Weight Loss

Apr 14 2021

Understanding The Hormones Surrounding Happiness

Understanding the Hormones Surrounding Happiness

We all want happiness in our lives, but what does this actually mean, and how (and when) does it appear in our bodies? The feeling of happiness is difficult to describe, but we all know it when it appears. Defining happiness involves many complex bodily actions that have been scientifically studied for years. There are chemical substances that our body produces to help to make us feel happiness. And too much or too little of these substances can lead to unwanted feelings. Over time, they can lead to a vast range of health issues.

Before we look at some of the more common “happiness chemicals,” we must first understand the difference between a hormone and a neurotransmitter.

Hormones are chemical substances produced by various organs of the endocrine system. They travel through the blood, circulating to other parts of the body. They travel to targets in all areas of the body and may take only minutes, or even a few days, to act.

Neurotransmitters are chemical substances produced within the nervous system. Their purpose is to transmit messages along the nerves. Neurotransmitters are local, and where hormones may take some time, these act immediately.

The main difference between them is their site of release and their site of action. Some hormones such as endorphins, dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin can also act as neurotransmitters. (1)

ENDORPHINS

From the term “endogenous morphine,” endorphins are endogenous opioid hormones produced and stored in the pituitary gland. They work similarly to a class of drugs called opioids which relieve pain and stress and can produce a feeling of euphoria. They are also released during other activities like eating, exercise, or sex. You can increase your happiness with the following activities.

Exercise. Produces an endorphin high often called “runners high” from vigorous exercise that increases your heart rate. It also gives you a respite from incessant cravings for drugs, alcohol, or junk food. This mood boost does not require strenuous exercise, just enough to get your heart pumping.
Eat chocolate. You already know that eating a piece of dark chocolate can make you feel pleasure and even lift your mood. Do you know the reason? Chocolate contains two compounds responsible for this. One is tryptophan, the precursor to serotonin. The second is tyramine, a precursor to dopamine that helps control the brain’s reward and pleasure centers. So, don’t feel guilty about eating some chocolate every day. Just make it 75% or more dark chocolate! (2)
Eat chili peppers. They possess a chemical substance called capsaicin that acts as a trigger for producing endorphins that relieve the pain of the chili’s fire.
Drink wine. A study from 2012 concluded that endorphins play an enormous role in the desire to keep drinking once the initial rush of feel-good chemicals has been released. This is true for social and problem drinkers, though those who are prone to addiction will be more likely to drink to excess. (3)
Have sex. In addition to increasing your endorphins, sex can stimulate the production of dopamine and oxytocin, the “love hormone.”
Get a massage. This will also stimulate the production of oxytocin.
Meditate. Meditation helps to calm feelings. One study found the effects on mood of running and meditation to be very similar—both activities produce endorphins and lead to positive feelings. (4)
Laugh. Studies have shown that relieving tension with a good laugh actually sends endorphins throughout your entire body. (5)

DOPAMINE

Dopamine produced in the brain is associated with how we feel pleasure, reward-motivated behavior, motor control, and working memory. It also plays a role in learning, heart rate, kidney function, and pain response. (6)

Numerous studies have been done to understand dopamine. Its role in mental health conditions may include schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, Tourette’s syndrome, ADHD, and drug addiction. Drugs inhibit the production of dopamine leading to emotional lows. As your body craves more emotional highs, drug substitution can lead to eventual addiction.

Non-mental health diseases such as Parkinson’s may be due to neuron degeneration that produces dopamine. This chemical imbalance causes physical symptoms including tremors, stiffness, slowness of movement, poor balance, and poor coordination.

Another example, and one of the leading causes of death today, is obesity. Research has shown that some obese people may have problems with their natural reward systems thus affecting the amount of food they eat before they feel satisfied. This condition may be caused by an impairment in the release of dopamine and might act in combination with serotonin. (6)

SEROTONIN

Serotonin helps stabilize mood and impacts feelings of well-being and happiness. It enables brain and nervous system cells to communicate with each other. Serotonin also helps with sleeping, eating, digestion, and maintaining bone health. It is estimated that 90 percent of the body’s serotonin is made in the digestive tract from foods that contain tryptophan such as nuts, eggs, salmon, cheese, pineapple, and turkey. (7)

When your serotonin levels are normal, you should feel more focused, emotionally stable, and happy. Studies have shown that low levels of serotonin can lead to depression, anxiety, suicidal behavior, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Too much serotonin can cause mild symptoms such as shivering, heavy sweating, confusion, restlessness, headaches, high blood pressure, and diarrhea. (8)

OXYTOCIN

This is the “love hormone!” Levels of oxytocin increase during hugging, orgasm, and skin stimulation such as touching and stroking. It is also associated with empathy, trust, and relationship-building and can influence social behavior and emotion including social recognition and group memories. In women, it is involved in childbirth and breastfeeding. In men, oxytocin plays a role in moving sperm and in the production of testosterone.

Oxytocin is produced in the hypothalamus and secreted by the pituitary gland at the base of the brain. Typically linked to warm, fuzzy feelings, oxytocin research has shown to lower stress and anxiety. Consequently, it may have benefits as a treatment for conditions like depression, anxiety, and intestinal problems such as irritable bowel syndrome. (9)

So love, laugh, exercise, and eat some dark chocolate. Your “happiness hormones” will thank you.

SOURCES

Apr 14 2021

What are Stress Hormones and How are They Effecting You?

What are Stress Hormones?

Our psychological and physiological response to stress is no different from the one experienced by our neanderthal ancestors thousands of years ago. What is different is that while cave dwellers were running away from lions, we stress about that Monday meeting instead. The fight-or-flight response gets activated, and with that, the stress hormones kick in. (1)

It’s all in the nerves.

The autonomic nervous system is the part of our nervous system that controls and regulates organs. Simultaneously, this autonomic nervous system is divided into the parasympathetic nervous system and the sympathetic nervous system. The latter is responsible for the fight-or-flight response.

The sympathetic nervous system unites the internal organs and the brain using spinal nerves. When these nerves get stimulated, it prepares the system for the stress at hand by increasing heart rate and blood flow to the muscles. This acute stress response triggers the release of the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline.

What is Cortisol?

The often called “stress hormone” -cortisol- is a naturally-occurring steroid hormone produced by the adrenal glands. It plays a significant part in the body’s stress response. However, cortisol is involved in other bodily functions, such as:

Glucose metabolism
Inflammatory response
Immune function
Blood pressure regulation
Insulin release

How Cortisol Works

A long series of connections result in the release of cortisol into the body. First, the brain’s amygdala acknowledges a possible threat; this sends a message to the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus releases a hormone called corticotropin (CRH), which tells the pituitary gland to launch the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which signals the adrenal glands to produce cortisol. Indeed, it is a long series of connections.

When the body experiences survival mode, the release of the optimal cortisol quantity can be life-saving. The proper amount of cortisol helps to maintain fluid balance and blood pressure. It also regulates body functions like immunity, digestion, growth, and reproductive drive that are not critical in survival mode.

Cortisol Effects

Cortisol levels differ throughout the day, and per individual too. On average it appears to be at higher levels in the mornings and decreases throughout the day, being at its lowest overnight.

A release of small doses of cortisol has been known to have positive effects such as:

Quick energy surge due to survival causes
A burst of increased immunity
Heightened alertness and memory
Lowered pain sensitivity

However, a constant stress response in the body may lead to chronic stress, presenting a series of adverse effects that can negatively impact the individual wellbeing. Chronic stress can cause:

Headaches
Irritability
Fatigue
Anxiety or depression
Weight gain
Constipation, bloating, or diarrhea
High blood pressure
Problems in the reproductive system
Poor quality sleep

Adverse Side Effects of Cortisol

Unlike our ancestors, we don’t battle predators in the wild for survival. Instead, we are under constant attack from the complications in our modern lifestyles. Balancing stress at work, during the daily commute, and at home, can cause a continuous cortisol release. This excess may cause serious health problems such as:

Weight gain around the abdomen area. Studies had shown that high long-term levels of cortisol are a critical factor in abdominal obesity (2)
Increased blood sugar levels. Under stress, cortisol provides glucose to the body from protein stores. However, sustained high levels of cortisol will produce an excess of glucose which results in high blood sugar levels.
Studies have shown that people who experience high cortisol levels tend to eat more and prefer food with a higher carbohydrate content. (3)
Digestive problems. High-stress levels can potentially disrupt the digestive system’s normal process, preventing the proper absorption of food. Individuals experiencing constant stress had been known to also suffer from colitis or irritable bowel syndrome.
Heart disease. Blood vessels can get damaged because of constricted arteries and high blood pressure due to elevated cortisol levels.

What is Adrenaline?

Also referred to as epinephrine, adrenaline is another crucial hormone for the fight-or-flight response. In the adrenal glands, the medulla produces adrenaline as well as some neurons part of the central nervous system. It only takes a couple of minutes after a stressful situation is presented to release adrenaline into the bloodstream, which then travels to the organs, creating a response to the problem.

Adrenaline may increase strength and performance and raise awareness of an individual experiencing a stressful situation. Also, the ability of the body to feel pain decreases. Adrenaline causes blood vessels to contract, redirecting blood to the main muscle groups as well as the heart and lungs. Adrenaline effects can be present up to an hour after the stress has ceased.

The body definitely changes when adrenaline is released; this is commonly known as an adrenaline rush. It happens very fast, so fast that the individual experiencing it often does not even acknowledge what is happening.

Signs of an Adrenaline Rush

Often an adrenaline rush can look at as a boost of energy, causing

Rapid heartbeat
Increased senses
Quick breathing
Less pain sensation
Dilated pupils
Sweating
Nervousness
Heightened senses

However, prolonged exposure to adrenaline can also cause health problems like increased blood pressure, damaged blood vessels, a higher risk of heart attack and stroke, anxiety, weight gain, headaches, and insomnia.

How to Regulate Stress Hormones?

To help regulate stress hormones, you can focus on activating the parasympathetic nervous system, which has the opposite effect of the fight-or-flight response in the body. The parasympathetic system is also called the rest-and-digest system because it promotes balance in the body, allowing it to rest and repair itself.

Relaxing the body and mind may help keep cortisol and adrenaline levels low. Therefore, the following techniques are worth the try:

Performing deep breathing exercises
Practicing Yoga or TaiChi, which combines exercises and breathing techniques
Following a balanced and healthy diet
Implementing a regular meditation practice
Limiting caffeine and alcohol consumption
Journaling as a way to keep track of your feelings and thoughts
Finding counseling or therapy to talk over issues that may be stressing you
Limiting the use of screens such as cellphones, computers, TV before bedtime

It is important to note that if you may be experiencing difficulty managing your stress levels, it is advisable to contact your physician for more help.

Jun 27 2019

Americans Sitting More Than Ever, Risk Early Death

Despite all the warnings in recent years that sitting too much is ruining American’s health, most people are doing just as much sitting, or even more, than ever before. An investigative study published in April, 2019 in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found that from 2001 to 2016 the amount of time that both adults and adolescents living in the U.S. spent sitting has remained “high and stable.”

The average American now spends at least 6 to 8 hours per day being sedentary, most of the time which is spent watching television or videos, and using the computer, both at work or school and during leisure-time.

Too much sitting doesn’t just put you at risk for problems like weight gain, bulging disc and tension headaches — it’s now considered to be as dangerous as smoking.

But guess what? You may be able to eliminate your increased risk of early death caused by too much sitting at work by exercising for one hour a day.

That’s the verdict a team of scientists came to after publishing a paper in 2016 reviewing 16 other studies looking at more than 1 million people’s sedentary behaviors and death risk. That news may come as a wave of relief, especially if you’re reading it, well, sitting behind a screen.

Jun 27 2019

How to Lose Weight Fast: Best Diets, Workouts and Tips

Maybe you’ve decided to get in better shape to improve your overall health, gain more energy, or in preparation for a competition or special event. Whatever the goal, you are certainly not alone. Most people in this world know what it’s like to live with extra body weight, and that it can be a struggle to sustain weight loss.

Assuming you’re not already underweight (you can use a BMI calculator to determine this) and go about weight loss in a healthy manner, then there’s never a bad time to get fit and work on reaching a healthier weight.

But if you’ve ever tried slimming down in the past, you know that it’s not necessarily easy to just change your diet and squeeze in more exercise. That’s why experts are always offering up their favorite tips and suggestions.

From exercising for short bursts of time, to making weekly menus, to even having a cheat meal here and there, the diet and lifestyle tips below can help you achieve your health and fitness goals. Just remember, this is not only about losing weight, but living a better healthier, happier life.

Apr 30 2019

Look After Your Skin

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