As surprising as this may sound, February, the month having the most ‘love’ days is actually one of the months that sees the maximum number of break ups. Facebook data analyzed by British journalist David McCandless proves the same. Yes, we have our facts in place. So, in case you were at the receiving end of a dumping after a short stint, or have been truly left heartbroken after a long relationship, you need to know that the break up isn’t the worst thing that can happen to you. Infact, this is the time when you start paying attention to your most important asset- your health.
Just like any other mammal on the planet, we are a species who develop habits through our lifespan. Some good, while others more damaging to the body, be it on an emotional level, or physical. When we experience an event that results in us becoming sad or stressed, like a break up, defeat in a game or a business loss for example, it results in a lot of biochemical changes in the body. These biochemical changes happen as a result of certain hormones that are secreted in those situations. It is these hormones that are actually responsible for how we would further respond to situations and will also determine our physical well-being.
Source: Quantum Wellness
Coming back to where we started, when an individual has to part ways with a loved one, the emotional stress caused by this event results in the adrenal glands secreting ‘Cortisol’, the ‘stress hormone’ to help the body cope up with the stress. When the body identifies stress, it cannot differentiate between the different types, and hence the Cortisol makes more glucose available to the body for utilization. For the brain, this stress is equivalent to that being produced when one might be on the battlefield, requiring more energy to survive and fight. But the stress because of a break up in turn results in the increase of more body fat as the glucose in reality remains unutilized. Most of the stressors today are self-created and we as a society did not suffer from so much stress before and thus remained healthier. The outcome- lethargy, feeling demotivated and a total lack of drive to accomplish anything fruitful.
If you want to know more about hormones and their functions, feel free to reach out to me. I want to keep this short and crisp.
Now the question arises, how do we control this hormone response or how can we stop it altogether? Well, the answers lie with you. Just like we have ‘stress hormones’, we have ‘feel good hormones’ as well. We may not be able to control the stress because we cannot control the mind to think a certain way because that’s just how every individual is wired. But we can certainly make the ‘feel good hormones’ battle it out with the stress hormones. Introducing, nutrition & exercise, the two secrets to a long and healthy life. Yes you obviously knew this was coming but let’s learn more about what kind of effects they have on the body.
Getting High On The Right Kind Of Drugs: Food
Serotonin can be released into blood stream if we eat the right kind of foods and this must include foods that you enjoy (always remember though, the healthier version of your favorite food is the best option). For me, it could be a vegan Mexican rice bowl, oh I know it can elevate my mood like anything. Chocolates are supposed to work well in this case, but look for dark chocolates that offer little to no artificial/processed sweeteners at all.
Cheap Thrills: Exercise
Endorphins come into the picture when we exercise.
Pro Tip - you do not need to go to the gym when you think of exercising; this can be anything from jogging, cycling, swimming to playing cricket/football or just dancing.
The Best ‘Dope’ You Can Ever Score: Sleep
Dopamine is another such hormone released viz. when we eat right, exercise, meditate, listen to music and inculcate good habits like getting enough sleep or taking the right nutritional supplements. All the above mentioned hormones trigger a positive feeling in the body, similar to that of morphine, they affect the mood and suppress the feeling of depression and pain. Bottom line is, that these hormones influence your mood and feeling of reward and motivation.
No one can transform themselves overnight or even in a matter of days, but you can definitely start working towards a bigger goal by inculcating these positive changes that result in the body releasing the good hormones. Once you start feeling positive and motivated, the rest will follow because we all know, what all the human body is capable of if we just eat nutritious food and exercise (based on what science says and not what the industry wants us to believe).
Have a query about nutrition or just want to talk about your eating choices? Just drop it on my Whatsapp and i'll get back to you.