How Does Giving Thanks Affect The Brain? - Thanksgiving is a time to remember to be grateful for all that we have and for the entire year of good things we’ve reaped. In light of the many trials and tribulations this year has had for many of us, we may find ourselves wondering what there is to be grateful for? |
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Thanksgiving is a time to remember to be grateful for all that we have and for the entire year of good things we’ve reaped. In light of the many trials and tribulations this year has had for many of us, we may find ourselves wondering what there is to be grateful for?
Author: Jason T Gomez
Date: Dec 1, 2009 - 1:31:23 AM
Thanksgiving
is a time to remember to be grateful for all that we have and for the entire
year of good things we’ve reaped. In light of the many trials and tribulations
this year has had for many of us, we may find ourselves wondering what there is
to be grateful for?
However, I can
assure you there is always something to give thanks for, like for your brain
and the ability to even read this article!
Gratitude
can be used as a tool to move into a more positive state of mind and an overall
better state of brain health. Scientist have found that kind, grateful thoughts
and words cause chemical changes in the brain that work much like
antidepressants bringing on a sense of peace and calmness that would rival the
best pharmaceuticals, but best of all, its free!
In
the face of adversity, the key is to start being grateful for those little
things, be it the shoes on your feet or for someone’s kind words.
To begin, realizing and recognizing one’s
state of mind and the emotional setting one is in is critical.
This level of awareness is necessary so you
can take note and encounter your feelings and then begin to identify and change
the thoughts that brought you to that emotional state in the first place.
So,
when I notice my shoulder’s tightening up and I’m snapping at my co-workers or
family it’s a clear sign that I’m not in the emotional place I want to be.
Taking note and acknowledging how I’m feeling
is the segue for self-reflection and noticing what thoughts brought me to the
frustration I may be feeling and being okay with it.
Then
I can easily and safely transition into a different state of mind and emotional
space by adjusting my thoughts from the worry of some future event to the small
things I’m grateful that I failed to notice because I was too busy pumping
toxic thoughts through mind.
No wonder I
felt stressed!
Here
is where gratitude and thankfulness play a huge role, these thoughts
automatically trigger a different neurological pattern that is more associated
with calmness and wellness.
So give it a
try, next time you notice yourself stressing…accept and acknowledge, identify
and segue, and replace and run healthy thoughts through your mind so you can
positively influence and affect your brain for the better!
WHAT
ABOUT TURKEY, IS IT BRAIN FOOD?
Ever
wonder why you feel tired after eating turkey on Thanksgiving? The popular
answer is that turkey contains a lot of Tryptophan, right?
Well, this is only partially true.
Tryptophan
is an amino acid converted by the brain to 5-HTP, then to Serotonin, which in
turn is converted into Melatonin.
This
is great because it assists sleep, clearly plays a role in balancing mood and
sleep patterns and has also shown benefits for a variety of disorders, including
anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, migraine headaches, back pain, weight
loss and sleep disturbances.
But
you can’t blame your Thanksgiving drowsiness solely on Turkey.
The high load of heavy carbohydrates that go
along with the turkey is also to blame. The key here, is to eat the other foods
that are even higher in Tryptophan like Tofu, Black and English Walnuts,
Almonds, Sesame Seeds, Roasted Pumpkin Seeds, and Gluten flour.
These are going to give you more of what you
really want from the meal (a nice healthy nights rest) and less of what you
don’t want (a gut-busting Thanksgiving hangover!).
Surprisingly
the best source of Tryptophan is in a 5-HTP supplement. Why?
Well,
Tryptophan needs a transport molecule to pass the blood brain barrier. Whole
foods contain other amino acids besides Tryptophan and so compete for the
transport molecule, so very little of the Tryptophan is able to get through to
the brain.
So if you’re looking to
increase your amount of tryptophan than a nice 5-HTP supplement may be in
order.
So,
this Thanksgiving try being grateful in thoughts as well as in action and words
and eat less of the carbs and more of the things that are going to help your
brain stay nice and healthy.
Written by Jason
Thomas Gomez, Director of Marketing Communications and Client Care and CC
Chapman, Trainer and Nutritionist at BrainHarmony Biofeedback Center in Newport
Beach.
BrainHarmony,
Inc, is an industry leader in the area of Brain Fitness. Our training center is
powered by Brain State Technologies, a developer of state of the art software
and technology that combines traditional EEG Biofeedback / Neurofeedback with a
non-evasive approach to balancing, harmonizing, and optimizing the brain.
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