains carbohydrates in the form of milk sugar lactose alias.

3. If a snack lunch makes you sleepy, add hard cheese (cheddar, american cheese, swiss cheese), or peanut butter. Can also be replaced with yogurt.

4. For those who are accustomed to an active, so as not to be affected by the relaxing effect of carbohydrates, eat complex carbohydrates from whole grains, nuts or dried legumes, fruits, and vegetables. Do not forget the protein, which is necessary for growth and repair of muscle cells, as well as a little fat to induce satiety and for skin health.

5. Sugar, sweets, and pure flour can trigger insulin release quickly, so that serotonin also rose. However, blood sugar will go down again quickly. Better eating complex carbohydrates, because serotonin will rise slowly, while blood sugar levels remain stable.

6. Vitamin B6, B12, and folic acid helps manufacture serotonin. The third deficiency of this vitamin join lowered mood, cause cravings, and depression. Needs about 6 micrograms of vitamin B12 per day, but is expected to adults only eat half.