Recipe: Mood booster water infusion

Three PM hits, your mood drops and the last thing you can think about is going to the gym or the studio and completing physical exercise. Sound familiar?

There is no need to resort to chocolate and that comfy couch and miss out on the exercise that you know you will regret not doing! Put some pep back into your step and boost your mood naturally with this water infusion.

The ingredients in this water infusion not only make for a delicious and hydrating drink but they release serotonin in the brain and provide your body with minerals and nutrients that help to reduce anxiety and depression and shift your state of mind.

Ingredients:

3 cinnamon sticks

3 sticks of vanilla bean

Sliced Pear

How do the ingredients help my mood?

Cinnamon – can be used as a sort of aromatherapy to help improve your mood. The aroma of cinnamon has the ability to shift you to a better mood

Vanilla bean – the calcium and manganese found in vanilla bean reduces cortisol in the body, the stress hormone that’s associated with anxiety, depression and moodiness.

Pear – are high in folate. Foods high in natural folate can contain the nutrient L-Methylfolate. L-Methylfolate (a form of folic acid) plays a role in neurotransmitter synthesis. It indirectly facilitates the synthesis of the three neurotransmitters (serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine) involved in mood regulation. L-methylfolate has been known to enhance the effectiveness of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

Don’t forget to eat your pear afterward, it makes for a great nutritious snack!