Find seratonin, relax and be happy

by | Jan 29, 2018 | Blog

The power of meditation and breath allows you to come back to you, to drop into your heart, be in your body, and know you can do it. 

You can feel and live a life of love and purpose – change can be graceful and peaceful, let it Be you. 

Let your body melt into the white light that you are, breath, let go, & know you are safe.

You are Love

You are Grounded

You are Light 

The words of Arianna Auron

I am doing my best this week to practise what I preach by doing an almost daily meditation session which I’ve recorded myself, yep I can make myself go to sleep with my own voice. Fancy trying one of my sessions for free then just drop me a message I’d be thrilled for you to be a guinea pig. I intend by next month to be a fully qualified hypnotherapist and then will set up my facebook page and website, this is an exciting new time for me.

Now I know the happy pills have cheered me up and stopped me stressing about stuff but there has to be a better way than chemicals to increase serotonin (the happy hormone) levels. Serotonin  is a chemical messenger that’s believed to act as a mood stabiliser. It’s said to help produce healthy sleeping patterns as well as boost your mood. Studies show that serotonin levels can have an effect on mood and behaviour, and the chemical is commonly linked to feeling good. Food and diet is obviously a massive factor again, reduce refined sugar and processed foods, they seem to be the devil incarnate in every piece of nutritional and health advice there is, it’s everywhere in everything you see, read and hear from every form of media, birds eye must be pissed off with it!!!

So where can I get a serotonin boost from that isn’t chemical?

 

Serotonin and your diet: Does it work?

 

The common belief is that by eating foods high in tryptophan, you can boost your serotonin levels. But is this true?

Serotonin isn’t found in foods, but tryptophan is. Foods high in protein, iron, riboflavin, and vitamin B-6 all tend to contain large amounts of this amino acid. While high-tryptophan foods won’t boost serotonin on their own, there’s one possible cheat to this system: carbs.

Carbs cause the body to release more insulin, which promotes amino acid absorption and leaves tryptophan in the blood. If you mix high-tryptophan foods with carbs, you might get a serotonin boost.

The tryptophan you find in food has to compete with other amino acids to be absorbed into the brain, so it’s unlikely to have much of an effect on your serotonin levels. This differs from tryptophan supplements, which contain purified tryptophan and do have an effect on serotonin levels.

While they can’t compete with supplements — which you should not be taking without approval from your doctor — the foods listed contain high amounts of tryptophan. Your best chance at achieving a serotonin boost without using supplements is to eat them often, with a serving of healthy carbohydrates, like rice, oats, or whole-grain bread.

 

7 Serotonin boosting foods

 

  • Eggs, the protein in eggs can significantly boost your blood plasma levels of tryptophan Pro cooking tip: Don’t leave out the yolks! They’re extremely rich in tryptophan and tyrosine, choline, biotin, omega 3 fatty acids, and other nutrients that are major contributors to the health benefits and antidioxidant properties of eggs. (who knew?!)
  • Cheese is another great source of tryptophan – often thought of as a high in fat and has the same effect on your mood as chocolate, it’s also believed to be one of the top 2 most loved foods with it’s brother chocolate.
  • Pineapples are a major source of bromelain, a protein that can reduce the side effects of chemotherapy as well as help suppress coughs, according to some research.
  • Tofu, soy products are rich sources of tryptophan. You can substitute tofu for pretty much any protein, in pretty much any recipe, making it an excellent source of tryptophan for vegetarians and vegans. Some tofu is calcium-set, which provides a great calcium boost.
  • Salmon. It’s hard to go wrong with salmon, which — as you may have guessed — is also rich in tryptophan. Salmon also has other nutritional benefits like helping balance cholosterol, lowering blood pressure, and being a source of omega-3 fatty acids.
  • Turkey is essentially stuffed tryptophan
  • Nuts & seeds Pick and choose your favourites, because all nuts and seeds contain tryptophan. Studies show that eating a handful of nuts a day can lower your risk for cancer, heart disease, and respiratory problems. They’re also good sources of fibre, vitamins, and antioxidants.
  • Food and supplements aren’t the only ways to boost serotonin levels

  • Exercise : Research has shown that regular exercise can have antidepressant effects.

  • Sunshine : Light therapy is a common remedy for seasonal depression. Research shows a clear relationship between being exposed to bright light and serotonin levels. To get better sleep or to boost your mood.

  • Positivity ;  Research shows that facing daily life and your interactions with others with a positive outlook can significantly boost your serotonin levels. 

  • Information sourced from https://www.healthline.com/health/healthy-sleep/foods-that-could-boost-your-serotonin#alternatives

  • Spend some relaxing time listening to this youtube video below, either for a night sleep aid or an afternoon nap or even chill out time with a good book. It has been shown that listening to a meditation or relaxation music daily for 4 weeks can have an amazing effect on your mood – I personally listen to this every night when I go to bed.