Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
On top of living through a global pandemic, students and employees are heading back to school and work. This could mean a time of chronic stress is upon us. But you should know about Phosphatidylserine – a powerful brain health nutrient for learning and memory.
There is a reason why Buddhist monks sip green tea before meditating. There is an amino acid that is related to tea called L-Theanine that has been shown to induce a calming feeling and helps you focused, without making you feel drowsy.
Invite Health Podcast, Episode hosted by Jerry Hickey. Ph
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It is normal to feel sad after a loss or anxious in the face of a threat or new challenge. But when you can’t shake these feelings, or they seem to occur for no obvious reason, you may have depression or an anxiety disorder, such as panic disorder. Fortunately, most people respond well to treatment.
What is Major Depression?
Depression ranges in how serious it is. Some people experience mild and temporary episodes of sadness. Others experience severe and ongoing depressive episodes. Major depression is one of the most common mental disorders in the United States but it is not the only form of depression. For some individuals, major depression can result in severe impairment that interferes with or limits the ability to carry out major life activities.
Typically it is classified as a period of at least two weeks where a person experiences a depressed mood or loss of interest or pleasure in daily activities, and had a majority of specified symptoms, such as problems with sleep, eating, energy, concentration, or self-worth.
Serotonin is known as the happiness molecule. A supplement called 5-HTP can raise serotonin and this makes you feel good, feel happy, and feel free of the symptoms of stress and anxiety. Serotonin also makes you feel full when eating, making 5-HTP useful for weight loss; we describe this activity in a separate episode.†
Conventional and Lifestyle Therapies
You may successfully manage symptoms with one form of treatment. It is also common to combine conventional and lifestyle therapies. Your doctor may prescribe medication for depression and anxiety. Living with depression can be difficult, but treatment can help you cope. Talk to your doctor about possible options.
In a review of 28 studies, “forest therapy” was shown to improve depression. If you go into the woods for 15 to 20 minutes it lifts your mood. A review of 30 studies shows that “forest bathing”, also called forest therapy, reduces the stress hormone cortisol. When you reduce cortisol, you can sleep better at night and are able to focus better. This reduction is also good for weight loss. When you are stressed out and release cortisol, food is much more fattening.
In a study of 94 adults, visiting a park for 20 minutes boosted feelings of well-being and in a group of 60 adults, walking in a forest for 15 minutes compared to 15 minutes in a city area clicked their mood up a couple of levels and improved their attention span. The Japanese have a name for it – Shinrin Yoku or forest bathing – and it’s a good reason to visit a botanical garden or arboretum.
Nutritional Support for Mood Improvement
There are a number of nutritional supplements support or improve your mood.
ALCAR stands for Acetyl L-Carnitine. It is great for your nerves, good for energy, great for your heart and it is helpful with tinnitus (ringing in your ear). If you take ALCAR away from food, it is better absorbed into the brain and it has been shown in a number of studies to click your mood up. And it does this very quickly and it is very safe. ALCAR is also good for your memory as you grow older.†
Well absorbed Curcumin is called Bio-Curcumin. It is also called BCM95. Five human clinical trials have found that it is good for depression and if you add it to an anti-depressant, it works better.†
NAC stands for N-Acetyl-Cysteine and is a powerful amino acid. This supplement is useful for helping with addiction even to alcohol or tobacco, and it helps compulsive behavior, such as nail biting and gambling, as shown in thousands of human clinical trials.†
SAMe, or S-Adenomethionine, may help boost the formation of neurotransmitters needed for healthy brain function. It is also useful for liver and joint health.†
Fish oils help to a degree. Your brain is about 60% fat and one of the major fats in your brain is fish oil (omega-3 fatty acid).†
The Importance of 5-HTP for Brain Health and Mood Support
5-HTP stands for 5-hydroxytryptophan. It comes from the seeds of the Griffonia simplicifolia plant. It easily enters your brain and is quickly converted into serotonin. Serotonin is known as the ‘happiness molecule’ and is a very important neurotransmitter.
Neurotransmitters – and we know of approximately 100 of them in the human brain – transmit messages throughout the brain. Serotonin transmits happiness, and helps fend off depression, anxiety and stress.
In humans, studies indicate 5-HTP may reduce anxiety (although there are more trials looking at it’s effects on depression) and the studies find benefit. Results from more recent studies suggest that 5-HTP has antidepressant effects comparable with fluoxetine (Paxil), and there is benefit as part of augmentation therapy for drug-resistant depression.†
5-HTP augments the response to SSRIs by increased presynaptic serotonin availability, thus enhancing serotonins release into the synapse. It was also proposed to potentially reduce hot flashes in menopausal women with breast cancer or with risk of breast cancer by enhancing serotonin levels (27) , but a clinical study in postmenopausal women found it ineffective (20) .†
5-HTP can also increase levels of dopamine, and norepinephrine, these neurotransmitters are involved in mood and taking 5-HTP at night improves sleep; it’s metabolism at night takes an extra step and creates the sleep neurotransmitter melatonin.†
Talk to your doctor about possible lifestyle and treatment options.
Thank you for tuning in to the Invite Health Podcast. You can find all of our episodes for free wherever you listen to podcasts or by visiting www.invitehealth.com/podcast. Make sure you subscribe and leave us a review! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at Invite Health today. We’ll see you next time on another episode of the Invite Health Podcast.
On today’s episode, Amanda Williams, MPH discusses how you can assess your level of stress. This is a really interesting way to see how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting your cellular health.
On today’s episode, Amanda Williams, MPH discusses staying healthy with chronic disease states through the Coronavirus. Those who have chronic diseases or underlying medical conditions may have an impacted your immune system can put you at a greater risk.
Invite Health Podcast, Episode hosted by Amanda Williams, MPH
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On today’s episode, I am going to be discussing how to manage stress while dealing with the everyday changes occurring during COVID-19. This is something that is impacted each and every one of us pretty much throughout the globe. To be able to maintain your sanity through of all this uncertainty, often times it comes down to being able to manage stress. Today we will get into different techniques you can try to utilize, as well as different nutrients that may be very beneficial.
How COVID-19 is impacting our mental health
Every time we put on the news it seems there is more bad news. This virus is impacting us across the globe and it seem to be getting worse every day. For me, this means not seeing my parents on a regular basis. And I know I am not alone in that. Maybe you are at home now and you are not able to work. This could also be a big cause of stress. Maybe you know someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 and you have concerns for them, as well as for yourself and your family.
The good news is that there are things you can be doing on an everyday basis that can really help navigate through all of the changes that we are all going through. To be able to use the right tools throughout our day can ensure that we are not weakening and lowering our immune defenses because of our heightened level of stress.
Stress Relief Techniques
You have to find different outlets for your stress. For some, this includes learning yoga inside. For others, that could mean having virtual dance parties. These are wonderful ways for you to release some of those daily stressors. I certainly encourage everyone to find whatever niche works for you. This could be meditation, reading a book or stretching every few hours.
Why Multivitamins are so Critical in Today’s World. Listen now >>
It is also extremely critical for you to eat the right foods. At I know this can be challenging because I was at my local grocery store recently and it’s hard to find what you need; the shelves are getting wiped out, the produce aisle isn’t as abundant. But you still have the ability to make smart choices. And I encourage you to do so. Our bodies are engines, and just like when you put bad fuel into a car, putting bad food into our body will give you the same results. You will continue to deplete important vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, which will set your body up for lowered immunity.
Nutrition During COVID-19
Foods matter and right now, people are not getting the best selection of food from their grocery stores. A good option it to adhere to a Mediterranean Diet, as this is packed with the most vitamins, minerals wonderful antioxidants that can really help to fend off all of the free radicals that the body can be bombarded by, especially under states of stress.
Invite Health offers really wonderful superfoods that, during this time, might be a good idea to have on hand, especially when it comes to fruits and vegetables.
Reds Hx and Greens Hx are packed with antioxidants, plus a Probiotic blend. When you are getting adequate fruits and vegetables, oftentimes people will feel like they feel better and that is because the body has the capability to handle oxidative stress, as well as physical and emotional stress that is brought on by certain situations. And there is no greater situation than what we are dealing with now with COVID-19.
Seventy-six percent of Americans do not meet the recommended daily amount for fruit consumption, which is just two cups a day. You are supposed to be getting three cups of vegetables a day and, alarmingly 87% of Americans are not meeting that requirement either.
Other beneficial nutrients:
Thank you for tuning in to the Invite Health Podcast. You can find all of our episodes for free wherever you listen to podcasts or by visiting www.invitehealth.com/podcast. Make sure you subscribe and leave us a review! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at Invite Health today. We’ll see you next time on another episode of the Invite Health Podcast.
