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6 foods and drinks to choose in the New Year to improve mood, energy, and longevity
Every New Year comes with a slew of nutritional campaigns. It can often feel overwhelming when youre looking to take make a few dietary changes. Rather than get caught up in what not to eat or trying to follow a complicated plan, a simple strategy of incorporating more foods and drinks with big nutritional benefits can be a much simpler and more sustainable approach.
Experts recommend the six nutrient-rich foods below, which are proven to help promote brain health, improved mood, longevity, and energy.
Dairy and plant milk for brain health
Vitamin D, which we mainly absorb through the sun, has several health benefits, including bolstering the immune system and strengthening bones. A new study released last December found vitamin D may also help improve brain function. The researchers found higher vitamin D levels in the brain were associated with better cognitive function, including a stronger memory.
While the studys authors couldnt give specific dietary recommendations, research reinforces the importance of studying how food and nutrients create resilience to protect the aging brain against diseases such as Alzheimers disease and other related dementias, says Sarah Booth, an author on the study and director of the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in a press release.
Along with the sun, a host of fish, as well as dairy milk, soy milk, and orange juice fortified with vitamin D are rich in this nutrient.
Beans for longevity
Beans have an array of beneficial properties, including being rich in protein and fiber. Beans are glorified in the blue zone diet, which was researched by best-selling author Dan Buettner as part of an in-depth look into what people eat in the blue zonesthe areas across the globe where people live the longest.
The Blue Zone diet consists of plant-based foods, and beans stand out as an important source of protein to substitute animal protein. In Buettners new book, The Blue Zones American Kitchen: 100 Recipes to Live to 100 from National Geographic, he recommends eating beans daily and says they reign supreme in the blue zones and are the cornerstone of every longevity diet in the world.
Tea for heart health
This year, researchers found that a cup of tea does more than make you feel warm and cozy or help you nod off. Tea was found to have an association with a moderately lower risk of dying. Specifically, black tea was associated with a decreased risk of dying from heart disease.
The lead author explained that the polyphenols in tea can reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, and therefore, may decrease the risk of mortality. The researchers found this association was true even if the tea drinker also consumed coffee.
Fish for happiness
Eating fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, like salmon and sardines, can reduce the risk of heart disease. Diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids have also been associated with improved brain health and a reduced risk for depression. These fish are also swimming in vitamin B12, which is associated with positive mood.
Greek yogurt for energy
To feel more productive as the day rolls on, especially when hitting that midday slump, some snacks may provide you with longer sustained energy as opposed to a quick sugar boost.
Rich in protein, a cup of greek yogurt will provide you with energy and make you feel fuller longer than something ultra-processed or high in sugar which gives a spike of energy followed by a more dramatic downfall.
Spices for stress
Spices like garlic, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, and cayenne have anti-inflammatory properties. Inflammation over a long period of time can cause a stress response in the body, both physically and mentally. Foods that curb inflammation in the body, therefore, are beneficial.
Garlic is a prebiotic that helps balance your gut by stimulating healthy bacteria growth, Dr. Uma Naidoo, a Harvard-trained nutritional psychiatrist and author of This Is Your Brain on Food, previously told Fortune. And turmeric impacts the hippocampus, which is a part of the brain that helps regulate stress hormones.
Lastly, while food choices can help with various physical and mental health goals, eating with one another and slowing down to enjoy company over a mealwhat the blue zone researchers talk about as the power of a shared mealremains a cornerstone of health and longevity.
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3 ways to avoid a financial holiday hangover next year
Now that the gifts have been opened, the decorations have come down and the credit card bills are rolling in, you may be faced with a financial holiday hangover.
When I think of a financial holiday hangover, I think of the buyers remorse many feel after the glow of the holidays has dimmed, says Nathan Astle, certified financial therapist for Beyond Finance. Just like an alcohol hangover, we realize the festivities we enjoyed may have some consequences we didnt thoroughly plan to experience.
Overspending during the holidays isnt uncommon. According to a survey from American Express, 86% of millennials spent more money during the holidays than theyd originally planned and in another survey from U.S. News & World Report, nearly 42% of people expected to go into debt to afford gifts and travel during the holiday season.
Overspending during the holidays can leave people feeling anxious and stressed once they return to their everyday lives, says Astle. If your holiday spending ruins your New Year, it might be time to rethink how to approach the holidays financially.
Some signs of a financial holiday hangover include feeling shame or guilt about purchases, but recovering from one requires honesty, accountability and compassion.
The best thing you can do is stay engaged! So many of us get overwhelmed and give up, which is a totally normal human response, says Astle. The problem is money isnt something we can avoid figuring out forever. If we can stay engaged, we are in a much better position to recover financially.
In order to avoid a financial holiday hangover next year, try the following tips:
Create a holiday savings plan.
Having a certain amount of money set aside each month to go toward a holiday account can drastically cut the pain you could feel afterward, he says. Consider forming a separate savings account for holiday spending and set up automated savings.
Make a list and check it twice.
Once you have your savings in order, create a budget with a dollar amount for every person you plan on shopping for. Avoid the temptation of extra spending by shopping online (and sticking to your list) rather than shopping in person.
Pay for holiday gifts in cash.
When your money is gone, your holiday shopping should be as well, says Astle.
Of course everything is clearer in hindsight, but theres very little use in kicking ourselves for going overboard if it has already happened, says Astle. If we give in to that shame and tell ourselves that we are bad with money or have no self-control, we will have little motivation to change our behaviors. Shame is the enemy of change because it keeps us isolated and stuck. Financial mistakes do not define who you are and dont have to define your relationship with money.
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Fortune Crypto's 2022 Jealousy List
What a year its been, said a member of the Fortune Crypto teamat least once a week.
Every month seemed to bring a new Hollywood-ready crisis in the volatile industry, from the $625 million hack of the controversial play-to-earn Axie Infinity in March to the nosedive of larger-than-life huckster Do Kwons TerraUSD in May to the stunning collapse of Sam Bankman-Fried and FTX in November.
Needless to say, the existential threats led to some terrific journalism (and in some cases, were precipitated by reporting).
Although readers should, of course, be turning to Fortune for all things business and crypto, weve long appreciated Bloomberg Businessweeks annual Jealousy List and, well, got a bit jealous. So heres ours, highlighting some of the best stories weve read in 2022both crypto and non-crypto:
New York Magazine: The Crypto Geniuses Who Vaporized a Trillion Dollars
By Jen Wieczner
In this long-form article, Jen Wieczner shed light on the unraveling of the hedge fund Three Arrows Capital, one of the biggest crypto collapses of the year. Through a series of poignant examples that show the hubris of founders Su Zhu and Kyle Davies, including the purchase of a $50 million yacht called Much Wow, Wieczner sheds light on how one of the most notable crypto hedge funds went belly up. Filled with sourcing and personal accounts, Wieczner leaves no stone unturned and no journalist without just a touch of envy.
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, reporter
Bloomberg: FTXs Balance Sheet Was Bad
By Matt Levine
Its nearly impossible to choose just one Matt Levine column on any topic, let alone FTX, but this one, clocking it more than 5,000 wordsplus even more words about Elon Musk and Twitter and a few other thingswas probably the single bestand definitely most thoroughtakedown of FTX and SBF.
Justin Doom, editor
Financial Times: A brief-ish history of crypto audits
By Bryce Elder
This Financial Times story, which was overlooked by a big part of the crypto world, examines Binance CEO Changpeng Zhaos time in 2014 at Beijing-based exchange OKCoin, which issued one of the first proof-of-reserve audits. The piece offers new insight into the career of the most important figure in crypto right now, and also shows how the industry has always struggled to produce financial documents that meet the strictures of traditional accounting.
Jeff John Roberts, editor
Reuters: How crypto giant Binance became a hub for hackers, fraudsters and drug traffickers
By Angus Berwick and Tom Wilson
After a tweet from Changpeng Zhao triggered a collapse in FTTand Sam Bankman-Frieds empireall eyes have been on Binance and CZ, who has taken the undisputed crown of crypto kingpin. While outlets chase to unearth details about the secretive company, Reuters has been producing in-depth reporting for months, including details on governmental investigations and inner dealings. This piece from June provided an overview of the exchanges shady activity, but I would recommend reading the reporters subsequent work, especially post-FTX.
Leo Schwartz, reporter
Rest of World: They built a Minecraft crypto empire. Then it all came crashing down
By Neirin Gray Desai
Neirin Gray Desai goes deep into what happened when, overnight, Microsoft and Mojang banned NFTs from Minecraft. As Desai details, a thriving economy of NFT-enabled servers like Critterz and NFT Worlds had popped up in one of the worlds most popular games to let people buy and sell virtual commodities like wool and land, earning some players real income up until the ban. The piece smartly demonstrates how NFTs have given people ways to earn money playing games despite the technology still not being fully accepted in the traditional gaming industry.
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, reporter
Bloomberg: 11 Hours With Sam Bankman-Fried: Inside the Bahamian Penthouse After FTXs Fall
By Zeke Faux
Lots of great stories were written about SBFs exploits in the Bahamas, but this one really stood out because of the following exchange between Bloomberg News reporter Zeke Faux and SBF:
You didnt have $8 billion in cash that you thought you had.
Thats correct. Yes.
You misplaced $8 billion?
Misaccounted.
Justin Doom, editor
Today in Tabs: Sam Bankman-Detained-Awaiting-Extradition
By Rusty Foster
Rusty Foster is a hilarious genius. Full stop. Subscribe to his newsletter to read beautiful sentences like this one describing SBF as just a starry eyed lad of thirty summers, with dreams as big as the great outdoors and a promising life ahead of him
Justin Doom, editor
WIRED: Meet the Lobbyist Next Door
By Benjamin Wofford
WIREDs account of the burgeoning influencer-lobbyists world built by Trumps former social media director is a revealing window into a new trend that feels like Instagram and Twitter on steroids. We learn how todays political and social media economy entails recruiting everyone from doctors to physical trainers who share subtle partisan messages with their niche communities of fans.
Jeff John Roberts, editor
New York Times: How McKinsey Got Into the Business of Addiction
By Walt Bogdanich and Michael Forsythe
The top consulting firm McKinsey has long been a pillar of American capitalism, but its secretive nature means that the public rarely gets a peak into its elite operations. Investigative journalists Walt Bogdanich and Michael Forsythe secured unprecedented access into the firm through documents and interviews with employees, producing reporting on the impact of McKinsey on everything from opioids to baseball sabermetrics. This article is a great example of what was compiled in the reporters 2022 book When McKinsey Comes to Town.
Leo Schwartz, reporter
New York Times Magazine: This Isnt the California I Married
By Elizabeth Weil
Elizabeth Weils New York Times Magazine piece on Californias devastating wildfiresand the accompanying photographswill haunt your dreams. Humans have utterly failed in preventing or even managing the fires, and its time for an entirely new mindset on how to coexist with them. We need to stop thinking a dashing rescuer in a red slicker or yellow fire-resistant shirt should come save us from wildfire, Weil writes. We dont fight hurricanes. We dont fight tornadoes. No one assumes there will be an armed defense from an earthquake or a flood. Instead, we bolt our houses to our foundations. We raise our homes on stilts. Now we, Californians of the Anthropocene, need to grow up, take responsibility and stop expecting to be saved.
Justin Doom, editor
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