Mood booster: Seafood
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Lobster, oysters, clams, and other sea creatures contain hefty amounts of selenium, a mineral that helps combat mental decline, anxiety, and depression. In a 2000 study published in the Lancet, researchers wrote that a selenium deficiency is "linked to adverse mood states," and urged people to get the federal government's recommended 55 micrograms a day. An older study, published in 1998 in the Journal of Trace Elements in Experimental Medicine, found that men who got the most selenium were clearheaded, confident, and composed, while those who got the least were more confused, unsure, and anxious. Aside from seafood, selenium sources include Brazil nuts, seeds, lean meat, whole grains, and low-fat dairy, says registered dietitian Keri Gans, author of The Small Change Diet.

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