Hello there!
When the 21 challenges for this 21-day detox were created there were some guiding questions. First of all, there was consideration for what will truly challenge participants to stretch beyond their comfort zone because as we know, when we stretch we grow.
We also considered what types of exercises would lead to a decrease in toxic thoughts and actions. Naturally then of major importance was what types of activities would assist in the release of the happy hormone – serotonin.
What is serotonin?
Serotonin is a hormone that can naturally lift your mood and help you to feel better; it is a chemical found in the brain that helps to control a person’s moods.
There are medications that can synthetically do this of course but in an effort to detox our bodies, natural mood enhancers were obviously our choice.
So we thought of challenges that would be natural serotonin boosters. Every one of our 21 challenges is designed to increase well-being, decrease stress and as a result increase serotonin levels.
Specifically, the challenges like: laugh daily, walk, work-out or play 5 times per week, give & get a hug daily, listen to one piece of uplifting music per day, speaking positive affirmations passionately, bonding with positive people, doing something fun weekly, powerfully engaging the imagination, eliminating toxic foods and adding more fruits and vegetables, meditation and stillness, forgiveness and gratitude, kindness and optimism are all conclusively supported by research as serotonin boosters.
Engage in these essential activities fully and with a joyful expectation that something great is happening in your brain, which travels to your body and inevitably impacts your heart and spirit.
In addition, the following can be added to your daily/weekly schedule of ‘must-do’ serotonin boosters:
SLEEP enough and sleep well. Our body is not designed to operate at maximum without deep and recuperating rest. Try getting one more hour than you do now – if you are getting less than your body needs (very individual determination but it still is somewhere between 6 and 8 hours) and then observe the difference in energy and state of mind.
PET your pets. Yes, research shows that people who pet their animals, have the ‘happy hormones’ in their blood stream at significantly higher levels than those who do not. [This is unquestionably true for me. Just looking at my dogs sleep puts a smile on my face, and when I pet them I inevitably laugh!]
RECEIVE FLOWERS – tell someone who loves you to send flowers – the research shows that this helps seniors to be happier. [ Just in passing this tidbit on to my husband released some serotonin!]
AVOID STIMULANTS – they spike your energy and some even release serotonin BUT it does not last so there is the inevitable ‘let down.’ Stimulants are not just caffeine products – carbs, sugars and candies are stimulants too and they have a similar after-effect; spikes of energy that comes crashing down. Foods high in the amino acid tryptophan such as bananas, oats, cottage cheese, nuts and dark chocolate are said to be excellent for boosting serotonin levels as their elevated tryptophan levels will make it easier for our body to naturally produce serotonin.
Check out these ten foods – stress reducers
Top Ten Foods Containing Tryptophan, Serotonin’s Creator
SUNLIGHT – one hour per day is recommended by some and at least 15 minutes by others. But many factors – like intensity (geographic location) of sun, skin complexion, and time of day impact exposure so you’d have to check this out individually. But there is no debate about the need to expose our selves to sunlight on a regular basis to assist in keeping our mood elevated.
GARDENING, in or out – interacting with another form of life, keeping it alive and watching its growth due to our input helps our spirits soar. [I experience a distinct change in mindset – from troubled to peaceful within minutes of stepping into my garden and tending to the plants. In the winter, the same is true with my indoor plants.] See some extensive research in this area here.
NATURAL SUPPLEMENTS – One of the more popular supplements include Omega 3, which is a natural serotonin booster. St. John’s Wort or Ginkgo have also been touted as effective serotonin boosters. If you are taking any other medication you should speak to your health care provider before starting one of these supplements.
Serotonin flows when we increase our state of well-being – spiritually, mentally and physically. It is decreased when stress is increased. So do all you can do to keep the serotonin flowing. You will be happier and happier people live longer.
Wishing you an abundance of peace, joy and light,
♥~
This message is part of the 21-Day Detox Challenge – Spirit, Mind & Body: Day 1. The program includes preparation exercises and specific planning and all previous messages can be found here.video introduction is here.
This series begins on on Wednesday, December 8, 2010. By following the directions, you can begin this detox challenge in its entirety whenever you would like.
All program downloads can be found here (chart of challenges, self-evaluation, agreement form and handy checklist of all preparation exercises)