Page 29 - INTRA MUROS November 2020

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

How to hack your

brain into feeling

happy

By Angélique Renniers
Motivational Coach and CBT Practitioner

e don’t realise it but we as humans is called tryptophan. This building block will raise our endorphin levels. Surround
have more power than we think cannot be made by your body and must yourself with people who radiate energy
Wwhen it comes to determining be obtained by eating certain foods like and positivity. This is certain to rub off and
how we feel. fatty fish, salmon, pumpkin seeds, eggs, influence your mood.
spinach or nuts. Tryptophan can be found
The way we start our day and how we in food, whereas serotonin cannot. Eating the ‘right’ foods that nourish your
continue is of great importance to our brain will give you the energy to pursue
depressed or happy state. Oxytocin is a powerful hormone that your ambitions. Mindful eating is an in-
plays a huge role in relationships and how the-moment awareness of the food and
HORMONAL IMBALANCES we relate to others. It is better known as drink you put into your body. By observing
Our brain produces a number of different the ‘love hormone’ because it is easily (rather than judging), how the food makes
hormones that influence the way we feel. stimulated by touch. Oxytocin can be you feel, you will make more conscious
Dopamine, Serotonin, Oxytocin and stimulated by: physical contact such as choices when deciding what you want to
Endorphins all play their own roles when playing with your pet or a baby; holding eat. It is important to listen to the signals
it comes to our mental health. When hands or hugging a family member; being your body sends about taste, satisfaction
people complain about depression, this is creative and giving. When you give, you and fullness. When making food choices,
most often caused by an imbalance of the often receive gratitude which creates a take into account how the food affects
hormones. good feeling, a feeling of bonding and your energy levels and mood. For example,
emotional involvement. fatty and sugary foods might taste great
Dopamine, also referred to as our ‘reward and give you satisfaction at first, but after
chemical’, is not only responsible for our Endorphins are our body’s natural some time you notice your energy levels
happy feeling but is also a neurotransmitter painkillers and aids us in our ability drop.
that our body makes and uses to send to experience pleasure. They can be
messages between nerve cells. Dopamine stimulated by: a good laugh with friends; Showing compassion and concern for
can be stimulated by: completing a watching a comedy; getting a massage; your fellow human beings creates a
task; doing selfcare activities and other intimacy; enjoying a hot bath; exercise; sense of community. Be pro-active and
exercises; eating high-protein but low- indulging in dark chocolate and wine; or considerate towards the people around
fat foods (soy, legumes, velvet beans); using essential oils (lavender, rosemary, you. The gratitude you will experience by
the use of certain spices eg. Curcumin; citrus fragrances or bergamot). showing an act of kindness will help raise
getting enough sleep; listening to music; the dopamine and oxytocin levels in your
or celebrating small wins. Increased levels CHANGING YOUR HABITS body.
of Dopamine in your body increase your Small changes to your daily routine
memory, and help you stay focused and can enhance your mood significantly. It is clear that our lifestyles and diets play
productive. Dopamine also contributes to Try to build in time for exercise and/or a major role in our overall mental well-
your losing weight, stops self-destructive meditation in your busy schedule even being. By living more consciously, our lives
behaviour and helps to prevent addictions. if it’s only 20 minutes a day. You will feel can be very different and make us feel the
more energy and satisfaction afterwards. happiness we desire.
Serotonin, which is responsible for a
stabile mood, energy levels, and sleep can Happy people attract happy people. Call or WhatsApp: 060 974 2039
be stimulated by: meditation, exercise, As humans, we associate smiling with personalfocuscoaching@outlook.com
and sun exposure. The amino acid that happiness. When we imagine that we are www.personal-focus-coaching.com
stimulates the production of serotonin happy, it will put a smile on our face and

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