Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Summertime Blues Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND You may have heard of something called SAD or seasonal affective disorder. This is sometimes referred to as the “wintertime blues”. What you may not be aware of is that while SAD is typically associated with winter it can …
Super Focus IQ Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND If you have been on the Invite health website, you may have noticed a formula called Super Focus IQ. If the nutrients inside this formula seem to ring a bell that’s because it is the same fantastic …
PRIMARY FOOD, LIFESTYLE AND OUR HEALTH~JOY
by: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT
“The best way to choose what to keep and what to throw away is to take each item in one’s hand and ask: ‘Does this spark joy?’ If it does, keep it. If not, dispose of it. This is not only the simplest but also the most accurate yardstick by which to judge.” —Marie Kondo
“If you carry joy in your heart, you can heal any moment.” —Carlos Santana
Joy…it is such an interesting topic when exploring one’s health and wellness. I love the two quotes above as it shows how everyone has a different view on joy. Joy and happiness, while similar, have different definitions. Happiness is something that gives you a short term, outward reaction. Joy is a more internal and long-term emotion. For example, having a delicious meal makes you happy, but meeting friends for dinner and having enjoyable conversation and laughs gives you joy.
So why is JOY so important for health and wellness? It has to do with serotonin, or the happiness hormone. Serotonin helps regulate such areas like sleep, digestion, sexual health and, of course, mood. The more balanced your serotonin, the more balanced the areas of your life become…in turn elevating joy and happiness.
According to articles from both Psychology Today and Harvard Medical School, joy and happiness have a direct effect on our health and well-being. Joy and happiness can lead to creating better eating habits, enthusiasm for exercise and even experiencing less pain. This is in addition to better mental health and lowering the risk of chronic illness and disease.
While having a joyful lifestyle can sound easy, it can sometimes be stressful when one is trying to figure out joy as it pertains to themselves. Just like so many things, we are all different, so we’re going find joy in different ways. It can be simple like smiling or saying “hello” to someone, having realistic goals and perspective, or even cozying up with a cup of tea and a book or a favorite TV show or movie. Some of my favorite ways to bring joy to my life is to look though old pictures and relive the memories, connecting with a friend for conversation or going for a walk to breathe in some fresh air. How will you incorporate joy into your week?
RHODIOLA is an herb commonly used to help support those who suffer from stress and anxiety. Rhodiola can even be beneficial for those struggling from cognitive fatigue. Using rhodiola to help manage any of these issues can help any of us to enjoy life on a weekly basis.
ALCAR/ALA or Acetyl L-Carnitine with Alpha Lipoic Acid are nutrients that many people are familiar with regarding brain health and memory. ALCAR has been shown to be helpful in increasing serotonin levels. This is important for those dealing with anxiety or depression. As ALCAR helps to increase the serotonin levels, one’s anxiety can start to balance out, therefore allowing us to become happier and more joyful.
When you have the ability to have joy throughout, you’re life, you can set yourself up for a happy and healthy life. How will you incorporate more joy into your week?
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9228580/
www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-rhodiola
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22549035/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32408706/
my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22572-serotonin
www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/the-happiness-health-connection#:~:text=Scientific%20evidence%20suggests%20that%20positive HYPERLINK
www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-happiness-health-connection/202104/the-happiness-health-connection?msockid=102ffcee009769fa30f8f11d011f685e
Subscribe Today! Please see below for a complete transcript of this episode. FEELING GOOD IN THE SUN WITH FOLATE, INVITE HEALTH PODCAST, EPISODE 651 Hosted by Amanda Williams, MD, MPH. *Intro Music* InViteⓇ Health Podcast Intro: [00:00:04] Welcome to the InViteⓇ Health Podcast, where our …
By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT For further questions or concerns email me at amight@invitehealth.com We’ve been talking a lot about stress and how it can affect our well-being. No conversation about stress management would be complete without understanding anxiety and depression. Let’s take a …
Written By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT
For further questions or concerns email me at amight@invitehealth.com
Everyone experiences stress throughout their life. There’s no way to avoid stress all together. But what do you know about how to handle these situations and can stress effect our well-being? Let’s take a look at some common stressors and some strategies to help short and long term.†
WHAT EXACTLY IS STRESS?
The American Psychological Association defines stress as “a normal reaction to everyday pressures but can become unhealthy when it upsets your day-to-day functioning”. Stress can not only affect our mental health and mood but can also affect our physical health. Areas such as the immune system, circulatory system and even our sleep can be negatively impacted. †
So, what are some of the common things that can cause stress? How does stress affect our well-being? While we’re all affected by different things, WebMD has put together some of the most common stressors that seem to affect so many of us, as well as some of the signs that these stressors may be causing a negative impact. Some of these include, but are not limited to the following: †
These are areas we have or will all experience throughout our life. Understanding how these affect us as an individual can be a helpful tool as we learn to manage our daily stressors. Some common signs to be aware of may include, but are not limited to, the following: †
While some of these can be easily managed, speaking to your doctor can be incredibly beneficial in navigating and managing extreme stress and the impact it can cause to the body.†
When it comes to ways to manage stress, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers some very helpful guidelines. Some of my favorites you may want to try, are the following suggestions: †
Hopefully you find these as helpful as I have in the past. †
NUTRIENTS FOR STRESS AND SLEEP SUPPORT – INVITE HEALTH PODCAST, EPISODE 507>>Listen now!
Something else to consider is a nutrient called Phosphatidylserine. While many people associate this with general brain health/memory, it has been studied for its benefits on the side effects of stress. The National Library of Medicine/National Center for Biotechnology Information has done some interesting studies on this topic. One such study suggests its benefits when taken with on Omega-3 supplement. This has shown that this combination can help reduce chronic and acute stress and its effects on the body. Another study they’ve published shows that adding phosphatidylserine can help to reduce cognitive stress while performing tasks. This can allow for better mental focus, as well as a reduction of cortisol (stress hormone). This allows one to be more relax and connected to the task. †
REFERENCES
https://www.apa.org/topics/stress
https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/a-z-topics/stress
https://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/causes-of-stress
https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/about/copingwith-stresstips.html
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22575036/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18616866/
