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Your brain depends on a variety of nutrients to keep itself balanced. If anxious, stressed, restless, depressed, or feeling insecure, see if the corresponding foods help to balance your mood.

1. Anxious-try a grilled chicken wrap for lunch. Eating between 4 and 5 ounces of protein helps your brain create dopamine and nor-epinephrine, neuro-chemicals that keep you alert.

2. Stressed-a handful of sesame seeds while you are working. Stress hormones can deplete your body's supply of magnesium reducing your stress-coping abilities.

3. Restless-nonfat popcorn half and hour before you go to bed. The carbs will induce your body to create seratonin, a neuro-chemical that makes you feel relaxed.

4. Depressed-grilled salmon. A study in Finland found that people who eat more fish are 31 percent less likely to suffer from depression. Avoid the simple carbs, the sugar crash can actually deepen depression.

5. Insecure-a snack size chocolate bar . Chocolate contains a host of chemicals to brighten your mood.

We all can be moody, but try some of these foods and see if they help to balance your mood.

Is Your Job Interfering with Your Diet?

Is your job interfering with your diet? Do you find that it is almost impossible to maintain the diet you would like while at work? Whether you spend your days parked in an office chair, or melting out in the hot sun doing landscape, follow these tips to eat right at work, no matter what your job.

Lets say you have a job where you are desk-bound. Typically in these types of sedentary jobs, downing cups of coffee and making multiple trips to the vending machine are common place. In order to rectify the situation, it is important not to skip meals, most importantly breakfast. Going for hours without eating is very counterproductive. Regular meals provide your brain and body with the fuel it needs to concentrate and work at its most efficient. Bring prepared meals to work or snack on nutritional bars to keep your energy level up. Try eating more grilled chicken, tuna, or beef. Protein tends to stimulate the production of dopamine and nor-epinephrine which help keep your brain and its sharpest.

Lets say you have a job where you are on the road a lot. The most convenient places to grab a meal are typically at the airport or some other fast food joint. There has been research that even indicates that meals away from home can increase body weight even when not overeating. If you do need to eat meals away from home or on the run, try eating meals high in fiber such as fruits, grains, and vegetables. Studies show that by adding just 12 grams of fiber a day, you can lose weight without making any other changes to your diet

Now lets say you work a manual labor type of job. The popular thinking is that since there is a lot of caloric expenditure, you can eat as much as you would like when you would like. However, this is not the case. By working all day, and then coming home and eating large quantities of food is not productive and causes weight gain. Try front-loading your calories, eat a lot early in the day and while at work rather than at night when you are sedentary. Try bringing sandwiches to work instead of eating fast food and chips and of course, cut down on the late night binging.

Maintaining a good diet is never easy to do at the work place, but try some of these tips. With good knowledge of nutrition and proper preparation, eating well at work does not need to be such a challenge.