Top Five eats to stay happy during the holidays

It's that intense time of the year again when the lows are low and the highs are high. Here are our picks of uplifting foods that will banish the blues, keep you focused and maybe even a little sexier. Bon appetit!

1. Peppermint: It's nature's drill sergant, telling your brain to "wake up and focus!" Perfect for all thise must-do holiday details. The next time you're dragging, pop a piece of peppermint gum and listen to your brain say, "can do!"

2. Dark chocolate: An ounce or two may be just enough to release the feel-good brain chemical serotonin, plus you'll get a three-way energy kick from chocolate's caffeine, theobromine, and phenylethylamine (a cousin of amphetamine). And the antioxidants in 70% dark chocolate do your arteries good too. No wonder we crave the irresistible stuff.

3. Wild salmon (mackerel and herring, too): Logged more miles in a day at the mall than you usually do in a week on the treadmill? The accumulated anti-inflammatory action of omega-3s in a fish platter or a grilled salmon steak can help ease the wear-and-tear on your tired body.

4. Half a dozen Blue Points: You get more zinc from six oysters than you need in a day to fuel your production of testosterone-the hormone that keeps both men and women in the mood for love. Oysters are also a storehouse of dopamine, the brain's pleasure chemical.

5. An Omelet: Just two eggs give you an entire daily quota of vitamin B12, a nutrient that's crucial to your brain's supply of good-mood chemicals. Make it a veggie omelet, add a whole-wheat bagel and you'll be good to go for hours - and for few calories!