The happiness recipe continued ...

Thanks for coming back to look at part two of the happiness recipe. The article was running long but I know everyone is waiting with baited breath to see what the LOVE HORMONE does so here it is. Do comment on our Facebook page. We love getting your feedback.

-Oxytocin

What it does: (This one’s my favorite to talk about as you will see from this being quite lengthy compared to the others but please do humor me.) So Oxytocin: It's known as the LOOOVE hormone ;)  It's produced in the brain and its main functions appear to be its role in childbirth and breastfeeding. It is said to be associated with bonding, attachment and closeness and may enhance the instinct to be protective of others. Oxytocin may also make you kinder and more altruistic. The effect of oxytocin appears to be in opposition to that of cortisol and this may explain how it reduces stress and improves sleep. There are some recent studies that suggest that oxytocin may help reduce cravings and may be helpful for patients with addictions; while other studies show positive effects of oxytocin on patients diagnosed with autism. This all sounds amazing; this all sounds like everyone in the world should go out and get some oxytocin. But how...from where....??? Glad you asked!

How you can get your body to make more of it: Get off social media and actually get social! Spend time connecting with friends and family members that have a positive influence and effect on you. (Please note: If you have a friend or relative that infuriates you, hanging out with them is not going to boost your oxytocin levels people...just saying.) Pick up the phone and call an old friend that you haven't talked to in ages and feel the hormones surge. Another booster: be intentionally kind; Go out of your way to just do amazingly awesome things for as many people as you can. I want to make a disclaimer here. I'm not sending anyone out to do anything weird. That being said, physical contact boosts oxytocin, big time. So: Get a massage, give a high five, hug a friend or family member, shake hands with someone or just cuddle on the sofa to kick up your oxytocin levels a notch. Other activities that appear to boost oxytocin levels seem to boost the levels of the other happy chemicals too. If you feel like you need a shot of oxytocin, try listening to soothing music, doing some exercise (even just a walk in nature can get things going!) Find something very funny to laugh about, deep belly laughs are best. Do some breathing exercises, yoga or meditation type activities are good. Get warm: Warm baths, steams or saunas may help. All of these things appear to have a positive effect on the happy hormones in general.

Foods that help: "Ok, Doc," you're saying. "What about food or supplements that can boost our levels?" I hear what you are saying. We are after all a culture that likes to have the option to pop that pill or in some way ingest that specific thing to get the required result. As always I will not disappoint on the "let your food be your medicine" front, but it's not what you are thinking. It seems that most food stimulates oxytocin production, especially if there is a protein-carbohydrate combination. The trick to increasing the flow of the love hormone is to share a meal with someone or with the family...It appears it's the connections that do the trick with this one.

The recipe: So there you have it folks. It seems to me the bottom line is: Engage in overt positivity, be nice to others, and eat healthily including a healthy balance of fruits and veggies. Exercise, stay connected with those you like and for heaven's sake, laugh. Check how often you laugh now, multiply that by a hundred and maybe you will be close to laughing as much as you should. Drink water, get rest.... Wait a minute... These are all the things we encourage for improving overall health.

Mind BLOWN!

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 health care 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!

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day!

It's true. I'm on a "Don't worry , be happy," rant again. I've shared the secret actual "How To Be Happy Recipe" below, so please do scroll down to yesterday's post for the details!

Like I said last month, this year we are focused on helping transform lives by transforming overall health. We had our #Power_Transformation workshop last month and it was amazing. Scroll down for the few pictures I managed to take and a picture from our earlier Power Transformation retreat. We were so involved and had so much fun that we almost forgot to take photos this time around! I hope you can come to our next #Power_Transformation workshop on Feb 25th. Scroll down for more information. 

I know I say this all the time, but I want you to know I truly mean it: Thanks again for your continued support. This month we are having our New Patient Recruitment Drive. We invite you to share about us to anyone who you think may benefit from joining the Saporito Chiropractic family. If there is any way that we can be of service to you in any capacity, as always, please do not hesitate to ask.

Regards in health,
Dr. Shepherd

P.S. If you or anyone you know would like to attend our #Power_transformation Workshops please just click here

 

My Valentine's Day gift to you: The "GET HAPPY" Recipe

No matter what your persuasion you will agree with me when I say it's time to focus on Happy! You are probably wondering why your trusty neighborhood chiropractor is talking to you yet again about focusing on HAPPY. Well...the World Health Organization says “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” In my opinion this means being HAPPY is a significant part of being HEALTHY, so here are some technical deets on what's going on on your insides and how to use this info to make happy your everyday state of being!

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!