AYGMyJune2015

46

may/june 2015

yogajournal.com.au

meats, packaged snacks and sugary drinks. “The Mediterranean

diet and Asian diets would fit that healthier description,” says

dietitian Elizabeth Somer, author of Eat Your Way to Happiness.

In other words, what experts have been telling us for years

remains true: eat lots of colorful vegies and fruits, lean protein

and whole grains, and very little processed and fatty foods.

EAT MORE FERMENTED STUFF Fermented foods like kefir,

kimchi (Korean fermented cabbage), sauerkraut, miso

(Japanese fermented soybean paste) and kombucha

(a fermented drink brewed with yeast) contain probiotic

bacteria that research suggests

make your gut generally

healthier. Some yoghurts

do, too, but not all, so

check labels to make sure

they contain “live active

cultures” and no sugar.

In one 2013 study from the

University of California,

your

HAPPY

DIET

cheat sheet

Wondering what to nosh on next? Use this checklist

of what to eat and to avoid to keep your brain balanced

and firing on all cylinders.

FILL UP ON

❏ Oily fish rich in omega-3 fats

❏ High-antioxidant vegies like dark,

leafy greens

❏ Dark, colourful berries

❏ Chewy whole grains like brown rice,

quinoa, and wholemeal pasta

STAY AWAY FROM

❏ Fried foods containing saturated and trans fats

❏ Processed simple carbs like white-

flour breads and crackers

❏ Sweets and lollies

❏ Artificial sweeteners,

which some research

suggests may

negatively affect

gut bacteria

Source: Elizabeth Somer

Processed simple carbs like white-

flour breads and crackers

yj43_43-47_FEA eat your way happy_272.indd 46 31/03/2015 8:57 am