What is happiness?
Are we as happy as we make up our minds to be? Is there truly an opportunity to find something positive in every event and everyone? I'd like to believe that to be true, although, I confess, some situations appear to be more challenging than others.
One thing I know for sure is that happiness is connected to two key mood regulators that our brains produce - serotonin and noradrenaline.
Serotonin is a mood enhancer that has an effect on pain, pleasure, anxiety, panic, arousal, and sleep patterns. Noradrenaline is a chemical that elevates our moods and affects stress and anxiety. The more concentrated the amounts of these two chemicals, the happier we are!
How does food happily enter?
Recent research has confirmed that there is a link between eating certain foods and feeling better, relaxed and yes! Whoopee!!!! EVEN happy!
What are these foods?
They are proteins and yes - our beloved carbohydrates! Carbohydrates carry a key amino acid, tryptophan, to our brains. Once there, tryptophan does its thing, and both serotonin and noradrenaline are produced. Our moods are given a bit of boost.
Feeling blue? Here follows Our Lady of Weight Loss's Six Secret Foods that Boost Serotonin, Give a Lift and Bring a Smile to Your Face!
Bananas. They are loaded with magnesium, which reduced anxiety and helps you to sleep better.
Oranges. Two glasses of freshly squeezed orange juice can help to lessen nervousness and bad moods. Lack of vitamin C, which affects noradrenaline levels, can make you crabby!
Brazilian Walnuts. A hard nut to crack and find! Nevertheless, they are rich in selenium, which is related to a pleasant disposition. (I make all visitors, particularly relatives, eat two upon entering my home.)
Chocolate. Ninety percent of women crave chocolate. (HUGE surprise.) It does have a soothing effect and seems to bring pleasure. Stick with dark chocolate and small amounts. Savor it!
Turkey. This protein is a great source of tyrosine amino acid, which produces dopamine and noradrenaline and is great for relaxation and sleeping. Who hasn't fallen asleep after Thanksgiving turkey?
Water. Dehydration is a common cause of feeling tired, cranky, and depressed. When the body is dehydrated, the blood flow to the organ slows and functions decrease. Goodness gracious, that's scary. Bottoms up!
Other than eating bananas, what might increase your level of happiness? Bring it up just one notch? Slowly let it in... What are your short term and long term goals. Goals give purpose and meaning to our lives.
Comments below, please!!! What's your short or long-term goal?
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My short term goal is to take everything one day at a time. I have a tendency to obsess & worry over the smallest things sometimes. Some of it seems to be learned behavior from my mother. After 38 1/2 years on the planet, I deceided that it is time to unlearn this behavior simply by taking everything one day at a time.
Another short term goal is to acknowledge my emotional eating triggers as they come & remember them the next time they attempt to sabotage my weight loss efforts. I have more triggers than I was even aware of! In being aware, I am beginning to turn my friend food back into nutrition. Far too long has food been my friend, lover & therapist.
Long term goal would be to continue to make small changes to regain control of my health & self confidence. In doing this I am not only improving my health but I am also setting a good example to my 2 small children. My husband loves me just the way I am & never makes me feel ashamed of my weight, but I DO feel ashamed.
the two foods that make me most happy would have to be zoloft and tequila. also, anyone who eats the brazil nuts and leaves the cashews and almonds for me - they make me happy.
I am a belly dancer. I returned to dancing last year after a protracted illness.
My short term goal is to find a routine that keeps me in performance shape and is easy to stick to. That means it also has to be fun.
My long term goal is to do solo performance again. I am currently in a troupe called Amethyst. I want to stay with my troupe. But, I also enjoy the personal expression of solo dancing. For solo performance, I need to learn American-style veil work. I am a Turkish dancer and veil is different in America. I also need to clean up my technique. After being sick so long things have gotten a little rusty.
I find it interesting that all the happy foods listed are my favorite things to eat.
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