You and I know that we can't all the time operate what happens in our lives, but we can operate how we sass to them. What happens any way when your having a bad week, your peri-menopausal or pre-menstrual? Well science might have an answer.
Let me introduce you to the world of brain chemistry and a noteworthy group of natural chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters. The transportation network in your brain is a multi-trillion maze of connections capable of performing 20 million-billion calculations per second. Yes, I did say 20 billion!
How does this intricate network operate? Well there are three major players:
- Neurons, which power the message,
- Neurotransmitters, which originate the message and
- Receptors, which receive the message.
In simple words, a neurotransmitter is a chemical messenger released from one nerve cell which finds its way to other nerve cell where it influences a singular chemical reaction to occur. Neurotransmitters operate major body functions including movement, emotional response, and our bodily ability to palpate delight and pain.
Neurotransmitters also set in motion specific functions within our body and our nervous system. These transmitters can originate and operate a range of feelings, moods and even thoughts - all things from depression, anxiety and addiction, to feelings of self-confidence, to high or low self-esteem, the contentious spirit and can even sway our deep sleep.
A neurotransmitter imbalance can cause Depression, anxiety, panic attacks, insomnia, irritable bowel, hormone dysfunction, eating disorders, Fibromyalgia, obsessions, compulsions, adrenal dysfunction, continuing pain, migraine headaches, and even early death. Scientific and medical investigate indicates that our brains use more than 35 different neurotransmitters, some of these we can operate and some we can't.
It appears, however, that we can operate five of the major neurotransmitters with exercise and nutrition, and with our thoughts and behaviours.
Most neurotransmitters are made from amino acids obtained from the protein in food you consume. Two of the most leading neurotransmitters are serotonin and dopamine, sometimes called the 'happy' drugs. They seem to play a leading role in determining our moods and thoughts.
Dopamine, fuel for enthusiasm and motivation
The brain uses dopamine to stimulate arousal, alertness, awareness and our contentious spirit (a form of mild aggression). Dopamine is also principal for coordinated muscle movement.
Dopamine is the neurotransmitter needed for wholesome assertiveness and sexual arousal, permissible immune and autonomic nervous law function. Dopamine is leading for motivation and a sense of readiness to meet life's challenges.
One of the most vulnerable key neurotransmitters, dopamine levels are depleted by stress or poor sleep. Alcohol, caffeine, and sugar also seem to diminish dopamine operation in the brain. It's literally oxidized, therefore we need to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables whose antioxidants help safe dopamine-using neurons from free radical damage.
Dopamine is made from the amino acid tyrosine. Once produced, dopamine can, in turn, turn into the brain chemicals norepinephrine and epinephrine.
Low levels of dopamine can cause depression, a lack of energy, an inordinate need for sleep, and can even make you withdraw from everyday events, such as going to work or wanting to be with people.
Dopamine is a construction block for the yield of adrenaline, which stimulates us into operation if we are frightened or anxious. These natural drugs are also principal for us to be competitive, especially in highly- contentious sports, business and corporate life.
Boost your alertness with protein. Without going into the detailed chemistry of the brain, small amounts (100-to-150 grams) of protein-rich food will elevate dopamine levels and have principal effects on your moods and brain functions. The effects can be felt within 10-to-30 minutes. Protein foods are broken down into their amino acid construction blocks while digestion. One amino acid, called tyrosine, will increase the yield of dopamine, nor epinephrine and epinephrine. These neurotransmitters are known for their ability to increase levels of alertness and energy. No one eats pure tyrosine, but eating foods high in protein will give you a microscopic reasoning boost. High protein foods include fish, poultry, meat, and eggs. If you can't eat those, try high protein foods that also include principal whole of carbohydrates, such as legumes, cheese, milk, or tofu.
Many of us eat a high carbohydrate morning meal as cereals have become the common form of morning meal. One of my friends is a highly respected bio-pharmacist and it is his plan that morning meal is the time of day for eating a high protein meal.
Serotonin, reclaiming your calm
Serotonin is the calming neurotransmitter leading to the maintenance of good mood, feelings of contentment and is responsible for general sleep. In expanding to the central nervous system, serotonin is also found in the walls of the intestine (the enteric nervous system) and in platelet cells that promote blood clotting.
Serotonin plays an leading role in regulating memory, learning, and blood pressure, as well as appetite and body temperature. Low serotonin levels produce insomnia and depression, aggressive behavior, increased sensitivity to pain, and is associated with obsessive-compulsive eating disorders.
This neurotransmitter also helps the brain focus, heightening your concentration levels.
Low levels of serotonin can originate anxiety, a feeling of insecurity, anger, fear, depression, and can even induce suicidal thoughts. Now have you ever wondered why you eat more in winter? It has a lot to do with your level of serotonin, or your lack of it and a condition called appropriately sufficient S.A.D. Or Seasonal Affected Disorder.
With the lack of sunlight in winter, the body produces higher levels of a hormone called melatonin, which consumes your serotonin. investigate has shown that when this happens, the body craves carbohydrates, which produce serotonin and makes us feel good. This is when we crave those comfort foods such as biscuits, pizza or chocolate!
Eating carbohydrates will trigger the publish of insulin into the blood stream. Insulin goes about clearing all the amino acids out of the blood, with the irregularity of tryptophan. Tryptophan is an amino acid that normally gets crowded out by other amino acids in its effort to cross the blood brain barrier, but when its competitors are out of the way, it enters the brain. Once in the brain, the tryptophan is converted to serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that has the follow of reducing pain, decreasing appetite, and producing a sense of calm, and in too large a quantity, inducing sleep. investigate has shown that dieters tend to become depressed about two weeks into a diet, about the time their serotonin levels have dropped due to decreased carbohydrate intake.
In summer sunlight reduces your yield of melatonin, the serotonin eater and therefore it is easier to diet in summer. Summer makes us feel great and this law could clarify why habitancy head for the sun while winter.
This gave me a clue as to why I became a carbohydrate addict - the more carbohydrates I ate the more serotonin I produced and like any drug addict I craved more and more carbs to get a higher and higher kick of the 'feel goods'. The follow was that I became fat, even though I went to the gym four or five times a week! My energy levels dropped, I was enduringly tired and became highly difficult to live with. I didn't want to go to the gym. I was overdosing on carbohydrates which leads to a other hormonal disorder called insulin resistance.
Serotonin is synthesized from tryptophan in the nearnessy of sufficient vitamins B1, B3, B6, and folic acid. The best food sources of tryptophan include brown rice, bungalow cheese, meat, peanuts, and sesame seeds. Choline is other B complicated vitamin that that is concentrated in high cholesterol foods like eggs and liver. A lack of choline can cause impairment of memory and concentration. Choline is a precursor to the brain neurotransmitter, acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is associated to memory. habitancy given drugs that block acetylcholine flunk memory tests. Low levels of acetylcholine have been associated to Alzheimer's disease and poor memory. What a good excuse to put eggs back on your diet plan!
How You Can operate the Natural 'happy drugs'.
Being balanced is the answer, not too much or too microscopic of anything. inordinate protein or carbohydrates over time will finally have side effects that will sway how you feel and behave at work and at home.
Eating determined food and exercising at the right level, at the right time for your lifestyle is a keystone to controlling your moods and generating feelings of happiness and relaxation.
If you are a expert athlete, you need a different coming to operate your neurotransmitters to a teacher, a taxi driver or a Ceo. Also, every person's body chemistry is different and needs to be taken into account. I advise you consult a nutritionist who understands how food and neurotransmitters work to meet your condition needs and lifestyle.
There's a lot more to brain chemistry, mood operate and peak performance, but that's food for other article.
Quick Tip
Small amounts (100-to-150g) of protein-rich food will elevate dopamine levels and have principal effects on your moods and brain functions. That's why many nutritionists advise a microscopic protein with your breakfast. It boosts your energy and gives you that rush to seize the day.
A List of Ways to operate Neurotransmitters
Some proteins that sway dopamine levels are:Aerobic exercise and dopamine levels
If you need to temporarily cut your levels of dopamine to relax, non-competitive (why non-competitive? competition raises levels of dopamine) aerobic exercise could help such as:
- Running and walking for efficient condition benefits.
- Skipping.
- Rowing at the gym.
- Vigorous cycling at the gym or on a home exercise bike.
Some carbohydrates that sway serotonin levels
Exercise and serotonin
To operate the Serotonin you need less vigorous exercise such as:
- Strolling in the park or along your favourite beach.
- Gentle cycling along a river bank or flat bike paths.
- Stretching exercises.
- Gentle Yoga.
- Reading.
- Listening to music.
- Meditation and even prayer (The best type of prayer to operate serotonin levels is a prayer of gratitude).
