Did You Know You Can Boost Your Mood Naturally?
Smell the skin of an orange for a natural mood booster. Studies have shown that orange essential oil helps boost mood and alertness, and can reduce anxiety. If you don’t keep the fresh fruit on hand, buy some bottled oil and dab a drop on each wrist or massage into your temples for the same effect.
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Oats are one easy way to load up on fiber. Since fiber also helps fill you up, it may reduce the risk of middle-age weight gain when combined with other smart nutrition choices. And skincare products that include oats will help soothe irritated skin and smooth rough skin, helping you look younger. Oats contain many powerful antioxidants, including avenanthramides. These compounds may help reduce blood pressure and provide other benefits.
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According to MRI scans, the hippocampus—the part of the brain in charge of learning and memory—thickens after only a couple of months of mindful meditation. Brain-cell density also decreases in the amygdala (responsible for fear, anxiety, and stress). Those physical brain changes can alter your mood and are good for a healthy body.
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These little green nuts are super high in anti-aging nutrients (like proteins, healthy dietary fats, copper, phosphorous, vitamin E, vitamin B6, lutein and manganese, plus antioxidants). And they have a major one up on other nuts — they come in a shell. According to a study published in the journal Appetite, subjects consumed 41 percent fewer calories when in-shell nuts are offered compared to those already shelled. So get crackin’!
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Strong, healthy relationships are important throughout your life. Your social ties with family members, friends, neighbors, coworkers, and others impact your mental, emotional, and even physical well-being.“We can’t underestimate the power of a relationship in helping to promote well-being,” says NIH psychologist and relationship expert Dr. Valerie Maholmes. Studies have found that having a variety of social relationships may help reduce stress and heart-related risks. Strong social ties are even linked to a longer life. On the other hand, loneliness and social isolation are linked to poorer health, depression, and increased risk of early death.
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Taking the time to feel gratitude may improve your emotional well-being by helping you cope with stress. Early research suggests that a daily practice of gratitude could affect the body, too. For example, one study found that gratitude was linked to fewer signs of heart disease. The first step in any gratitude practice is to reflect on the good things that have happened in your life. These can be big or little things. It can be as simple as scoring a good parking space that day or enjoying a hot mug of coffee. Or, perhaps you feel grateful for a close friend’s compassionate support. Next, allow yourself a moment to enjoy that you had the positive experience, no matter what negatives may exist in your life. Let positive feelings of gratitude bubble up. . . . Practicing gratitude is part of a set of skills that her research team encourages people to practice. These skills have been shown to help some people increase their positive emotions.
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Researchers have found a myriad of instances when a coffee habit may have some protective health benefits. Aside from the caffeine giving you an early-morning energy buzz, [coffee’s] high levels of antioxidants can help protect your body from damage caused by free radicals, as well as fight off disease. The list of potential diseases and conditions that are less common in coffee drinkers is long. Caffeinated coffee is associated with lowering the risks for certain cancers and liver disease. . . . Daily consumption of three cups of coffee, whether caffeinated or decaffeinated, was associated with a 17 lower risk for all-cause mortality compared to no coffee intake. Caffeinated coffee also conveyed lower risks for cardiovascular disease and stroke with the highest benefits being seen in those consuming between three to five cups per day.
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Keeping fit actually does wonders for your brain. Exercise helps lower stress, regulates your blood sugar and improves blood flow. . . . British nonagenarian, Charles Eugster, says he only took up exercise in his 80s but now runs competitively. He works out at least three times a week, doing weights, running and rowing, which has resulted in what he likes to call his “beach body.”
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Avocados are high in healthy fats. These fats benefit many functions in your body, including the health of your skin. Getting enough of these fats is essential to keep skin flexible and moisturized. . . . Preliminary evidence also shows that avocados contain compounds that may protect your skin from sun damage. UV damage to your skin can cause wrinkles and other signs of aging.
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Birthday girl Flossie Dickey became a viral internet sensation on her 110th birthday when she wasn’t interested in being interviewed by a TV crew. It seems she’d rather be sleeping. Dickey said she naps as often as she can, which is also one of the habits of the people in Ikaria, Greece. The small island has been dubbed a “Blue Zone” where an unusual number of people live to 100. Researchers say it’s not uncommon to see shops close up around midday so people can indulge in a little restful shuteye. Naps are said to help give you a second wind to stay productive and also they help give you a break from the stresses of daily life.
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