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One of my favorite (and relatively unknown) magazines is called Plain Values. If you want to fill your mind with all that is good, give them a try. Beautiful article written by singer songwriter Rory Feek.
https://plainvalues.com/joeyrory-sprouting-wings/
#yourbrainisaspongegiveitgoodfood
#whatyoureyesseeandearshearmatter
#becomingyourownhealthdetective
Dopamine Deficiency Part IV: More Solutions
Do you struggle with belief in any area of your life? Maybe it’s work…. Self confidence…. Big goals…. If so, know that improving your dopamine balance will only help you grow into living what you struggle to believe. Now would be a great time to grab that bottle of Believe essential oil and become a walking diffuser for yourself. Go grab it now… I’ll wait for you!
Gary Young knew which plant chemicals stimulate, protect, and support healthy dopamine levels. And of course, he knew that belief is fueled by dopamine. Essential oils Balsam
, Coriander, Bergamot, Frankincense, Idaho Blue Spruce, Ylang ylang , and Geranium all fuel belief through their effect on dopamine within us. These are the oils within the blend Believe. Pretty cool right? Gary never made a product that wasn’t highly purposeful!
Other oils that have been found to contain constituents supportive of healthy dopamine levels in the body include rosemary, oregano, thyme, rose, sandalwood, neroli , palmarosa , and marjoram . Did you notice that many of these oils are used in Raindrop massage? Just one more reason everyone should receive a Raindrop on the regular!
God has gifted us with so many natural ways to support dopamine levels. (Go back and review last week’s post so that you’ll have the full combined list!)
Mowing the yard! It may be hard work, but the aroma of fresh cut grass contains a chemical called hexanal (the “green” smell of grass) that stimulates dopamine release.
St. John’s Wort has been found to increase dopamine in the prefrontal cortex of the brain by 40%. Resveratrol has been found to perform similarly ( found in red wine, fresh grapes, dark chocolate, blueberries, peanut butter)
Organic coffee (No more than one cup a day or it may contribute to adrenal fatigue…. A dopamine high followed by a crash!) or a cuppa organic green tea (Have you tried the YL Vanilla Lemongrass Green Tea yet?) is a dopamine supportive treat.
Rhodiola is another herb known to stimulate dopamine receptors and inhibit enzymes that break down dopamine in the brain. Ashwagandha (You might recognize this as an ingredient in Powergize and Endogize) is also an effective adaptogen with supportive dopamine activity.
Pregnenolone is a natural hormone produced in the body that has a positive effect on dopamine levels in the brain. It is an ingredient in hormone supportive Cortistop capsules, PD 80/20 capsules, and Regenolone moisturizing cream. Do a little research on each of these to determine if they might fight your individual hormone balancing needs.
Acupuncture stimulates the vagus nerve, which in turn support healthy dopamine levels. (Go back and reread the section on low vagal tone!)
Creating and performing music boosts dopamine levels even more than listening to your favorite tunes, but all three are effective. Listening to music has even been shown to improve fine motor skills in Parkinson’s patients.
Chronic inflammation reduces dopamine synthesis and release in the brain. We’ve got tools on hand to support a healthy inflammatory response (as opposed to the runaway variety!). Sulfurzyme, BLM, Agilease, and OmegaGize3 are excellent supplements. Nobody can “out supplement” an unhealthy lifestyle…..examine your life and look for offending (and often hidden) toxin triggers in household chemicals, processed foods and drinks, body care products, and makeup.
Lack of sleep down regulates dopamine receptors and reduces dopamine receptor availability. You know what to do! Sleep is so very important in ALL aspects of health. Review your sleep hygiene practices and look for “holes in the armor” that may result in interrupted sleep. I LOVE and incorporate Rutavala on the base of my big toe and Immupro (chewable) in my bedtime rituals.
Iron plays a role in dopaminergic neurotransmission. Iron and ferritin levels are important lab values to watch (both for being too low and too high). Natural sources of iron include spirulina ( an ingredient in Multigreens), dark chocolate, spinach, shellfish, organ meats (I highly suggest Sally Fallon’s cookbook Nourishing Traditions), beans, lentils, chickpeas, red meat, pumpkin seeds, quinoa, turkey, broccoli, and fish.
Vitamin C assists with the formation and conversion of dopamine in the brain. Deficient levels of vitamin C may show up as a low mood. Super C Chewables are a tasty way to supplement daily.
Vitamins B6 and B9 are critical for dopamine synthesis. Low folate levels contribute massively to low dopamine levels which may ultimately lead to depression. Super B is another fantastic supplement to help the body in at least a thousand little and big ways.
Alternate between standing and sitting. “Chronic sitting” lowers dopamine levels. Our body was designed to move!
Finish a project. Who knew? This in itself causes the brain to flood with dopamine.
Huge (and easy) list, right? And yet, sometimes it may seem hard to get motivated to make the changes. Circle back around….. Grab your bottle of Believe, and start somewhere small. I promise you won’t regret finding your dopamine happy place!
xoxo~liz
#caringissharing#knowbetterdobetter#dopamineisdope#balanceddopamineisgoodmedicine#goodmedicine#BecomingYourOwnHealthDetective
#ThanksYL
In a perfect world, all barns would be stocked like this! (and households too 😁).
#knowbetterdobetterbebetter
#ThanksYL
👀EYE CLUES PART III: KEEPING YOUR PEEPERS HEALTHY👀
“I can’t wait to lose my eyesight.”…… said no one ever.
We tend to take our eyesight for granted, yet neglecting eye care /health is arguably an epidemic. Statistically, one in six American adults over the age of 45 will suffer from one or more eye conditions that increase the risk of vision loss or impairment with aging.
Genetically, I know that I am predisposed to Age related Macular Degeneration (AMD). I watched my grandmother (an avid 📚 reader) slowly go blind from AMD. Two of her children have also been diagnosed with the same. Yet, I also know that epigenetics (the role our environment plays on the expression of genes) is about 90% of the equation. While I cannot control my genes, I have a tremendous amount of control on my environment and am doing “all the things” as well as working to avoid “all the other things ☠️” that may wake those darn AMD genes up.
*Eye health is often a direct reflection of what we have eaten over the years. Foods rich in vitamins C, A, and E, Zinc, lutein, zeaxanthin, and omega-3’s are crucial to protecting eyes against future age related vision loss. What would an eye supportive diet like this look like?
Well, it would include lots of leafy green veggies, carrots, red peppers, yellow squash, tomatoes🍅, fatty fish🐟 such as salmon, tuna and sardines, eggs, lemons, grapefruits, oranges, apricots, kiwi’s, mangoes, eggs, nuts, and beans. I eat nearly all of these foods regularly, but certainly not on a strict schedule daily. Knowing that, I choose to supplement DAILY to ensure proper nutritional support of my eyes.
NingXia Red and NingXia Wolfberries provide excellent natural support throughout the body, and are especially beneficial for eye health. Zeaxanthin, carotenoids, Vitamin C, zinc, magnesium and taurine are all beneficial nutrients within NingXia Red.
NingXia Wolfberries are rich in zeaxanthin and lutein which are eye protecting carotenoids, defending the eyes from free radical damage. 100grams (roughly a handful of wolfberries) contains 27,800 mcg of zeaxanthin. By comparison, egg yolks are a common food with one of the highest levels of zeaxanthin and have only 1,253 mcg per 100grams. Additionally, the type of zeaxanthin in the NingXia Wolfberry is unusual. For the science guys and gals, it’s an esterified version (zeaxanthin dipalmitate) making it 2-5x more bioavailable than what is normally found in most supplements.
Diets that are deplete of zeaxanthin and lutein trigger the same damage leading to AMD and/or cataracts.
We’ve already spoken a bit about Young Living’s eye supplement, IlluminEyes, and it warrants saying again….. Go check out the ingredient list on the bottle! YL did their research and have given us an excellent tool for supporting eye health.
*Other supplements to consider include OmegaGize or MindWise for a clean source of Omega3’s, and Super C Chewables.
Do you drink Young Living’s yummy (and beneficial) Slique Tea? Don’t throw those bags away after first use. I can usually get two cups of tea out of each bag, and then I throw them in the fridge. When I have two bags (usually in 2 days), I use them over my eyes during a 20 minute prayer/ downtime during the day to help mitigate computer eye fatigue. The caffeine remaining in the bags causes blood vessels to constrict, and tea itself has antioxidant properties, and also contains astringent-like compounds which may help tighten skin around the eyes. I’m sure it doesn’t hurt to have that added exposure to the frankincense in the tea bag too!😉
Other ways to support optimal eye health include:
👀Wear sunglasses that block UV rays
👀Avoid excessive exposure to computer (and phone) screens and/or use blue light blocking glasses during extended screen time exposure.
👀Don’t smoke. Just don’t.
👀Get regular eye exams and be vigilant about recognizing any changes in eye performance or visible changes in the eye.
👀Make sure you are getting plenty of fresh air and oxygen.
👀Use quality skin care products and makeup. #ThanksYL ! Our toxin load matters, even in eye health!
👀Stay well hydrated (the eye is about 95% water, so you may imagine how chronic dehydration could affect eyesight and eye health).
I Often hear the argument that eating well and supplementing is just too expensive. My response will always be this: We can pay for our health proactively or reactively by paying the farmer👩🔧 up front, or the pharmacist👩⚕️ later… but either way, we will pay. If the choice is to “wait and see”, it will likely become more than only financial burden. I plan to enjoy my golden years doing all the things I love to do instead of spending time in doctor and therapy appointments, taking medications that may inhibit living a fully vibrant life, and consenting to someone else managing my personal health. The choice is ultimately ours to make.
xoxo~ liz
#sharingiscaring
#supportyourlocalpeepers
#YouAreTheCEOofYou
#goodmedicine
#goodmedicineisproactiveinsteadofreactive
#thanksYL
#Godgaveusallweneedinthegarden
