Evolve for Peace
7 Steps to Improve Your Mood and Wellbeing
Have you ever found yourself feeling anxious, depressed, or totally burned out with no particular reason to blame?
This can be a little unsettling, especially if you just had a great week and work and life is good. So why do you feel so bad?
Mood disorders or depression can certainly be triggered emotionally, but it turns out, they actually start in a place in your body – the brain.
Lifestyle factors and nutritional deficiencies affect the brain chemistry, which leaves us with some good news:
Sometimes lifting your mood can be as simple as moving your body and changing your diet.
In my practice I’ve had great success using these tool to guide my clients to better overall health and an improved outlook on life. Here are seven steps that I recommend to uplift your mood using enhanced brain function and balance in your body’s biochemistry.
Seven steps to improve your mood:
- Move your Body: Physical exercise is one of the most powerful antidepressants. Aerobic exercise can improve your mood by releasing serotonin and stimulating the release of endorphins (feel good hormones). Exercise is an antidote for mild depression and anxiety. Studies have even proven, that it can be more effective than antidepressants. (Consult your doctor of course
- Cut out sugar: Significant research shows that there is a link between sugar intake and mental disorders, and a risk of depression and schizophrenia (Psychology Today)
Though glucose is needed for brain function, too much sugar can have a negative effect. Hyperglycemia is been associated with slowed cognitive function, attention loss memory loss, and mod swings. Studies show, that a person with Type 2 Diabetes, feels more anxious and sad during hyperglycemia. Sugar also affects the Adrenal Glands with leads to low energy or and can result in diabetes. Studies also did show, that sugar is even more addictive than cocaine. When sugar is consumed, dopamine levels become unstable. This makes us crave even more sugar. This creates an addictive cycle. The more sugar you consume, the more you crave it.
It is easier to give it up all together, than to cut down on it.
Even if you are healthy, consider a 30-day no sugar challenge. Try eliminating all forms of sugar (as well as foods that convert easily to sugar, such as alcohol, white bread, white pasta, and white rice.
Skip all sugar like sweeteners. Stevia leaf extract is ok because it doesn’t affect your blood sugar.
Just watch what happens. Most people experience a dramatic improvement in mood, energy levels and often loose weight as a side effect.
- Amino Acids:
Amino Acids are mood stabilizers. Our body needs the right balance of neurotransmitters in our brain.
An imbalance can result in depression, anxiety, ADHD, insomnia and other mood disorders. The key
To a healthy amino acid balance is to eat high quality, easy to digest proteins on a regular basis.
This will stabilize blood sugar, mood and keeps your Adrenal Glands healthy. Some people may need to add Amino Acid supplements, when the digestion is compromised.
- Fatty Acids
We need the right balance of fatty acids.
Our brain is made up to 60% from fat. Without fat we would have a hard time to think. The fat we eat affect brain function, mood and hormones.
Omega 3 fats are especially important, because they improve cellular response to insulin, neurotransmitter function and help with cell repair.
Many people in America don’t get enough of the “good fats” with their diet.
Fatty fish, like wild caught salmon, herring, trout, sardines and mackerel are the best sources of omega-3s. They provide both EPA and DHA (types of Omega 3 fatty acids) in a form, which our body can most easily break down and absorb.
If you are a vegan, you can get fatty acids from flax seed oil, nut oils or seeds. But research showed, that it is difficult to break down the alpha linolenic acid from nuts and seeds in a form the body can actually use. Therefor you may want to add DHA from algae sources.
- Vitamin D
Vitamin D does so much more than just support the bones. It helps the feel good neurotransmitters. Many Americans are deficient in Vitamin D, which may lead to depression.
If you take Vitamin D buy one, which has the K factor in it. Also research shows that Vitamin D/K is much better absorbed in combination with Vitamin A.
- Vitamin B
Your brain needs Vitamin B to repair and maintain neurotransmitter function. Low levels of Vitamin B and Folic Acid are linked to depression.
If you want to feel good and have a well functioning brain and boost your energy, consider eliminating junk food from your diet. Especially sugar, and increase your fatty acid intake.
- Vitamin GRATITUDE
Research shows that giving Gratitude on a daily basis improves everything in your life.
Relationships, the relationship with yourself and with others improve dramatically when you appreciate even the small things which work well and which you appreciate in the other.
Gratitude and appreciation on a daily basis will change your life for the better on all levels. The universe functions as one big mirror to us. When we raise our vibration (and Gratitude does that) we attract something on the next higher vibrational level into our lives. Try it out for 30 days. You may even get a journal just for gratitude notes. Write each day some things you are deeply grateful for in your live, and some things you deeply appreciate about yourself and see how you feel after doing this for 30 days.
In my experience following these 7 steps, changes physical, emotional and mental health in a big way.
Enjoy applying these new tools into you life.
Blessings
Claudia
510-978-
