It's all about chemistry people. When we are happy, our bodies produce certain chemicals. Serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin and endorphins are the key happy chemicals. Funnily enough production of these happy chemicals appears, based on studies, to be associated with healing, improved health and overall well being. If we can get our bodies to produce these chemicals more often, guess what: Instant HAPPY!! Improved HEALTHY!!
So here's the blueprint in a nutshell:
-Serotonin:
What it
does: Serotonin
helps us feel significant, agreeable, important and sociable. It transmits
messages from one part of the brain to another. A small amount appears to be
used in the brain and 90% is used in other areas of the body like the GI system
and in blood platelets. The bad news is some research states serotonin
imbalances can lead to depression. Boo!
How you can get your body to make more of it: Think positive thoughts. Do those "woo woo" Gratitude practices. Get sunlight. Do forty minutes of aerobic exercise. Take care of and protect others. There is even some evidence that watching someone being nice to others can boost your serotonin! WOW!
Foods that help: Serotonin is manufactured from the amino acid tryptophan. Foods containing significant tryptophan content are all protein rich foods. Fish, nuts, eggs, cheese and turkey are all good sources, but of course it's a little more complicated than just increasing your protein intake. In order to get that tryptophan boost: eat your tryptophan containing foods at the same time as carbohydrate containing foods.
-Dopamine
What it
does: It's involved in movement, memory, pleasurable reward,
behavior, cognition, attention, sleep, mood, learning, enjoyment, bliss and
euphoria. Dopamine helps us get things done and helps us achieve more. Not
getting enough can result in fatigue, lack of motivation, mood swings and memory
loss. Definitely want to make sure dopamine levels aren’t low, but in a healthy way!
How you can get your body to make more of it: Set goals, complete tasks, cross things off the “to do list.” You probably already know this one: You have to exercise, but in order to increase dopamine levels, low impact exercise is just fine e.g. yoga, going for a walk. You don't have to go the extreme fitness route, unless you want to! Other dopamine increasing activities may include: Meditation, hobbies, music, as well as taking on and achieving challenges.
Foods that help: It seems that all animal products help increase dopamine levels. Other foods include: almonds, apples, avocado, bananas, beets, chocolate (the real stuff not the sugar filled junk!) Beans, green leafy vegetables, green tea, oatmeal, nuts and seeds, curcumas, watermelon, wheat germ and foods high in natural probiotics.
-Endorphins
What it
does: Endorphins are the body's natural painkillers! Gotta
love that!
How you can get your body to make more of it: Do strenuous exercise! Use lavender and vanilla essential oils. Endorphins are also produced from laughing, sex, positivity and affirmations.
Foods that help: Spicy food, chocolate, nuts, B vitamins, eggs, avocado, leafy green vegetables, omega 3's and beets.
OK. This is running long! You do not want to miss my take on the LOVE HORMONE OXYTOCIN, so can you please just check in here next week for the conclusion of this article? Please, please, please? Just click here: http://saporitochiropractic.blogspot.com/
Disclaimer: Remember that it's absolutely impossible for me
to diagnose you and treat you just by you reading one of my articles. I'm superwoman
it's true, but even that is beyond my capabilities! :) So before you engage in any
health and wellness activities, do consult your healthcare provider. We are
happy to address your personal concerns, call us in office to schedule your
personal consultation; and thanks ever so much for reading!
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