_{The Neuroscience of Feeling Good}

Hello Beautiful. Happy Friday (really Saturday). Geez, it’s the last weekend of October. This year feels like it is flying by. Time to decide where our family will celebrate Thanksgiving next month. Now that we have our first grandchild Taylor Jade, both sides of the family want to celebrate these first holidays with her.

I think I’ve convinced my daughter to host it at their apartment (with me and my sister cooking) and we will bring in extra tables and chairs to accomodate the thirteen adults on both sides of our famiy with princess Taylicious in her high chair as the guest of honor.

Mentioning Thanksgiving (with the star of the meal typically being a roasted turkey) leads me into this week’s edition of Bloom. But first, I’ll digress. I promise to weave T-giving back into the story in a bit.

Two weeks ago Bloom covered two of the four main neurochemicals that help you feel good. The first two we covered were dopamine and oxytocin. Healthy levels of dopamine help you to feel motivated, focused, confident, and happy.

Healthy levels of oxytocin help you to feel content, connected to others socially, emotionally secure, and in love (with romantic partners, family members, and pets).

Last week, I was excited to share the second two neurotransmitters of feeling good AND accomplish a major (& much needed) decluttering in my bedroom. Alas, I underestimated the amount of time it would take to “Marie Kondo” my spring/summer and fall/winter wardrobe. It took like 5x longer. Do you ever miscalculate the time it takes to complete a project?

So, while I felt another pang of guilt for not completing last week’s edition, I am still riding the “high” of increased dopamine, every time I walk into my bedroom and see the clean/clear floors, neat desk, and organized closet (feeling proud).

I let go of the heavy, trapped energy of some never-worn clothes, skinny jeans that no longer fit, and impulsively bought sale items that don’t make me feel good when I wear them. I could literally feel the stagnant energy leave my bedroom and my body once those tightly packed bags were out of my house and picked up by the Cancer Federation.

And yes, I felt proud of my accomplishment (it’s been months on my “to do” list to declutter my bedroom) and yes, my extra energy from this dopamine increase did have me feeling “frisky”.

Now, back to my mention of turkey and Thanksgiving…..

The second two neurotransmitters that affect your mood are serotonin and endorphins. Serotonin helps you to feel relaxed and happy and 90% of it is made in our gut! So, what you eat everyday greatly affects your mood (spoiler alert: so does moving your body everyday).

You might have heard that turkey contains the amino acid L-tryptophan that is later converted to serotonin. It is a myth that turkey makes you feel sleepy (proteins typically do not) because it is more likely to be the carbs eaten with the turkey or the alcohol or the desserts or the larger portions humans tend to eat when celebrating and eating a variety of offered food choices at holiday gatherings.

But, I am not here to create guilt. Holidays alone typically do not determine our overall well-being. They can be stress inducing for sure. Instead, let’s find ways to create more pleasure and joy on daily basis, and add in ways to reduce your stress.

Neurotransmitters are created or depleted by choices you make. You have more control over them than you may think. The problem is that modern lifestyles do NOT support healthy levels of neurotransmitter production, so it’s really important to be mindful of our habits and choices.

My choice to create and stick to a morning routine that supports dopamine production = feeling more motivation for the rest of my day is my current new habit I’m practicing until it feels unconscious. It means I brush my teeth with my non-dominant hand, drink 8 ounces of water, make my bed, and walk my dog before spending time on my phone looking at texts and emails.

This week’s edition is here to offer you some tangible (& doable) ways to increase your levels of serotonin and endorphins, because it will help you to feel happier, healthier, and calmer. You can start with one positive change and then build from there after you master the first habit. Let me know how it goes. I’d love to hear what’s working for you.

Feature Article

 How Serotonin & Endorphins make you feel good

Serotonin = calm, relaxed and content

Serotonin affects your mood and energy levels. As mentioned above, 90% of it is manufactured in your gut. Our modern diets with ultra-processed foods hinder serotonin production, leading to low mood and exhaustion. Feeling exhausted doesn’t promote more play and pleasure. Here are the key reasons we need healthy levels of serotonin:

1. Mood Regulation:
- Serotonin is often referred to as the "feel-good" neurotransmitter, as it plays a crucial role in regulating our mood and emotions.
- Balanced serotonin levels are associated with feelings of happiness, contentment, and emotional stability.

2. Energy and Productivity:
- Serotonin helps regulate our energy levels and cognitive function, contributing to improved focus, concentration, and the ability to be productive.
- When serotonin is in balance, it can help us feel more alert, motivated, and capable of tackling tasks (serotonin works together with dopamine).

3. Stress Management:
- Serotonin has a calming effect on the body and mind, helping to mitigate feelings of stress, anxiety, and tension.
- By promoting a sense of relaxation, serotonin supports our ability to manage stress effectively.

4. Sleep Quality:
- Serotonin plays a key role in regulating our sleep-wake cycles, contributing to better quality, more restorative sleep.
- Optimal serotonin levels are associated with improved sleep patterns and overall sleep health. When sleep is off, everything is off.

5. Digestive Function:
- Since a significant portion of serotonin is produced in the gut, it is an important factor in maintaining healthy digestive processes.
- Serotonin can influence appetite, nutrient absorption, and overall gut function.

6. Maintaining Overall Well-Being:
- By positively impacting mood, energy, stress management, and physical health, serotonin helps create a sense of overall balance and well-being.
- Serotonin is essential for supporting our physical, mental, and emotional resilience.

_{Effective ways to increase serotonin levels:}

A. Spend Time in Natural Sunlight:
- Exposing yourself to natural sunlight, especially in the morning, can help boost serotonin production.
- Spend at least 5-15 minutes in sunlight before using social media.

B. Consume Nutrient-Dense Whole Foods:
- Eating a diet rich in whole, single-ingredient, unprocessed foods like fruits, vegetables, proteins, and healthy fats provide the necessary nutrients for serotonin synthesis.
- Reduce/minimize/avoid ultra-processed foods with long lists of ingredients which contain additives and preservatives that the body struggles to process.

Examples of processed foods are:

1. Sugary Cereals
2. Packaged Snacks (e.g., chips, crackers, cookies)
3. Frozen Meals and Entrees
4. Processed Meats (e.g., hot dogs, deli meats, sausages)
5. Sweetened Beverages (e.g., soda, sports drinks, fruit juices with added sugar)
6. Instant Noodles and Ramen
7. Baked Goods (e.g., cakes, pastries, donuts)
8. Candy and Chocolate Bars (1 ounce of dark chocolate is good though)
9. Flavored Yogurts with Added Sugars
10. Protein Bars with Extensive Ingredient Lists

Think of the 80/20 rule that 80% of the time you choose unprocessed foods and limit the processed foods to 20%. And if this seems like a big step, begin with 60/40 or 50/50 percent until that feels doable/sustainable and increase the amount of unprocessed foods like adding in more servings of vegetables each day.

C. Spend Time in Nature:
- Spending prolonged periods in natural environments, such as forests, parks, or beaches, increase serotonin levels.
- Connecting with nature without the distractions of technology can help align the body and mind with its natural state.

D. Prioritize Quality Sleep:
- Getting sufficient, high-quality sleep is crucial for serotonin restoration and regulation (and pretty much all healthy bodily functions that create well-being).
- avoid the use of screens and social media an hour before bedtime to support better sleep.

E. Engage in Physical Activity:
- Regular exercise and physical exertion boost serotonin production and release.
- Activities like walking, running, swimming, dancing, or any form of movement can contribute to increased serotonin levels.

Endorphins = energized, happy, and decreased stress & pain

Endorphins create a sense of well-being in the body and mind by reducing pain, stress and discomfort while boosting mood, energy and the ability to focus. Here are ways that endorphins make us feel good:

1. Reduced Stress and Anxiety:
- Endorphins have a calming, euphoric effect that helps the body and mind manage stress more effectively.
- They act as the body's natural stress regulators, promoting a sense of relaxation and well-being.

2. Decreased Perception of Pain:
- Endorphins can block pain signals from reaching the brain, leading to a reduced perception of physical pain and discomfort.
- This can provide a sense of relief and comfort, especially during physically demanding activities.

3. Elevated Mood:
- The release of endorphins can trigger a feeling of happiness, joy, and even a "runner's high" - a sense of elation and positivity.
- Endorphins contribute to an overall improvement in mood and emotional well-being.

4. Increased Energy and Motivation:
- Endorphins can provide a surge of energy and motivation, to help the body to push through physical exertion and challenges.
- This can lead to a sense of empowerment and accomplishment.

5. Enhanced Focus and Concentration:
- By helping manage stress, endorphins can allow the brain to focus more clearly on the task at hand, improving cognitive performance.

6. Relaxation and Calmness:
- Endorphins activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the body's rest and digest functions, promoting a state of relaxation.

_{Effective ways to increase endorphin levels:}

A. Exercise - Push your body every day. Any form of physical activity like walking, running, swimming, yoga, dancing or sports can help release endorphins.

B. Heat exposure - Spending time in hot environments like saunas or hot baths (or a 15-minute hot shower) can trigger a heat stress response and release endorphins. This feels easy to do!

C. Singing - Singing out loud, even if just in the car or at home, can put the body through physical effort and boost endorphin production. Try singing for 5 minutes.

D. Laughter - Seeking out laughter-inducing environments and activities can help release endorphins.

E. Stretching - Movements that stretch and challenge the body, like yoga, can also stimulate endorphin release.

Physical exertion, whether through intense exercise or simple daily activities, is key to maintaining healthy endorphin levels and managing stress effectively. Adding in hot baths/showers, laughing at a comedy club or with friends, and singing are additional ways to boost endorphins.

Now it’s your turn

What is your take away from this issue?

Which of the 4 Neurotransmitters do you need to increase?

What new habit will you try from the suggestions listed?

We would love to hear from you regarding any aha’s or your experience actually trying something new. Just hit reply, and let me know what you think or how you feel. I’m definitely interested 😀 

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