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Lifestyle and Mood

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Lifestyle choices and unavoidable situations create the foundations of the biochemistry of your mind and body.  When I say lifestyle, what I mean is the basic requirements of life—food, exercise, sleep, stress, and substance use.  In short, it means the way you live—too much excitement or stress, too little sleep, forcing your body to deal with constant alcohol, tobacco, drugs, or poor diet. Changing your lifestyle is the most foundational way to influence your mood.  It’s where you have the most control, and it’s often free.

Situations, such as making a living, having multiple jobs to support a family, relationship changes, or illness can also contribute to the biochemistry that influences mood.  Most of us thrive when we keep our pace of life in the slow to medium range.  Unfortunately the modern lifestyle doesn’t make this easy for us, because we are often saturated with responsibilities, work, tasks, information, commutes, and expectations to keep up with the pace of others.  

Lifestyle and Mood Mini-Course

Ready to make some painless changes to improve your mood? Receive the free mini-course directly to your inbox over the next 7 days.
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Did You Know?

  • The Standard American Diet, a.k.a. “S.A.D. Diet” (a diet high in sugar, salt, fat, refined carbohydrates, processed foods, fast foods, dairy, wheat, corn, and meat; and is low in fresh fruits and vegetables, fiber, whole grains, fish, nuts and seeds) is one of the biggest contributors to gut and brain inflammation, mood irritants, abnormal gut microbiome, nutrient deficiencies, neurotransmitter imbalances, and inflammation

  • Caffeine overuse and stress damages the adrenal glands, one of the most important glands for dealing with stress and a big influencer of brain biochemistry and neurotransmitter production

  • Regular alcohol use depletes critical brain nutrients, especially B-Vitamins and several minerals

  • Recreational drugs all affect your neurotransmitters and can contribute to mood disorders.

  • 20 minutes of moderate intensity walking, 3 times a week has been shown to reduce symptoms of mood disorders

  • Lack of sleep reduces the brain’s ability to produce neurotransmitters; and lack of sleep, or insomnia, is a sign of several hormone and neurotransmitter imbalances.

 

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