MOOD FOOD AND DOPAMINE...CONCLUDING PART

Eating and living without pleasure = stress. 



THE KIND OF FOOD FOR GOOD MOOD is the concluding part of " Mood Food and Dopamine". 

Most women think pleasure is something they don’t have time for, don’t deserve or can’t understand, growing up in cultures that praises struggle and belittle pleasure. Here I’m talking about real soul-satisfying, life-giving pleasure. A pleasure that nourishes and sustains you. Like, Cuddling up on the couch with a cup of tea and a good book. Well this kind of pleasure isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity.

"When we have cravings for potato chips and chocolate, it may mean that we need an endorphin pill rather than all the empty calories from chips.”

Endorphins: High concentrations of endorphins in the brain produce a sense of euphoria, enhance pleasure, and suppress pain, both emotionally and physically. When endorphins are low, people feel anxious; they are also more aware of pain. Endorphins have an appetite for fat and fatty foods, such as fries, cheese, creamy sauces, margarine, butter, fried chicken, potato chips, and chocolates. Upon eating some fat, you will notice a change in mood, feeling more pleasure.

Many people believe that if they limit carbohydrate intake and then exercise, their body fat will be broken down. In fact, this way they are lowering their capacity to burn fat, and will lower their metabolism. In such a condition the body will break down muscle to form carbohydrate. In addition, the muscle breakdown raises stress hormone levels and causes carbohydrate cravings.

Serotonin: This hormone makes us feel calm, poised, confident, and relaxed. When our serotonin levels are low, we feel nervous, irritable and stressed. About 80% of our body's total serotonin is in the gut, where it regulates intestinal movements. The rest is produced in the central nervous system. Lack of serotonin loses maternal instincts in human beings. Now we don't crave for fat, now we crave sugar. Have cravings for sugar? Try some crackers, frozen yogurt or popcorn.

When we don't get adequate protein, dopamine levels drop and this makes us mentally sluggish. Chicken, eggs, has coenzyme Q10 (Co Q10), which increases the energy generating potential of neurons. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in seafood, especially mackerel, salmon, striped bass, rainbow trout, halibut, tuna, and sardines have a possible role in the production of these pleasure hormones.

Apples not only help in the prevention of cancer but may also play an important role in the prevention of neurodegenerative disorders.

Bananas are important in motivation, alertness, concentration and memory.

Beet is an antidepressant of the first order.

Cottage Cheese: One of the “must eat” foods on every expert’s list

Watermelon: Watermelon juice is fat free and loaded with vitamins A, B6, and C! Vitamin B6 is used by the body to manufacture neurotransmitters such as serotonin, melatonin, and dopamine. Vitamin C also enhances the immune system while protecting the body from free radicals.

Wheat germ: Is natural force of dopamine.

Avocado, seaweed, spinach and mustard green, oats, whole grains, brown rice and wheat, whey protein and yogurt are more such food that increases the inflow of pleasure hormones and makes you happy and gay.

 

Apart from food,  exercise too decreases the stress hormones like cortisol and increases endorphins.  

Endorphins are the body’s natural feel good chemicals, and when they are released through exercise, your mood is boosted naturally. Workout releases adrenaline, serotonin, and dopamine too,these chemicals work together to give the feel good factor. Physically active people recover from mild depression more quickly and physical activity is strongly correlated with good mental health as people age.

The best type exercise is cardiovascular exercises and aerobics.  This is because vigorous exercise helps to release the chemicals necessary for the mood-raising high.  Yoga is also great for reducing tension and stress.  It focuses on stretching, breathing, and motion that releases negative emotions from the body.  Just ten minutes of moderate exercise is enough to elevate mood, vigour and decrease fatigue.  However, 30 minutes of moderate exercise every day will fetch you all the benefits.

So folks balance your "Happy Hormones" by checking on what you eat and how you live!!

Next post will be on how to care of your skin in winter and make your own body butter at home. Adios!!

MOOD, FOOD and DOPAMINE – part 2

MOOD, FOOD and DOPAMINE – part 2

More than 100,000 chemical reactions go on in your brain every second! The brain is also a radio transmitter, which sends out measurable electrical wave signals. In fact the brain continues to send out these signals for as long as 37 hours after death!

Last time I talked about the Pleasure homone ‘Dopamine’ and how it controls our mood. There are three more such hormones which are responsible for our mood, feelings, empathy etc and they are Oxytocin, Serotonin and Endorphins. Today we will discuss about two of these.

A HORMONE THAT MAKES US HUMAN, MAKES US GENEROUS:

Oxytocin is secreted from the pituitary gland. It has a major role in social behaviour, like ‘bonding’ in many species, including humans. In a study, it is found that both in humans and in dogs, oxytocin levels rose after five to 24 minutes of a petting session. This is possibly the reason why humans and dogs are such great pals. Increase in Oxytocin also increases the sexual receptivity.

Oxytocin is a hormone that initiates maternal behaviour. It is higher in mothers when they interact with unfamiliar children rather than their own. It prepares the foetal neurons for delivery. Mother’s oxytocin reaches the foetal brain and switches the action of neurotransmitter, which in turn silences the foetal brain for the period of delivery and reduces the risk of damage due to deprivation of oxygen. Also high levels of oxytocin is related to romantic attachment. It is Oxytocin that may aid romantically attached couples by decreasing their feelings of anxiety when they are separated. When we hug or kiss a loved one, oxytocin levels drive up. One of the great things about oxytocin is that you can fix anywhere and at any time. All you need to do is simply hug someone or shake their hand. The simple act of bodily contact will cause your brain to release low levels of oxytocin — both in yourself and in the person you're touching.

MDMA or Ecstasy

This particular pleasure hormone develops tolerance towards various addictive drugs like, cocaine, alcohol and reduces withdrawal symptoms, where as MDMA commonly known as ‘Ecstasy’ may increase feelings of love, empathy and connection to others by stimulating Oxytocin activity via activation of serotonin. Well, that does not give a lead to try ‘Ecstasy’ and get addicted!!

SEROTONIN

Serotonin is also known as the happy hormone. It seems to help keep our moods under control by helping with sleep, calming anxiety, relieving depression. It is important for our memory and learning, temperature regulation, and some social behaviour. Research says, it might also have a role in anxiety, migraine, vomiting and appetite. About 80% of our body's total serotonin is in the gut, where it controls intestinal movements, that is why it controls our appetite. Rest of it is in the central nervous system and blood platelets.

The body’s natural urge is to have positive feelings and humans will do anything to get that rush. The object of the game is to find the best way to maximize the natural high and push the body's limits without jeopardizing the individual's delicate, natural balance needed for survival. And what would be better than the natural ways to get that high?

Next time, we will discuss about the last celebrated Pleasure hormone, ‘The Endorphin’ and the kind food and way of life one should have, that will create the natural balance of these ‘The Pleasure Hormones’ , to lead a happy healthy life.