I took the first shot almost as a dare. The breakfast buffet at our hotel in Iceland had been laden with extraordinary delights — smoked fish, homemade bread, the most outstanding butter — and right there at the front of the line, a big bottle of cod liver oil and a row of neatly lined up shot glasses. Assuming a casual "when in Reykjavik" attitude, I knocked one back. The flavor was exactly as unpleasant as I assumed it would be — and I've drinking it every morning since. As strange as it sounds, I've come to believe that downing an ounce of something that tastes like cat food smells every day somehow makes me happier.
We know that what we eat affects our bodies, but the connection between food and the mind is often overlooked. And as an already sleep deprived, anxiety attack-prone person facing the darkest, dreariest season of the year, I figured it was worth a shot to try to nourish my way to a better attitude. The evidence is encouraging. "Research has shown that a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids can help to reduce depression rates," says registered dietician Alyssa Pacheco. Pacheco notes that "Salmon, sardines, herring, chia seeds, flaxseeds, and walnuts are some great sources of omega-3 fatty acids." And cod liver oil, an old-fashioned staple of Scandinavian culture that deserves a renaissance here.
