50 Shades of Green Challenge day 20 time to lift our mood!

Our brains “reward” us by releasing serotonin and endorphins when we eat sugar or other refined carbs. These mood-enhancing "feel good" neurotransmitters explain why some feel such an intense emotional connection to sugar. If you have lower natural levels of serotonin or endorphins then you might just be more vulnerable to sugar cravings. Eating sugar fuels your desire and makes you feel good after the release of the seratonin. Then....you crash and it starts all over again.

Rather than a handful of M&Ms after lunch I grab kiwi instead. Sweet and green so perfect for my challenge. If your Dopamine levels tank then you will experience seasonal affective disorder. Bummer! Dopamine is linked to the reward pathway of the brain. Let's lift our Seratonin and Dopamine levels naturally. I will stick to aromatherapy. There are many studies that point to citrus oils, specifically lemon and bergamot that have significant improvement in seratonin levels. I can attest to This and state that it helps me every time! You really need to get a diffuser machine and down citrus oils. Let me help you figure out the best way to do that.

​Komori, T., Fujiwara, R., Tanida, M., & Nomura, J. (1995). Potential antidepressant effects of lemon odor in rats. European Neuropsychopharmacology, 5, 477–480.