ways to boost SEROTONIN levels...

[Sadhu]

thought this interesting. probably nuttin' y'all mates dont already know...

but this is a small excerpt from an article aimed at boosting serotonin levels...
5. Boost your serotonin levels. Serotonin -- a chemical I fondly call the "feel-good" neurotransmitter -- communicates "happy" messages to your brain. Basically, the more serotonin circulating in your bloodstream, the better your mood. Quick, pass the serotonin! The other side to this coin is that low levels of serotonin can lower mood and increase aggression, according to some studies.
There are several components of food that may influence the serotonin levels in our brains, including:

• Tryptophan. As more of the amino acid tryptophan enters the brain, more mood-improving serotonin is made in the brain. Tryptophan is in almost all protein-rich foods, but the way to get more of it is not necessarily to eat these foods. Other amino acids are better at getting into the brain from the bloodstream. Eating carbohydrates seems to help tryptophan's chances of crossing the blood/brain barrier.
• Carbohydrates. The carbohydrate-serotonin connection can be a double-edged sword. We do need carbs, especially those that come with lots of fiber and other nutrients -- like whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables. But Judith Wurtman, PhD, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology researcher who is an expert on food and mood, suspects many women learn to overeat carbohydrates (particularly snack foods) to make themselves feel better. Of course, this leads to weight gain. Some researchers think carbohydrate-rich meals affect our moods in other ways, perhaps because of comforting feelings and memories we associate with eating these foods as children.
• Folic acid (folate). Too little folic acid in our diets can cause lower levels of serotonin in our brains. Some studies suggest that taking folate supplements (there's a day's supply in most multivitamins) and eating folate-rich foods may help some people who suffer from depression. Folate-rich foods include spinach, green soybeans, lentils, romaine lettuce, pinto beans, black beans, navy beans, kidney beans, broccoli, asparagus, greens, orange juice, beets, papaya, Brussels sprouts, and tofu.
• Alcohol. You don't have to be an expert to deduce that alcohol is probably not a mood stabilizer and that you should avoid excessive amounts in the interest of discouraging low moods. But there is also scientific evidence pointing to a relationship between serotonin dysfunction, negative moods, and excessive alcohol.

link: http://www.medicinenet.com/script/ma...ticlekey=56719