Happiness May Be Linked With Good Health and Longevity: 5 Foods that Will Help You Feel Better

"There are many kinds of happiness, and experiencing a diversity of emotional states might reduce a person's vulnerability to psychopathology by preventing any one emotion from dominating their emotional life," said lead author Anthony Ong, professor of human development in the College of Human Ecology and professor of geriatrics and palliative medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine.

The study shreds light on one potential pathway - systematic inflammation - through which diversity in day to day positive emotional experiences may "get under the skin" to influence your long-term health.

The researchers analysed data from 175 people ranged from ages 40 to 65 years who reported on their negative and positive emotions for a month (30 days). Every evening the participants were asked to share and rate 16 positive and negative emotions each. People in the study who reported a wide range of positive emotions had lower levels of inflammation than those who said they felt a narrower range.

"Emotions serve functional roles for individuals, helping them prioritize and regulate behavior in ways that optimize adjustment to situational demands," Ong said. "Our findings suggest that depletion or overabundance of positive emotions, in particular, has consequences for the functioning and health of one's emotional ecosystem."

We all know how being happy can help keep various health hazards at bay. Foods play a vital role in keeping you healthy, therefore we suggest some foods that will help you feel better and cheer you up on a bad day. Take a look.

1. Cherries

Cherries act as painkillers and have calmative effects. They are low in calories and high in fiber. They are a great source of melatonin, a hormone that helps you sleep well. So don't forget to savour them before going to bed.

2. Beetroot

Beetroots are a rich source of B vitamin folate that helps boost your mood. Beets are also packed with Betaine, which is used by our brain to produce SAM-e that acts as an anti-depressant.

3. Honey

Honey consists of Kaempferol and Quercetin that help prevent depression by reducing inflammation in the brain. It also helps in boosting energy production in the brain.

4. Tomatoes

Tomatoes have a compound known as lycopene, which also gives colour to the fruit. Lycopene helps in regulating your mood. It is power-packed with folate, magnesium and iron that help in producing mood-boosting neurotransmitters such as serotonin.

5. Chocolate

The antioxidants in chocolates help in reducing stress levels. Dark chocolate has a compound known as anandamide that can make you feel good and is believed to block feelings of pain and distress.

So add these foods to your daily diet and stay happy to lead a healthy and long life.