MORE FAB PLACES WE LOVE!

Here at The Happy Zone we are always looking at the different places that make us happy and enjoy sharing these places with you! Today we wanted to make you aware of one of our favourite places in Brighton, East Sussex. Over the last year we have discovered Brighton Farm Market, a fabulous farmers market hidden away in the bohemian North Laines.

Open every Saturday and now also Fridays 9:30am - 4:30pm, you will find a whole host of varied traders selling everything from organic cheeses, local honey, gorgeous home-made cakes, fruit and veg to fresh fish and home-made pies! The quality is exceptional and the traders themselves are friendly, chatty and knowledgeable. At the back of the market is the Farm Kitchen, where customers can enjoy a field-reared hog-roast every Saturday or just a nice cup of tea.

If you are a real foodie then it's worth checking this place out as soon as possible. There is even a craft market held there two Sundays a month. If you're a trader and want to get in touch with the guys that run the market why not head over to their website now for contact details. They are particularly looking for stalls for Fridays at the moment as Saturdays are already incredibly busy!

Healthy Herby Fruit Salad Recipe

As we're always looking at ways to make ourselves healthier and happier we thought you'd enjoy this cute video showcasing a nice easy recipe from top Guardian food columnist Angela Hartnett. 

       

TEN FOODS TO HELP YOU BEAT DEPRESSION

Many of us feel particularly low during the winter months and some of us suffer severely from depression at various times in our lives. However, doctors and nutritionists agree that by eating healthily we can stave off depression and feel happier and more alive. We thought we'd give you a list of ten fantastic foods to give you a boost!

1. Oily fish - the omega-3 oils found in fish such as salmon, mackerel and tuna have been proven to boost moods, relieve anxiety and combat depression.
2. Brazil nuts - the selenium in brazil nuts is an excellent way to help alleviate depression.
3. Bananas
4. Brown rice
5. Porridge oats
6. Vitamin B - foods containing the B-vitamins are well known to control mood swings and battle those blues - good examples are liver, eggs and Marmite!
7. Chocolate - a small piece of dark chocolate high in cocoa can be a very pleasant way of helping yourself stay happy - but just remember not to overdo it! Also, it's worth trying some raw chocolate from your local health food store.
8. Fruit - a couple of pieces of fruit a day should help keep the doctor away
9. Green leafy vegetables - particularly good for your iron intake and should be eaten every day!
10. Herbal & fruit teas - not technically a food of course, but if you replace caffeine based drinks like coffee and cola with healthy herbal teas this will help beat the blues.

Remember that if you are trying to beat depression with good nutrition to stop eating junk foods and cut down on your alcohol consumption. It's also wise to exercise for thirty minutes at least three or four times a week.

FIVE EASY WAYS TO BE HAPPIER

We all have days when we feel like we can't get out of bed and that the whole world is against us. These feelings can drag us down and make us depressed and miserable. But there are some simple ways and means that can help lift our spirits and even help prevent depression - yes, even during the miserable Winter months!

• Exercise - Numerous studies have shown proof that regular exercise is one of the best ways to beat those blues. Just 30 minutes a day could make all the difference! An easy way could be walking to work.
• Food - Stop eating the junk, cut out refined foods, sweets and fizzy drinks. Replace these with fresh fruit and veg every day as well as oily fish (like mackerel) 3 times a week.
• EFT - This stands for Emotional Freedom Techniques and is a form of alternative psychotherapy that uses tapping on acupuncture points as a means of tackling many emotional and physical problems. Once you've mastered the technique, a round of "tapping" takes just a couple of minutes and can help lift your mood.
• Friends - Another tried and tested way of lifting your mood is to spend some quality fun time with friends - grab some mates and go for a walk and a chat; you'll be amazed at how much this can make you feel happier in no time!
• Treat Yourself! - Sometimes just a short quick fix is enough to make yourself feel better so why not treat yourself to your favourite healthy snack, a book or cd that you've been desperate to own for ages or an Indian head massage. 

What do YOU do to make yourself feel happier? Tweet or email us with your tips and positive stories or share your views on our Facebook Page!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Happy New Year everyone! 2010 was a tough year for many of us but here at 'The Happy Zone' we are looking forward to the coming year and want to help make this a happy and healthy twelve months for all of us!

We'll be looking at various self-help techniques, EFT, exercise, healthy eating, money-saving tips and offers, positive stories from around the world and much, much more!

Sometimes we'll just publish a happy picture, a joke or any good news we get to hear; anything to make our lives just a little brighter each and every day!

If you have anything happy and positive you'd like to share with 'The Happy Zone' just email us at happyzoneblog@yahoo.co.uk

Don't forget you can also follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/Happyzoneblog