Depressed and Hitting the Carbs? How To Fix Brain Chemicals Naturally
How to Get Your Brain Back
With everything that is going on in the world (virus lockdowns, masks, and all the rest of it), it is not surprising that some people’s neurotransmitters are off. There are many causes of depression, but some of them are surprisingly simple and fixable. It is worth tweaking some things before going the drastic route of medications, which don’t fix the root causes anyway and sometimes cause more problems.
A Short List of Happiness Chemicals and How to Manage Them
Dopamine: the reward chemical.
The Problem: You find yourself hitting T.J. Maxx and instantly feeling better just being there, it may just be because you are getting a hit of dopamine when you walk through the doors. You may also have low dopamine if you feel the need to hit the cookies/cake/sweets throughout the day or find yourself jumping to look at your phone each time you hear the “ping.” All of the above can be related to low dopamine levels.
The Fix: take fish oils, Ginko or L-Theanine. Also, complete a project that you have been procrastinating on or do something in the self-care arena (a facial, manicure etc).
Endorphins: the natural pain killer chemical.
The Problem: If you feel better after eating chocolate, find yourself being emotionally over sensitive or have low back pain, you may need an endorphin boost.
The Fix: exercise, watch a funny movie, see a chiropractor, get outside, listen to some good music. Endorphins can remain elevated for hours after an endorphin boosting event.
Serotonin: the mood stabilizing chemical.
The Problem: You notice that you are forgetting things, want to self isolate to avoid the stress of being around people or are experiencing symptoms of arthritis.
The Fix: Increase your magnesium intake, increase your B vitamins (especially B6), take a probiotic, get some sun, exercise and add more healthy foods to your diet.
A Good Place to Start
Dr. Frank Lipman says, “70% of serotonin is made in your gut so what is going on the your gut if going affect your mood – anxiety, depression and focus.” Food for thought – literally. For some other ideas check out our post “7 Foods That Make You Happy.” Hmmm, I think I’ll make some soup… 🙂
