Protein Sandwich Spread AND Hormones-MOOD Connection

Have you noticed you aren't the same person you were when you were
younger? Are you going through menopause? Do you have estrogen dominance or low progesterone? Well, hormones have receptors throughout the brain and effect how our neurotransmitters (serotonin, dopamine, GABA, acetylcholine and norepinephrine) work.

Norepinephrine is a neurotransmitter that is considered part of our "flight or fight" response. It is found mostly in the amygdala, which is a central processing place of our brain responsible for anxiety. There are about 12,000 neurons that are sensitive to norepinephrine. This "anti-anxiety" neurotransmitter helps with stressful events; it raises blood pressure, speeds up the metabolism, raises body temperature, affects the lungs, tells our adrenal (stress) hormones to appear, and makes us more focused and alert. This is a healthy response when we are in danger, BUT, if you have a very stressful life or are dealing with a tragedy and are constantly pushing out norepinephrine, you WILL run out and this is detrimental to our adrenal hormones, thyroid and mental health.

NOREPINEPHRINE
When norepinephrine levels stay high for too long, we become irritable, anxious, and short tempered. This can lead to a panic attack out of the blue...blood pressure and heart rate go up, blood vessels and lungs constrict, shortness of breath and dizziness occurs, and the digestive system shuts down.

Healthy doses of norepinephrine during the day is great to keep us focused and alert. But in a stressful life, this high level at night, disturbs proper REM sleep (which I write a lot about in the book: Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism. The terrible effects of little to no REM sleep can have serious long-term issues on our weight (our leptin receptors become resistant), mood (serotonin will suffer when melatonin suffers) and our cells (which become damaged and can lead to fibromyalgia or other cellular disorders).

Norepinephrine also determines if you suffer from hot flashes or not. The luteinizing hormone signals the ovaries, which are slowing down to a hault during menopause. These signals causes a rise in the hypothalamus which regulates the body's temperature and sleep. Norepinephrine goes into overdrive because the ovaries aren't listening...this is very bad because the signals will cause hot flashes and inhibit the brain to get into REM sleep. You may be passed out, but the act of REM sleep isn't happening; in the morning you feel groggy, depressed and tired.

On the flip side, if norepinephrine levels are low, depression is likely to set in. The main principle of tricyclic antidepressants is to produce proper levels of norepinephrine. Scientists can't study mice when it comes to depression because they can't produce norepinephrine and therefore, don't respond to antidepressants! Interesting, huh!

ESTROGEN
There are 3 types of estrogen. The first one is made only when pregnant, the second one is made from our ovaries and the 3rd source is the unhealthy estrogen that causes belly fat. This comes from external sources(commercial soaps, alcohol, excess insulin, hormones in food...). It is clear that a lack of healthy estrogen that comes from our ovaries, estradiol, has a huge effect on our moods. Six days after ovaries are removed, there is a huge disconnect in the part of the brain that use norepinephrine. The adrenal glands also produce norepinephrine, so taking care of our adrenal system is important. Sleep, yoga and relaxing are a few examples of how we can take care of our adrenal system.

Most people understand me when I bring up serotonin. Serotonin receptors are found in the intestines, blood vessels and the central nervous system. In the intestines, it makes food move through faster; low serotonin = slow bowl movements and often inability to go #2 everyday (probiotics are essential to consume for a healthy serotonin level in the brain, especially after antiobiotics, a colonoscopy, or a cleanse or stress). In the blood vessels, serotonin increases constriction and blood pressure which results in migraines or headaches. The central nervous system actually runs from our intestines to our brain, which again is why probiotics in the intestines help build serotonin.

High serotonin levels lower appetite, which is why I recommend 5-HTP for my dieters who aren't on an antidepressant...it makes dieting so much easier because it keeps cravings at bay while also increasing REM sleep.

Low serotonin levels cause disturbed sleep, lack of pleasure with our lives, high carbohydrate cravings, urinary urgency (low serotonin = increase in bladder contraction), and can lead to more serious issues like depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, and suicide.

When I bring up GABA to clients, their face often goes blank. This is a fairly unfamiliar brain neurotransmitter. BUT, when I tell them it is our 'anti-anxiety' and emotional eating brain chemical, they often give me a look like "that is ME!" GABA is "nature's valium" that helps us fall asleep. Anti-anxiety drugs such as Valium, Ativan, and Xanax interact with GABA receptors. If we have enough GABA, we feel calm. But if we lack GABA we start to feel anxious, we often can't stop eating after one serving and we have a hard time falling asleep because our mind is racing about what happened that day or what we need to accomplish the next day.

Estrogen affects all the neurotransmitters but it is most important for serotonin. Estrogen boosts serotonin by both making more of it and keeping it around after it's made. So that's likely to be the reason that estrogen increases mood and enhances healthy sleep patterns. The hippocampus of the brain connects emotions and memory and shrinks when someone is depressed. Estrogen, however, boosts the health of the hippocampus and helps fight depression.

To balance estrogen, I suggest supplementing with a pure progesterone cream (I like Progest by Emerita?no additives, just wild yam). OR, you can take supplements that help the liver metabolize estrogen, such as folic acid, vitamin B6, zinc, magnesium glycinate, and my favorite: Estrofactors by Metagenics (click HERE to find).

PROGESTERONE
If you find you are low on progesterone, adding in a pure progesterone cream helps boost moods by increasing dopamine (the pleasure neurotransmitter). Not only that, progesterone helps increase the essential REM sleep that is needed to balance all of our hormones (leptin, ghrelin, thyroid, adrenal). This is why pregnant women with high progesterone levels are sleepy and they often remember their dreams. Women with adequate progesterone also have more positive emotions than women with low progesterone. Take note that MORE isn?t always better! Don?t go out and rub Progest cream all over your body! Too much can cause water retention and lack of energy. To help with depression, use a lower dose of progesterone cream. For anxiety, use a bit more, or switch from a cream to an oral source.

These suggestions aren?t going to cure everyone. Balancing our hormones will be enough for some, but there are certain situations where that won?t work and one will need more help. If anxiety or depression is showing up after a hysterectomy and never did before, then tinkering with hormone levels are most likely going to fix the issue.

STEPS FOR SUCCESS:
1. Don?t underestimate exercise, yoga and nature! Movement is a natural form of ?antidepressants!? My favorite thing to do is to put a book on my iphone and listen to that while I walk my boys around the block after dinner. Don?t just sit after meals?you don?t have to run, but move! It helps lower insulin (excess insulin = excess bad estrogen).

2. Depressed people often have high levels of cortisol, which the stress hormone pumped out by the adrenal glands and is responsible for belly fat in many people. In a healthy body, cortisol is released at 8 am and 4 pm and then levels drop at night. Depressed people don't cycle. Their levels stay high. So lowering stress and cortisol through exercise, meditation, and massage might help depression. Yoga is awesome because it helps with lowering stress. Stress uses up neurotransmitters.

3. Eat Protein multiple times a day: Protein has amino acids which are essential in building serotonin (tryptophan). So eating a healthy diet with enough protein multiple times a day will supply the building for healthy neurotransmitters (you can?t store protein).

4. Supplement your health! There are supplements that might help(particularly if you are taking estrogen). Probiotics are #1 with improving mood! I take THIS one everyday: ULTRA FLORA PLUS. Magnesium glycinate helps with insomnia, nervousness, restlessness, anxiety, and blood pressure. Vitamin B6 is helpful for serotonin, GABA, and dopamine (a balanced B complex is best). People who get panic attacks might be extra sensitive to caffeine, so it's good to avoid it. Anything that will help you relax(except alcohol, which really messes with hormone balance) is probably a good thing. Click HERE to find the supplements I recommend for mood imbalances.





"Healthified" Protein Spread
6 hard boiled eggs
1/2 cup organic chicken broth (or veggie broth)
1/2 tsp dried chives
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp dried dill weed
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp Celtic salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper

In a blender or a food processor (click HERE to find the one I use on sale for $30!), puree the eggs, broth, chives, parsley, dill, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving (it will thicken up as it rests). Makes 12 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per 32 gram serving)
Mayo = 100 calories, 10g fat, 0.2g protein, 2g carbs, trace fiber
"Healthified" Spread = 34 calories, 2.2g fat, 3g protein, 0.3g carbs, trace fiber

Use it in place of mayo on my CRAB BLT recipe!

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