I'm depressed and can't sleep after breaking up with my girlfriend, and I keep having bad thoughts. At times like this, 000!

Foods That Help Our Body (By Situation)

[Asia Economy Reporter Jin-kyung Lee] Do you crave spicy food or sweet desserts when you are angry or stressed? The foods that come to mind vary depending on the mood, but there are specific foods that our body truly needs and can help us. Eating certain foods according to the situation can supply the necessary nutrients to our body and generate energy, resulting in better effects. So, let's look at what foods are good to eat in different situations, and how about trying to eat what your body needs rather than what you want today?

1. When feeling depressed and tired, eat Jeoneo (Gizzard shad)!

Jeoneo helps relieve fatigue and expel waste products. It also affects brain activation, helping to prevent dementia and alleviate depression.

2. When heartbroken or lacking motivation and tears come, eat chocolate!

Phenylethylamine is effective in healing tearful and depressive emotions such as anxiety or heartbreak. This compound is abundantly contained in chocolate. Therefore, consuming chocolate promotes serotonin secretion, which is released when falling in love, and increases endorphin production in the body, helping to overcome depressive feelings. Dark chocolate with a high cocoa content is said to be especially good.

3. When having negative thoughts, eat probiotics!

There is a good food to eat when negative thoughts arise due to depression. It is yogurt. Researchers at Leiden University in the Netherlands announced that eating Greek yogurt reduces negative thoughts in the body thanks to probiotics.

4. When you can't sleep, drink milk or eat cherries!

Insomnia appears due to a deficiency of serotonin and melatonin. Eating foods that promote the production of serotonin, which stabilizes the body and mind, and melatonin, which regulates the biological rhythm, is helpful. Many sleep experts recommend a glass of milk to aid deep sleep because milk contains tryptophan, which promotes the production of these two hormones. Besides milk, cherries are fruits rich in melatonin, which regulates the sleep cycle.

5. When lacking motivation, eat salmon!

During seasonal changes, reduced sunlight can cause lethargy. At such times, it is good to consume salmon, which is rich in vitamin D obtained from sunlight. Eating mackerel or eggs together can double the effect.

6. When feeling lonely, eat French fries!

Eating French fries when feeling lonely can noticeably improve your mood because French fries are rich in serotonin chemicals that enrich our mood.

7. When feeling mentally scattered, eat peppermint candy!

The sharp taste of peppermint candy helps mental stability and concentration on one task. Moreover, limonene in peppermint also helps the brain function well and enhances concentration, so eating peppermint candy before important work can be helpful.

8. When unable to focus early in the morning, eat eggs!

Dopamine, a neurotransmitter, must be secreted to maintain a clear mind. Nutrients that stimulate dopamine secretion are abundant in protein-rich foods containing essential amino acids. Eggs, which contain essential amino acids in an ideal ratio, are good to consume as a meal replacement in the morning when a clear mind is needed.

9. When experiencing swelling or poor blood circulation, eat red beans, enoki mushrooms, onions, seaweed, and pears!

Red beans are excellent for reducing swelling. They are rich in saponins that aid diuresis and dietary fiber that helps bowel movements, facilitating toxin elimination from the body. Enoki mushrooms are effective when blood circulation is poor; they are rich in vitamin B, aid digestion, and help stabilize blood pressure. When the body is swollen after eating salty food the previous day, consuming potassium-rich foods like seaweed, onions, and pears, which help excrete sodium, is also beneficial.

10. When having body aches or cold symptoms, eat ginseng and yuja (yuzu)!

When feeling chills and cold symptoms, it is good to eat ginseng, which warms the body. The saponins in ginseng enhance immunity and the function of major organs such as the lungs and liver, reduce the frequency of catching colds, and shorten recovery time. The easiest way to consume ginseng is by brewing it as tea, and combining it with yuja enhances the effect. Yuja contains 10 times more vitamin C than bananas and 3 times more than lemons, making it good for cold prevention and fatigue relief.