Hormones and Your Mood

   
     I don't know if it's due to the influence of social media, or just a general change in awareness, but it seems that certain disorders are starting to have a lot more light shinning on them these days. Mostly I'm talking about mood disorders such as depression, anxiety, bipolar, etc. However, even with all this new attention, we're still not seeing much about how other conditions in the body can affect our moods, and trust me, they can. The most well known example is PMS, but why does PMS have such an effect on our moods? One simple word, Hormones.

     Hormones can have a HUGE impact on our mental and emotional health. In the most basic sense, hormones are chemical messengers that travel throughout our bodies, influencing every system and coordinating complex processes (such as birth, metabolism, fertility, and growth). Without hormones, our bodies would not change during puberty, process food, or respond efficiently during times of crisis. Hormones, and our entire endocrine system, play a major part in health for both men and women during all stages of life. Unfortunately, this important system is often overlooked by medical practitioners who are focused on a specific problem. Quite too often, the hormones are neglected and looked at only as a last resort.

     Some of the most well known hormones are estrogen, testosterone, adrenaline, and serotonin. While all of these have an impact on our moods, there are some, less well known, hormones that can have an even bigger impact. For women, one of these is progesterone. Progesterone is a major fertility hormone, but it's also a major restorative and anti-anxiety hormone. Low progesterone levels can be linked to severe PMS-related problems, such as mood swings, irritability, and depression. Men have similar issues when their testosterone is low. Low testosterone can cause severe mood swings and depression in men, along with all the other problems we are more familiar with.

     Now I know that I harp on stress quite often, but it does have that much of an impact. Both low testosterone in men, and low progesterone in women, can be linked to excessive stress. One major reason for this is simply a lack of supplies. Cortisol is a major stress hormone that our body releases when it perceives stress. Even something as routine as a deadline, financial concerns, or traffic can cause the body to create and release cortisol. However, the raw materials our bodies use to do this are the same raw materials that our bodies use to make other hormones such as testosterone and progesterone. If we are constantly in stressful situations, our body won't have enough of the raw materials left over to make those, all important, hormones because it will be too busy making cortisol.

     If you are struggling with mood disorders and you think your hormones may be, at least in part, to blame. Talk to your doctor about having your endocrine levels checked and to see what you may be able to do to help balance them out. You can also try to keep your stress levels lower, eat a balanced diet, exercise, go out in nature, and supplement with vitamins and herbs to help balance out your hormones.

Resources:

5 Signs Hormones are Sabotaging Your Body: Oprah: http://www.oprah.com/health_wellness/how-hormones-affect-mood-weight-sex-drive-and-more

Chemical Messengers- How Hormones Affect Our Mood: The Conversation: http://theconversation.com/chemical-messengers-how-hormones-affect-our-mood-42422

The Connection Between Hormones and Mood: BePure: https://www.bepure.co.nz/blogs/news/connection-between-hormones-mood

Hormones and Mood- From Menarche to Menopause and Beyond: Pub Med: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12646300

Menopause Mood Swings: Hormon Health: https://www.hormone.org/diseases-and-conditions/menopause/menopause-mood-swings

Ovulation Hormones- Here's How The Menstrual Cycle Phases Affect Your Mood: https://www.womansday.com/health-fitness/womens-health/a1605/a-month-in-the-life-of-your-hormones-107587/

Why Do Hormones Affect Your Mood: Thrive Global: https://medium.com/thrive-global/why-do-your-hormones-affect-your-mood-ca076d3478a

10 Reasons to Try Tai Chi

     Living in Orlando, one cannot help but be aware that Yoga is one of the big fitness trends. Yoga is wonderful, and anything that keeps you active and flexible is a great thing. However, there is another low-impact (easy on your joints) exercise that I tend to recommend above Yoga for many people. Tai Chi.

     Tai Chi is an ancient practice that is most easily defined as a way of moving. It has been hailed throughout history as the “perfect exercise” because the health benefits are extremely high while the risk of injury is extremely low. Tai Chi is practiced by over 200 million people world wide, and it's practitioners vary in age from young children to elderly adults. Tai Chi is unique to most exercises because the focus is on developing one's qi (pronounced “chee”).

     In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the concept of qi is a major one. Qi is life force. All living beings have qi and the complete absence of qi leaves one dead. Qi is even present in the earth beneath our feet. Qi has many aspects and is constantly transforming. As such, if your qi is low you will feel sluggish and dull. However, when your qi is abundant you will feel alert and energetic, virtually buzzing with living possibilities.

     Tai Chi helps one to develop their qi, helping to improve mood and health. How this happens is often complicated and often filled with Chinese philosophical concepts that seem very foreign to most Westerners. However, modern science does see a great benefit to this form of exercise.

     In the last decade, researchers from the University of South Florida teamed up with Chinese researchers to compare the effects of Tai Chi on the brain. They separated elderly patients into 4 separate groups. The first walked, the second increased social interaction, the third practiced Tai Chi, and the fourth made no changes in their daily routines. At the end of the 40 day study, the results showed that the Tai Chi group had significant improvements in brain volume, which tends to decrease over time. Since then, there have been several other studies involving Tai Chi practices. Many of which showed significantly positive results.

Without further ado, I'll share with you my top 10 reasons for recommending Tai Chi.

1-Improves flexibility and decreases joint pain:

     Tai Chi uses slow, gentle, deliberate movements to increase flexibility, strength, and balance. This reduces the chance of falls and helps to reduce stiffness in the joints. The controlled movements also help to reduce joint pain, particularly in people with arthritis.

2-Improves your mood:

     Tai Chi uses your mind and body equally during it's postures. This engages the mind in a way that helps to reduce stress and anxiety, as well as promote feelings of well-being. The meditative state induced by the slow, deliberate movements, helps to benefit a large range of psychological wellness areas.

3-Lowers stress:

     Tai Chi's gentle, deliberate movements help you to focus on the moment. This helps keep you from dwelling on worries or anxiety. It's gentle and calming which helps to give one a since of peace. It also improves sleep which can help to lower stress levels as well.

4-Improves sleep:

     Not only does the physical exercise required in Tai Chi help one get to sleep, but Tai Chi has been shown to help improve the quality of sleep as well. Several studies have shown that people who participate in Tai Chi take less time to fall asleep, have fewer awakenings, sleep a greater amount of time, and feel more rested once awake.

5-Improves heart health:

     Not only is Tai Chi gentle enough to be safe for patients with cardiovascular issues, it also helps to improve cardiovascular health. Tai Chi increases circulation, improves blood pressure, aerobic capacity, and cardiac muscle strength.

6-Improves immunity:

     Scientists have actually found a remarkable increase in overall immunity in those who practice Tai Chi. These studies showed that people who practice Tai Chi are less likely to experience severe illnesses and are ill for shorter amounts of time. This is attributed to a combination of controlled breathing, slow movements, and a meditative mind state.

7-Lowers risk of developing dementia or Alzheimer’s:

     Tai Chi has been shown to improve cognitive function in people of all ages. However, most notably it has shown to improve cognitive function even in Alzheimer’s patients. It's thought that Tai Chi can even significantly lower one's risk of developing dementia.

8-Reduces symptoms of type 2 diabetes:

     A handful of the studies done involving Tai Chi have shown that Tai Chi has a definite and positive effect on insulin levels. Overall, Tai Chi was found to help increase glucose control, insulin receptors, and insulin receptor binding capacity.

9-Improves breathing and reduces asthma symptoms:

     The controlled breathing and slow movements of Tai Chi can increase oxygen consumption. Over time, Tai Chi can even help to improve the breathing of asthma patients.

10-Helps with weight loss:

     A standard 30-minute session of Tai Chi burns roughly 150 calories. This may not seem like much, but with the added benefit of stress reduction, it is definitely a great weight loss tool as there is a connection between higher levels of stress and overeating. Tai Chi also boosts metabolism which helps to burn even more calories more efficiently.

     I hope I have given you an appreciation for this amazing and ancient practice. If you have any questions or comments about your Tai Chi practice, or if you are curious and have questions about how to get started, please let me know below.

Resources:

3 Reasons You Should Try Tai Chi: Prevention: http://www.prevention.com/health/brain-health/health-benefits-tai-chi

11 Reasons to Practice Tai Chi: The Alternative Daily: http://www.thealternativedaily.com/tai-chi-benefits/

Tai Chi, A Gentle Way To Fight Stress: Mayo Clinic: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/tai-chi/art-20045184

What is Tai Chi?: Beginners Tai Chi: http://www.beginnerstaichi.com/what-is-tai-chi-for-beginners.html

What is Qi?: University of Minnesota: https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/explore-healing-practices/traditional-chinese-medicine/what-qi-and-other-concepts

Food For Thought: The Connection Between Diet and Mental Health

     Comfort food.  We’ve all heard of it.  We’ve all had those days where we just want something familiar and comfortable to eat.  In many instances, just the smell of these dishes cooking is enough to lift our spirits.  In some cases, they are a crutch for us in our darkest moods.  These instances leave no room for doubt that food can affect our moods.  However, comfort food isn’t the only food that can do so, and in many cases our choice of comfort foods can actually hurt our mood later on.    

     In recent years, there seems to have been a major increase in the occurrence of mental illness and mood disorders.  With this increase, researchers have begun looking more and more into causes and new treatments.  One thing that has seemed to come from this is a deeper look into the connection between your gut and your brain.  Most of us have heard of the Central Nervous System (CNS), the brain and spinal cord, or the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS), nerves and gray matter.  However, there is another nervous system that most people never learn about.  That nervous system is the Enteric Nervous System (ENS).  The ENS lines our gastrointestinal tract and help to digest our food by controlling blood flow and secretions.  While this seems pretty straight forward, this nervous system is so complex that many people refer to it as our “second brain.”  Our gut communicates with our brain in many ways, so many that science is still trying to figure out what it’s all about.  One thing that we do know is that our gut is connected to mood disorders and autism. 

     In 2013, there was a major study done on mice that had the same behavioral pattern as humans with autism.  These mice were introduced to a certain strain of bacteria that changed the balance of bacteria in their guts.  When this change occurred, these mice showed a remarkable change in behavior as well, becoming more social and less anxious.  Similar studies have been performed since, studies that have changed how doctors view both mental illness and digestive disorders.  This change has led to a trend where doctors are prescribing depression medicine to patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) in a hope to improve the communication between their gut and their brain. 

     This connection between our nutrition and our mental health makes even more sense when you consider the fact that our brains are always working, and like every other organ or system in our body, our brain needs fuel.  We know that proper nutrition provides the right kind of fuel for our body to work, but what is proper nutrition for our brain?  There have been a number of studies on this subject as well, and most of them agree that processed foods and foods high in sugar are the worst foods for your brain.  Diets high in these foods can lead to mood disorders, such as depression, as well as impaired brain function.

     We also have to remember that our brain is made up of 60% fat, and uses fat as its primary fuel source.  This means that we need to keep a decent amount of healthy fat in our diets for proper brain function.  This is a primary example of why “low fat” foods can actually be dangerous for us.  Many of the foods that are labeled “low fat” in the grocery store are actually loaded down with sugar and trans fats to make them taste better, to encourage repeat purchases. 

    

So what should we avoid to keep our brains healthy? 

·         Sugary Drinks

·         Excessive Caffeine

·         Refined and Sugary Foods

·         Trans Fat – fried foods, margarine, baked goods, processed snack foods

·         In some cases, Dairy

Ok, now what should increase to provide our brains with the right fuel?

·         Omega 3 Fatty Acids – oily fish (salmon, trout, and mackerel), walnuts, flax, olive oil, eggs, and dark leafy greens

·         Whole Grains (in some cases people feel better leaving these out as well)

·         Fruits and Vegetables

·         Organic and Home Prepared Foods are best!

     I hope that I have given you some “food for thought” in this entry.  If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below in the comments! 

Resources:

Dr. Axe: The Gut-Brain Connection: https://draxe.com/gut-brain-connection/

Greatist: How Eating Fat Can Make You Smarter: http://greatist.com/eat/healthy-fats-best-foods-for-brain-health

Harvard Health: Nutritional Psychiatry: http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/nutritional-psychiatry-your-brain-on-food-201511168626

Mental Health America: Healthy Diet: http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/conditions/healthy-diet-eating-mental-health-mind

Mental Health Foundation: Diet and Mental Health: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/a-to-z/d/diet-and-mental-health

Psychology Today: The Gut-Brain Connection: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/evolutionary-psychiatry/201404/the-gut-brain-connection-mental-illness-and-disease

Safe Harbor: The Role of Diet in Mental Health: http://www.alternativementalhealth.com/the-role-of-diet-in-mental-health/

Wellness Mama: Can Your Food Affect Mental Health?: https://wellnessmama.com/31032/food-mental-health/