Book excerpt: Food and Mood will help you balance your moods, boost your energy level, and take back your life now! Why do you feel tired after eating a full meal? Why do you have so much trouble concentrating? Why do you crave chocolate? Can diet affect depression? Is there a natural cure for insomnia? Nutrition expert Elizabeth Somer answers all these questions and more in this completely updated and revised second edition to her nutritional guide Food and Mood. The result of research encompassing thousands of the most up-to-date scientific studies, Somer explains how what we eat has a direct influence on how we feel, think, sleep, look, and act. She addresses specific food-related issues including health conditions, food cravings, diet struggles, stress, PMS, winter blues, energy levels, depression, memory, and sleep patterns, as well as tackling the issue of supplements and providing the real story on those you need and those you don't. This entirely new edition covers the latest information on how to: - naturally fight fatigue and stress - boost brain power and improve memory with the latest supplements - fight depression with exercise and special dietary fats called omega-3 fatty acids - satisfy your cravings for chocolate, ice cream, potato chips, and steak without sacrificing your waistline - sleep better naturally - and much more! Included is Somer's revolutionary Feeling Good Diet, a program that shows you how to take control of your eating habits to benefit mood and mental functioning now.