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Showing posts with label Brain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brain. Show all posts

Sunday 28 January 2024

A Vitamin a day for your brain: Multivitamin supplements may improve memory and slow cognitive aging in older people

Researchers find evidence that daily multivitamin supplements improve memory and slow cognitive aging in older adults

A daily multivitamin supplement may not only improve memory, but also delay cognitive aging in older people, according to a vast study involving over 5,000 American adults, 500 of whom were monitored physically for two years. These findings could make it possible to preserve the brain health of older people at lower cost.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that over 55 million people have dementia worldwide, with Alzheimer’s disease accounting for 60 per cent to 70 per cent of cases.

According to the organisation’s estimates, with an aging population, this figure is set to rise exponentially in the coming years, reaching 152 million people by 2050.

This public health problem has a cost — estimated to be more than US$818 billion (RM3.8 trillion) annually in 2017 — and which could more than double by 2030.

This also weighs heavily on carers, the people who support loved ones with disabilities or loss of independence. This gives researchers all the more reason to focus on finding sustainable solutions for preserving the cognitive functions of older people.

This is the aim of the Cocoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (Cosmos), a large-scale study conducted in the USA (21,442 participants aged 60 and over) to determine the impact of different types of dietary supplements on cardiovascular health, cancer and other diseases.

For this latest instalment, researchers at Mass General Brigham focused more specifically on the effectiveness (or otherwise) of taking one multivitamin supplement per day, compared to a placebo, on memory and overall cognition. They followed 573 participants in person for two years, and also evaluated the results of a combined analysis of three different studies.

“Cognitive decline is among the top health concerns for most older adults, and a daily supplement of multivitamins has the potential as an appealing and accessible approach to slow cognitive aging,” said the study’s first author, Chirag Vyas, quoted in a news release.


Slowing global cognitive aging by around two years 


Published in  The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the research was conducted in two phases. The clinical study first showed “a modest benefit” for daily multivitamin intake, compared to the placebo, on global cognition over the two years of follow-up, but “a statistically significant benefit” on episodic memory.

But it was the meta-analysis that highlighted “strong evidence of benefits for both global cognition and episodic memory.” All this led the researchers to suggest that taking a multivitamin every day was effective in slowing overall cognitive aging by the equivalent of around two years, again compared to taking a placebo. 

“The meta-analysis of three separate cognition studies provides strong and consistent evidence that taking a daily multivitamin, containing more than 20 essential micronutrients, helps prevent memory loss and slow down cognitive aging,” explains Chirag Vyas. 

Senior author, Olivia Okereke, concludes: “These findings will garner attention among many older adults who are, understandably, very interested in ways to preserve brain health, as they provide evidence for the role of a daily multivitamin in supporting better cognitive aging.”

A previous COSMOS study looked at the benefits of cocoa flavanols on cognitive function. Researchers then reported that taking a daily supplement of cocoa extracts had no benefit on cognitive function, except in people with a poor-quality diet. — ETX Studio



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Friday 19 May 2023

Overwhelmed with everything around you? There's no shame in seeking help

 A good warning sign to seek help is when one feels too overwhelmed with negative emotions and hopelessness as well as helplessness.

Depression: How a growth mindset and good social support can...


Depression takes a hefty physical, emotional and mental toll on its patients. — 123rf.com

 

"I AM so depressed; the store does not have my dress size."

"So depressing, I missed the first part of the show.”

We often hear statements where the term "depression" is used loosely, almost callously. Many assume it is synonymous with feeling sad.

But sadness is an emotion everyone experiences after a stressful life event, which is followed by the ability to get on with their lives. Depression, on the other hand, is a common mood disorder. People suffering from depression often experience persistent sadness and loss of interest which impair their daily functional ability.

In a depressed person, certain chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters become imbalanced. These neurotransmitters are responsible for stabilising our mood, helping us focus and get proper sleep, among others.


Globally, 3.8% of the population suffer from depression, according to a 2023 estimation by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Invisible pain


Y, a middle-aged businessman, had lost everything in a bad business deal. Gradually, his wealthy friends vanished from his life.

His mood was low most of the time, he isolated himself, lost his appetite as well as weight, and hardly slept. He lost confidence and was not motivated to get back on his feet.

It was only when he started expressing death wishes that his family brought him to seek treatment. With medication, psychotherapy (talk therapy) and good family support, he bounced back, started a new business and succeeded.

A person suffering from depression has low mood most of the days, for at least two weeks. This may be accompanied by feeling tired all the time, loss of interest in the activities they used to enjoy, loss of appetite and weight (some may overeat and gain weight).

In addition, one may suffer poor quality or excessive sleep, isolate themselves from their loved ones, lose interest in sexual activities, suffer from low self-confidence and feel unworthy.

Other common symptoms are loss of hope, loss of focus and concentration, memory impairment as well as having body aches and pains.

Worst-case scenario


The fatal consequence of depression is suicide. If a depressed person expresses suicidal ideation or intent, do not ignore this plea for help.

Do not wait till your loved one expresses death wishes to seek medical treatment. It might be too late. Depression is a treatable condition and suicide can be prevented if early action is taken. Being depressed is not a sign of weakness. There is nothing to be ashamed about being depressed.

Depression can occur as a result of any overwhelming life events, for example, after delivery of a baby or post retirement. Many who are diagnosed with chronic medical illness suffer from depression as well.

The risk of developing depression is higher if one has a family history of depression, poor coping skills, or poor family or social support. Depression is also common among the elderly, especially those who live alone.

As depression can make one forgetful, families often think they are suffering from dementia. Young children can suffer from depression too.

Dr Gayathri says adherence to treatment protocol is imperative for recovery. — IHH Healthcare 

Dr Gayathri says adherence to treatment protocol is imperative for recovery. — IHH Healthcare

Tailored plan


A psychiatrist or psychologist will assess the symptoms and tailor a management plan depending on the severity of the symptoms; mild, moderate or severe.

This management plan is holistic and will incorporate emotional, physical, cognitive, social as well as spiritual aspect of the patient’s life. One can lead a normal life if one adheres to the treatment protocol.

Sometimes talk therapy and having the person do the homework and exercises planned with the psychiatrist or psychologist is enough to manage depression. A psychiatrist may also suggest adding antidepressants, depending on the severity of the depression.

Contrary to popular belief, antidepressants are not addictive. One may not necessarily need long-term antidepressant treatment, except in more complex situations.

A glitch in the management of depression is that many become non-adherent the moment they start feeling better.

There is a duration that one must adhere to in order to complete the course of treatment as the neurotransmitter levels may not have stabilised, even though one has started to feel better.

Some patients look up their symptoms online and come up with self-diagnosis. This is not advisable.

If you are looking for information on depression, or any health condition for that matter, check out only credible websites or you may end up being misinformed.

To help look out for your loved ones suffering from depression, do not downplay their symptoms nor tell them to snap out of it.

Support them. Make sure they get help as soon as possible. The earlier the treatment, the better the outcome.

Stigma towards mental illness is terribly outdated yet many are still clinging to this notion. There is no need to suffer in silence. Seek professional help. Do not risk your health and happiness at the expense of other people’s perception of you.

By Dr Gayathri K. Kumarasuriar is a consultant psychiatrist at a private hospital in Melaka.

Those suffering from mental health issues or contemplating suicide can reach out to the Mental Health Psychosocial Support Service (03-2935 9935 or 014-322 3392); Talian Kasih (15999 or 019-261 5999 on WhatsApp); Jakim’s Family, Social and Community care centre (011-1959 8214 on WhatsApp); and Befrienders Kuala Lumpur (03-7627 2929, go to www.befrienders.org.my/centre-in- malaysia for a full list of numbers and operating hours, or email sam@befrienders.org.my).

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Saturday 6 May 2023

Self-confidence after middle age is not in the "brain" but in the "feet'

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Tell everyone: Self-confidence after middle age is not in the "brain" but in the "feet".

"Legs Feet"

Issues that the elderly must pay attention to: 

1. As we get older, our feet and legs must always remain strong.

2. When we get old, we shouldn't worry about our hair turning gray or our skin sagging or wrinkled.

3. Among the signs of "longevity," strong leg muscles are listed as the most important and fundamental muscles, as outlined in the American Journal of Prevention.

4. If you do not move your legs for two weeks, your leg strength will decrease for 10 years.

5. A study by the University of Copenhagen in Denmark found that, regardless of age, within two weeks of "inactivity", the strength of leg muscles will be weakened by one-third, which is equivalent to aging for 20 to 30 years.

6. As our leg muscles weaken, it will take a long time to recover even as we rehab and exercise.

7. Therefore, regular exercise (such as walking) is very important.

8. The weight (load) of the entire body remains on the legs.

9. The foot is a kind of "pillar" that bears the weight of the human body. Interestingly, 50% of a person's body weight is in the bones, and 50% of the bones are in the two legs.

10. The largest and strongest joints and bones in the human body are also in the legs.

11. The "iron triangle" formed by strong bones, strong muscles and flexible joints carries the most important load on the human body.

12. 70% of human activities and energy burning in life are completed by two feet.

13. Did you know? When a man is young, his thighs are strong enough to lift a small car!

14. "Legs and feet" are the center of body movement.

15. The two legs have 50% of the nerves of the human body, 50% of the blood vessels and 50% of the blood flowing through them.

16. This is the large circulatory network that connects the body.

17. When the feet and legs are healthy, the regular blood flow goes on smoothly, so people with muscular legs will definitely have a "strong heart".

18. The "aging" of the human body starts from the feet first, and then develops upwards.

19. As we grow older, the accuracy and speed of the transmission of instructions between the brain and the legs decrease, which is completely different from that of young people.

20. With the passage of time, the calcium of bones will be lost sooner or later, making the elderly more prone to fractures.

21. After the bone fracture of the elderly, it is easy to cause a series of complications, especially fatal diseases, such as cerebral thrombosis.

22. Did you know that 15% of the elderly will die within a year once their thigh is broken!

23. It's never too late to exercise your legs, even after 60 or older.

24. Although our feet and legs will bi gradually age over time, exercising our feet and legs is a lifelong task. . 🤷🏻‍♂. 🧠👂👁️..🥂 

 

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Friday 10 March 2023

Discard bad attitude first

I REFER to the report “Eliminating single-use plastics by 2030 seen as an uphill battle” (The Star, March 6; online at https://bit.ly/3f5ppoo - see links below).

I am concerned about this repeated call for banning plastics because, whether we like it or not, humans now and in the future cannot live without it.

Single-use plastic materials are important in many human industries, including food, medicines, clothing, and cosmetics.

The root cause of plastic pollution is not the single-use plastics but human behaviour. Humans are throwing away plastic waste indiscriminately due to lack of education and conscience. They do not see that what they are throwing away will flow through the drains and rivers into the sea, where they can be consumed by marine life and then enter the human body as microplastics.

The plastic soups floating on the surface of oceans these days were generated by humans. They are destroying the marine ecosystem and will impact on humanity in the not too distant future.

The correct way to manage plastics use is to establish a holistic control mechanism in a circular economy.

Countries that have successfully managed the use of plastics did it by educating their young from kindergarten to primary school to use these products responsibly. Their children grew up with a strong sense of responsibility and conscience to save planet Earth.

Children must be educated with a well-designed curriculum to understand what plastics can do to destroy their environment and life.

At present, our anti-litter law is quite broad, hence legislation that specifically covers use of plastics is needed. This new law should include provisions requiring shopkeepers to place signs to notify all customers of the consequence of disposing plastics irresponsibly and also provide instructions on proper disposal of plastics.

Enacting a new law on extended producer responsibility (EPR), as proposed by the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF), should also be seriously considered. Among the provisions of this law should be the collection of a levy from plastics producers and retailers. This levy could be parked under an environmental agency such as the Department of Environment, which should be adequately staffed with well-trained environmental ambassadors and enforcers who are deployed nationwide.

The department could use the levy to fund its operations, including installation of CCTVS at strategic locations such as back lanes of shops, known dump sites in industrial areas and construction sites.

The levy can also be used to finance or subsidise local councils to change from manual to robotic systems of waste management. Compared to manual systems, robotic systems can be mobilised 24/7.

The levy can also be used to subsidise the setting-up of plastics recycling facilities to separate the plastic waste according to their generic types (e.g. polyethylene, polystyrene, polycarbonate, polypropylene, and polyacrylates) and perform mechanical and/or chemical treatments to recover the plastics. Many existing plastics recycling facilities are conducting waste treatment using conventional methods that may be environmentally hazardous or generate more untreatable waste.

The levy can be used to assist such industries to upgrade to newer technologies such as robotic systems and mechanical recycling systems that are more environmentally-friendly.

It is important that a circular economy is enabled to benefit all parties– from plastics manufacturers to consumers, and recycling operators to the government. More new jobs could also be created.

My views may not be acceptable to the many who want to ban plastics, but I hope those who want a good quality of life without damaging the environment may benefit from them.

By IR MAX ONG Selangor 

(The writer is a Society for the Environment UK chartered environmentalist, and Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining, UK chartered materials engineer.) 

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Monday 6 March 2023

Obesity is more complex than just overeating , Not just fat

 In conjunction with World Obesity Day yesterday, we take a look at how the understanding of this condition of excess weight has evolved.

We need to avoid weight bias where we make the assumption that people are obese solely because of their own choices. — Photos: 123rf.com

For as long as she could remember, Jane had always been plus-sized.

As a child, her family doted upon her as she was never picky about food and would eat anything given to her.

In school, she was always physically bigger compared to the rest of her peers.

She was often teased by her friends for her body size, but she was constantly reassured by her family that she was just “big-boned”, just like the rest of her siblings and family members.

However, by the time she reached young adulthood, she started feeling more self-conscious about her body size and embarked upon multiple cycles of crash dieting and exercise regimes.

She successfully lost weight a few times; however, each time she lost weight, she would eventually lapse into bouts of uncontrollable binge-eating.

As a result, she constantly struggled to keep the weight off and would always gain back the weight she lost, if not more.

With time, she became resigned to the fact that she was probably fated to be fat for life.

This led to body image issues, self-blaming, and even clinical depression that negatively affected her life and relationships.

The scale of the problem

Jane is not exactly a real person, but her story is very real – a coalescence of the lives of many people struggling with weight issues everywhere.

The global obesity epidemic, aptly coined “globesity”, is arguably one of the most important public health concerns of the late 20th and early 21st century.

As of 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that 650 million adults worldwide were obese.

According to the World Obesity Atlas, these numbers are expected to increase, with the global obese population projected to breach the one billion mark by 2030.

It is also no longer news to us that Malaysia is effectively the fattest country in the region.

The 2019 National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) reported that one in two Malaysian adults were either overweight (30.4%) or obese (19.7%), and one in three Malaysian children were overweight (15.0%) and obese (14.8%).

On top of this, if we account for the rampant weight gain seen during the Covid-19 movement control order, the current true numbers of obese people in Malaysia is likely even higher.

Traditionally, being overweight and obese has been viewed as a risk factor that increases an individual’s chances of developing metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure), cardiovascular (heart) disease, obstructive sleep apnoea, and musculoskeletal disorders such as osteoarthritis, among others.

This fact still very much holds true today.

However, in 2014, the American Medical Association declared obesity as a disease state in itself.

This actually had very far-reaching implications.

It effectively changed the way we view obesity – as more than just excessive fat deposition contributing to other diseases.

Obesity itself is now seen as a disease state that requires formal medical attention, proper treatment plans and prevention efforts.

The complexity of obesity

Experts worldwide have been calling for measures to be taken to curb this growing issue for decades, but the rates of obesity have continued to rise regardless.

The idea that obesity is a disease of the brain is gaining traction among scientists as the hypothalamus (in yellow) plays a key role in regulating our appetite and metabolism..The idea that obesity is a disease of the brain is gaining traction among scientists as the hypothalamus (in yellow) plays a key role in regulating our appetite and metabolism.>>

This is because obesity is a very complex issue with a lot of interconnected causes.

In the past, it was assumed that as our society became richer, we had to physically work less to get our food and this led to over-nourishment.

However, we now know that it is overly simplistic to think that obesity develops as a result of an individual just “eating too much”.

Instead, there are often multiple factors beyond our control that contribute to an individual developing obesity.

For example, people who come from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds may not have the financial privilege of accessing healthy food options.

They may also not be educated enough to choose better quality food with their available resources.

Children born into these families with a history of obesity have higher chances of developing obesity later on in life.

This is partly contributed by genetic factors, as well as enduring lifestyle habits inculcated from a young age that may be difficult to change.

Obesity is also closely linked to the development of mood disorders such as depression and anxiety.

People suffering from depression also have a higher chance of developing eating disorders that subsequently lead to obesity.

A lot of these factors form vicious cycles that span generations.

On a population scale, we are living in an increasingly “obesogenic environment”.

This refers to the multiple physical, economic and sociocultural factors that collectively contribute to the development of an obese population.

For example, our built environment promotes a sedentary lifestyle.

Our roads are hardly pedestrian or bicycle-friendly.

Our public transportation system is not optimised, as the lack of last-mile connectivity remains a major hindrance for many.

As a result, most Malaysians are heavily dependent on motorised vehicles to get around, rather than walking or cycling.

Globalisation and industrialisation of the food supply chain have made ultra-processed foods more common now than ever.

Ultra-processed foods refer to those that have gone through a series of industrial processes, often with ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup, modified oils, food colouring and other additives to make the final product hyper-palatable.

These foods are commonly high in calories and easily over-consumed.

They are generally mass-produced and marketed by large companies, and are often much cheaper and more readily available compared to whole, nutritious food options.

As we start to understand more about obesity, it has become increasingly clear that it is, in essence, a disease of the brain.

The hypothalamus located in the brain plays a key role in regulating our appetite and metabolism.

The satiety centre in the hypothalamus is largely responsible for controlling our sensation of hunger.

When an individual develops obesity, the accumulation of excessive fat tissue actually leads to a host of hormonal changes within the body.

These hormonal changes not only suppress the satiety centre and increase hunger, but also slow down our metabolism rate.

Essentially, our body has a weight “setpoint”, and will try to revert to this setpoint despite our best efforts.

These underlying biological mechanisms are largely out of our voluntary control.

They also explain why people with obesity who embark on lifestyle changes to lose weight tend to hit a plateau after an initial weight loss.

In fact, after some time, they may regain some of the weight they lost initially.

Weight bias

The easy availability and affordability of ultra-processed foods is part of the obesogenic environment that makes it easy to gain excess weight. — TNS 
The easy availability and affordability of ultra-processed foods is part of the obesogenic environment that makes it easy to gain excess weight. — TNS

It is precisely because of these underlying complexities that we should be careful not to indulge in weight bias.

Weight bias, or weight stigma, refers to negative attitudes, beliefs and judgments toward individuals who are overweight and obese.

In other words, we have to avoid the over-simplistic assumption that people with obesity are the way they are as a result of their “poor life choices”.

This stigma is very common because body weight is a physical characteristic that is visible and is often the first thing we notice about a person.

Studies have shown that even doctors are guilty of weight bias.

These can range from explicit behaviours, such as outright fat-shaming and teasing, to implicit beliefs, such as seeing someone who carries excessive weight and immediately considering them to be lazy, undisciplined or unmotivated.

Shaming individuals with weight-related issues does not motivate positive behavioural changes.

Instead, it often leads to the development of unhealthy behaviours such as compulsive exercise, as well as eating disorders such as cycling between extreme fasting or dieting, and episodes of binge eating.

Worse still, when this becomes internalised, an individual believes that they deserve the stigma and discriminatory treatment because of their weight.

Internalised weight bias is strongly associated with unhealthy eating patterns, poor body image, low self-esteem and depression.

Striking a balance

Conversely, this by no means indicates that we should normalise obesity or dismiss the deleterious health effects associated with it.

Instead, an individual’s body fat excess needs to be objectively taken into context as one part of their overall health.

The body positivity movement promotes acceptance of all body types, shapes and sizes, and not assigning self-worth solely to outward appearances.

This need not be mutually exclusive with taking obesity seriously as a public health emergency requiring urgent attention.

Over the last few decades, there have been major advances in the medical treatment of obesity.

Bariatric surgery has long been proven to be very effective, but it comes with its own set of complications.

New medications have been developed to specifically target the hormonal changes in obesity and induce very effective weight loss.

However, these medications are still very expensive and may not be widely available.

It also does not take away the fact that prevention is still better than cure.

Once established, obesity is very difficult and arduous to treat due to the reasons explained above.

Preventing obesity requires a concerted effort.

Government policies need to be drafted holistically, keeping in mind that economic and structural development often have indirect population-wide health consequences in the long run.

The food industry needs to be regulated for responsible manufacturing and marketing practices.

Society as a whole also has a collective responsibility to recognize that obesity is a disease and consciously adopt a healthy culture to address and prevent it.

The theme for World Obesity Day 2023 is “Changing Perspectives: Let’s Talk about Obesity”.

It is apt that we keep the conversation going, correct misconceptions, end stigma, and collectively shift towards a rational and sustainable strategy to tackle this perennial issue.

Dr Lim Quan Hziung is a lecturer and internal medicine physician training to become an endocrinologist at University Malaya. For more information, email starhealth@thestar.com.my. The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only, and should not be considered as medical advice. The Star does not give any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to the content appearing in this article. The Star disclaims all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information. 

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Tuesday 4 October 2022

RAISE YOUR 'HAPPINESS' HORMONE

Being in the company of loved ones will prompt the release of happiness hormones — Photos: dpa  

A homemade guacamole made from avocado not tastes good but also helps the body builds up its serotonin levels


The key to happiness is to feed your hormones. this is what you can do to help boost your serotonin levels and banish a bad mood.

WE ALL get out of bed on the wrong side some mornings: The coffee tastes bitter, the commute is exasperating, and our co-workers seem bent on getting under our skin. What’s wrong? It’s probably the day’s mixture of our body’s chemical cocktail.

Chemical messengers – neurotransmitters and hormones – determine how we feel. Neurotransmitters carry signals from one nerve cell across a small gap to the next nerve, muscle or gland cell, while hormones are conveyed via the bloodstream.

Some chemical messengers act as both neurotransmitters and hormones, interact with each other and influence our mood. Four of them – dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin and endorphins – are often dubbed “happiness hormones”.

“The ‘motivation hormone’ dopamine, for instance, is released when we tackle new tasks, are surprised or are looking forward to something positive,” says neuroscientist and author Friederike Fabritius.

Serotonin, on the other hand, is a neurotransmitter that keeps us even-keeled and content. Our body produces it when we socially interact – or feel like a winner.”

Oxytocin, for its part, is released during pleasant physical contact, while endorphins are, in effect, endogenous opioids.

A feeling of well-being depends on the mixture of the body’s chemical cocktail at a particular moment. Many of the processes involved in the production and release of feel-good chemicals are highly complex and haven’t been studied in detail. Be that as it may, is it possible to give them a boost?

Happily, the answer is yes. But if you’re looking for a magic formula, you’ll be disappointed. When it comes to hacking your happiness hormones, there’s no getting round well-known health recommendations such as exercise and sport.

“When we push our body to the limit, it releases endorphins,” says Dr Andreas Michalsen, chief physician in the Department of Internal and Naturopathic Medicine at Immanuel Hospital in Berlin. “We know this from ‘runner’s high’ and the mild euphoria that arises on the second or third day of fasting.”

Sport also elevates dopamine levels, according to Fabritius, “but not, unfortunately, when you engage in it very reluctantly.” So don’t expect to feel a high if you’ve got to drag yourself out the door in nasty weather to go for your run.

There are other ways to get a dopamine kick though: Set goals, whether personal or job-related, and work towards them. Or plan pleasant undertakings.

“Dopamine is released in anticipation of something positive,” Fabritius says. “Beforehand, in other words, when you’re planning an activity.”

Food and our mood

Diet can affect your body’s chemical messengers too. “We know that some foods don’t do people good and put a damper on their spirits,” points out Michalsen. Among them, he says, are highly processed foods with saturated fat or sugar, so fast food is bad for your mood.

Other foods are mood-enhancing. “Foods such as soya, cashews, bananas, dates, avocados, legumes, oat flakes and mozzarella contain L-tryptophan,” says Michalsen, explaining that it’s an essential amino acid – meaning it can’t be synthesised by the body and must therefore come from our diet – and helps to normalise serotonin levels.

Fermented foods such as sauerkraut, yogurt, kimchi and kombucha are beneficial as well. The reason is that many chemical messengers are produced in our gut, and these foods have a positive effect on the processes involved.

“There’s now even a branch of medicine called nutritional psychiatry,” notes Michalsen. “It studies the connections between diet, the gut microbiome and mood.

Well-being isn’t just about what you’ve got on your plate though, but also who’s at the table with you. If you’re in the company of loved ones, laughing and feeling comfortable, this will prompt the release of happiness hormones too.

 By FRANCOISE HAUSER - dpa

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