Over 12 days in the lead-up to Christmas, I’ll be writing 12 posts all about boosting your wellbeing…

On the 6th day of Christmas my true love gave to me…

12 quotes to inspire and live by, 11 song lyrics and movie quotes to boost and motivate, 10 websites for when life gets tough, 9 ways to de-stress, 8 ways to improve your low mood… and

In the run up to Christmas, I like to eat healthily in between all the nights out and family dinners – makes those moments more guilt-free!

• Oily fatty fish: Oily and fatty can’t be mood boosting, right? Wrong! Fish high in Omega 3 (salmon, mackerel, tuna…) apparently have a positive effect on key brain chemicals, such as serotonin, of which a lack of can lead to depression.
• A low fat, low protein, high carbohydrate snack. Another good one for levels of serotonin, don’t believe all the myths about avoiding carbs. Toast, popcorn, cereals, oatmeal, sweet potatoes stuffed with veg, pasta with tomato sauce and veg would all work well.
• Oats. Oats are great for releasing energy slowly into your bloodstream, stabilising your mood nicely for the morning. Try porridge or my recipe for overnight oats.
• Fresh fruit. Bingeing on cakes, biscuits and a box of Milk Tray will inevitably make you feel sluggish and down. Eat treats in moderation and substitute them with fresh fruit. Strawberries, bananas and oranges are particular good for the mood.
• Spinach and Broccoli: These two superfoods are high in Vitamin B – a lack of this has been linked to depression as it may inhibit serotonin production.
• Chocolate: You’ll be pleased to know research tells us that a little bit of dark chocolate a day will lower stress levels! Experts believe this is due to the antioxidants…whatever it is, thumbs up from me 🙂

I could go on…but these are my top six! Eat healthy on the run up to Christmas, and then enjoy some guilt-free treats 🙂