Peace and love ๐
Silent Sunday ๐๐
Peace and love ๐
Category: mental health
10 facts on the link between poor gut health and hormonal irregularities โ
1. Poor gut health means poor metabolism, microbiome irregularities, digestive issues, chronic inflammation, built-up toxins, elevation of cortisol and hormonal issues. Therefore, a weak gut health profoundly a๏ฌects the endocrine ecosystem. On the other hand, studies have confirmed that gut microbiota can be influenced by the hormonal environment. Some studies suggest that there is a connection between gut microbiome and sex-related diseases like polycystic ovarian disease, post-menopausal osteoporosis, ovarian cancer and type-1 diabetes.
2. The gut microbiome normally maintains and regulates digestion, nutrient absorption, immune protection and hormonal regulation. In fact, a balanced gut microbiome is the key element in stabilizing hormones like oestrogen, cortisol, and insulin. When the gut microbiome and its ecosystem are in balance :
โข Digestion is smooth
โข Hormones are regulated
โข Inflammation is low
โข Mood and energy are improved
โข The estrogen level is stable
3. Trouble arises when the gut microbiome goes out of balance and gut health is disturbed; the hormonal health is impacted as well. The common issues may appear:
โข Body weight may fluctuate
โข Estrogen levels may shoot up
โข Other hormone levels may fluctuate rapidly
โข Sugar cravings increase
โข Toxin levels may rise
โข Hair fall
โข Irregular periods
โข Trouble sleeping
4. The gut microbiome and oestrogen link: A special group of gut microbiome named estrobolome maintains and regulates the oestrogen cycle in the body. The bacterium helps to clear out the excess oestrogen from the body and maintain the menstrual cycle:
When estrobolome functions properly,
โข Menstrual cycle remains regular
โข The oestrogen level is regulated
โข PMS remain under control
โข Acne and skin issues are absent
โข Bloating and gas issues are nil
When estrobolome is unhealthy,
โข Estrogen levels imbalances
โข Instead of clearing, the oestrogen recirculates in the body
โข Acne, bloating, and gas issues may arise
5. When gut health is optimised, the estrobolome produces enzymes like betaglucoronides which not only metabolise and maintain the optimal levels of oestrogen, but also help in breaking complex carbohydrates, absorption of bilirubins and flavonoids. Oestrogens are basically produced by the female ovaries and adrenal glands. In women, the hormone plays an important role in reproductive functions, regulating body fat, maintaining heart health, bone health and brain health. In men, this hormone helps to maintain libido and the maturation of sperm.
6. PCOS linked to gut health: Many women who su๏ฌer from PCOS usually have gut health issues, including slower metabolism and chronic inflammation. Other issues which are commonly seen are:
โข Blaoting, gas issues
โข Irregular digestion
โข Sugar cravingsโข High insulin levels
โข Depressions, mood swings
โข Low energy
โข Irregular periods
โข Skin issues, acne
7. Holistic health approach: To maintain stability and balance between gut health and hormonal balance, changing lifestyle habits, nutritional habits, and daily physical activity are the major steps towards this goal. Developing routine habits includes:
โข Changing nutritional habits to whole foods.
โข Timely eating habits
โข Manage routine stress
โข Mindfullness
โข Breathing techniques like Pranayama
โข Regular physical activity
โข Maintaining a sleep routine
โข Avoid the intake of unnecessary antibiotics
8. Nutrition plays a significant role in shaping gut health and maintaining hormonal stability. The important steps are:
โข Completely avoiding processed, junk, refined and sugary foods
โข Maintaining hydration, drinking plenty of water
โข Focus on whole grains, lentils, beans
โข High-fibre vegetables
โข Fermented foods
โข Omega-3 rich foods
โข Herbal teas
โข Fresh fruits
9. Probiotics/Prebiotics: Both probiotic and prebiotic foods strengthen gut health and support hormonal health. When consumed routinely, it significantly impacts digestion, slows down inflammation, improves sleep, and helps in managing PMS and PCOS in women.
โขProbiotics like fermented food, such as pickled vegetables, kombucha, kefir and curds.
โขPrebiotics include whole grains, onions, garlic, and bananas.
10. The major takeaways in optimising gut health and maintaining hormonal balance are:
โข Always be careful what you put into your body. Food not only curbs our hunger but they feed our cells.
โข Routine exercise helps in the detoxification of the liver and reduces daily cortisol levels, regulate the levels of sex hormones. Activities like Yoga, mindfulness practises, and breathing exercises maintain an optimal environment for the balance of the gut-hormone axis.
โข Curbing smoking and limiting alcohol can prevent toxins from building up, supporting the liver in the detoxification process, which is crucial for endocrine health.
โข Avoiding unnecessary antibiotics as they can disturb the ecology of the gut microbiome and disrupt its functions.
Thanks for reading.
Peace and love ๐
10 facts: Why is self-awareness an ultimate goal?
1. Self-awareness is quite a commonly used term for mental health and well-being. While it has been discussed frequently, many people lack its actual understanding. Our everyday life is often caught up in autopilot mode, so our quality of awareness is very low. Our thoughts, emotions, reactions, habits, routines and impulses of day-to-day life are all on autopilot, so that instead of being aware of them, they keep us in control every day. So, it is important to understand Self- awareness and learn this ability of self-observation to improve our quality of awareness.
2. Many times in real life, we have gone through similar experiences, similar kinds of failures, attract similar people, have similar reactions, similar impulses, similar emotional meltdowns; the reason is not the outside world, but it is our inability to understand ourselves and our unwillingness to change. Most of the time, we are not self-aware of our emotional state, lack understanding of our strengths and weaknesses, so we end up in similar situations and experiences. As an individual, it is important to learn self-assessment, introspection and the ability to recognise our thoughts, feelings, emotions and actions.
3. Self-awareness is a psychological skill of knowledge and understanding about oneโs own emotional state. Itโs about self-observation, self-assessment of oneโs emotions, thoughts, feelings, reactions and actions. Itโs a capability of recognising oneโs own reactions, actions, and behaviour in interacting with the outside environment and other people. Self-awareness helps in identifying tendencies, understanding emotional states, strengths, weaknesses, limitations and personal goals. Itโs a lifelong learning ability to develop confidence and optimism in this dynamic world.
4. Self-awareness can be beneficial in several ways:
โข Helps in building self-esteem, self-control, creativity, and skills
โข Benefits include self-acceptance, emotional growth, and self-development.
โข Aids in decision-making.
โข Understanding strengths, weaknesses, and limitations.
โข Accurate self-reports.
5. For several decades, thousands of research studies have been carried out to understand the interconnectedness between self-awareness and important key attitudes of human behaviour like habits, feelings, emotions, happiness, stress parameters, empathy and job satisfaction. Broadly, two types of self-awareness studies are recorded as :
โข Internal self-awareness: Itโs the ability to observe and monitor our inner world, while some label it as a state of self-consciousness temporarily. It is found to be associated more with relationships and job satisfaction as we try to fit ourselves with our personal control and social control.
โข External self-awareness: Some state it as the di๏ฌerence between how we see ourselves and how others perceive us. Studies show that people who understand how others see them can be more empathetic and understanding of othersโ perspectives.
6. Extensive research has identified five layers of self-awareness:
โข Physical: Awareness of your physical body as shape, size, gender, race, ethnicity and five senses.
โข Energetic: The breath and energy levels, which include the life forces that help you to move, think, create and take action.
โข Mental: The thoughts, feelings, emotions that help you to react and take actions for yourself, others and life.
โข The Witness: When you learn to become your witness and become aware of the di๏ฌerent layers of self-awareness without being judgmental. This is an essential part of the path of learning self- awareness because you can bring about changes, a better understanding of your flaws, unhelpful patterns of beliefs, and habits that need to change.
โข Bliss: Deep connection with a Higher Self, the Truth. A spiritual interconnectedness with the Divine.
7. The skill of knowing yourself is the biggest deal. If we actively start employing this art of self- awareness, we see ourselves as in a mirror, no hidden veil, just inside out, the reality as it is. Then,we start to find acceptance within ourselves, develop resilience if changes are not possible, and consciously bring about changes in our reactions, habits, behaviour and actions in our day-to-day life whenever required. This makes our everyday life approach easier, better handling relationships with people around, self -e๏ฌcacy in controlling our mind, emotions, impulses, feelings, reactions, dealing with the external environment, people and the world around as it is.
8. Being in a path of self-awareness asks us to understand:
โข Clear knowledge of our basic nature, character, impulses, flaws and desires.
โข Observe our own habits and behaviour in dealing with our inner world and external world.
โข In alignment with our energy levels and breath, and how they are a๏ฌected by our choices and lifestyle.
โข Keep an eye on our thoughts, feelings, emotions, impulses and learn to respond rather than react to whatever life throws us.
โข Being a witness to self (intuitive wisdom) so that self-acceptance is easier without being judgmental.
โข Searching for our connectedness to something bigger than ourselves.
9. Practising and learning to seek self-awareness is far from being an easy task; it is a lifelong process. Our day-to-day life is so much attuned to working, earning money, parenting, paying the mortgage, bills, and routine hustles that we hardly get time for ourselves. Besides, many obstacles cause hindrance in this path :
โข Fear – Knowing and understanding our vulnerability, uncomfortable emotions, and weaknesses.
โข Attachment – attachment to people, desires, things can often lead to internal conflicts.
โข Aversions – Conscious understanding and resurfacing of situations, people, we usually avoid, internal conflicts, unresolved emotions and discomforts.
โข Ego- Instead of being the centre of the world around us, knowing that ego is that tool to distinguish us โIโ from the outside world, learning to balance it with wisdom rather than controlling us.
โข Ignorance – Learning and understanding about the larger picture of life, rather than being happy when life goes well and disliking it whenever life throws challenges.
10. Developing and seeking self-awareness is an ongoing process, a lifelong learning. In this process, as an individual, there is tremendous personal growth, control over emotions, decision- making and self-acceptance with limitations. Some of the basic strategies are:
โข Daily practising mindfulness, calmness, and reflections upon thoughts without judgement.
โข Journaling your thoughts, feelings, emotions, impulses on experiences and situations.
โข Getting honest feedback from trusted friends, family members, siblings, and partners.
โข Self-analysing the situations that can trigger strong emotional responses like anger, panic- attacks, pain, and fear.
โข Self- assessment of limitations, weaknesses, strengths, and levels of resilience.
โข Routinely reviewing the day-to-day reactions, actions, decisions and interactions.
Thanks for reading.
Peace and love ๐
Silent Sunday ๐๐
Peace and love ๐
10 facts behind this human behaviour: Why act of cleaning is deeply satisfying?
1. Organizing or cleaning your space, room, or home isnโt about tidiness, but being in control of a world that feels otherwise uncontrollable. Itโs about a mental state with clarity, being organized and being at peace with oneself. Psychologically, the environment we live in reflects our mental state. In a world full of everyday stress, chaos, and overwhelming uncertainties, cleaning becomes a tool, a therapy to make ourselves feel organised, meaningful and at peace. Clearly, this act can help reduce stress hormones and release endorphins, which can lift the mood.
2. Many people, even after a stressful day, have a habit of cleaning and tidying their stu๏ฌ after reaching home or their living space. Psychologically, when emotions are overwhelming and stressful, our brain tries to do things which are tangible, grounding, and clarifying, which makes us feel more in control. These actions give the brain a sense of relief and stability, an escape in an otherwise uncontrollable world.
3. In the brain, activities like reorganising the bookshelf, arranging the o๏ฌce table, cleaning and tidying the home, folding clothes in the closets, cleaning the kitchen, washing the dishes, vacuuming the floor stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, the reward system, releasing dopamine, the happy hormone. These small acts instantly feel rewarding, light and happy. A tidy living space, home, or o๏ฌce gives the subconscious mind a feeling of security, stability, and organization.
4. Psychologically, on the flip side, a disorganised, messed-up space gives the mind a sense of cluttered thoughts, incoherence, ambiguity, confusion and anxiety. In an already stressful, loud world, you feel more overwhelmed, stressed, where things and people are unpredictable, uncertain and reactive. So, for a change, cleaning, organising, and rearranging makes people feel instantly happy, stable, predictable and certain.
5. Research shows that a cluttered, anxious, stressful mind raises the cortisol hormone. On the other hand, the environment we live in reflects our mental state. So, a messy, cluttered space clearly a๏ฌects our mental state. The subconscious mind feels confused, lacks clarity, and is incoherent in a disorganised space. So, rearranging the room, furniture, things, clothes, books gives an instant emotional high, certainty and sense of control. The truth is, cleaning isnโt about habit, itโs about emotional regulation, choosing to change the emotional responses of stress, anxiety, chaos to stability, calmness and clarity.
6. Emotional regulation, by definition, is the ability to regulate our emotional responses from a state of uncontrolled, overwhelming situation by making behavioural changes with a healthy coping mechanism to a state of emotional grounding, stability and a sense of control. Examples of emotional regulation are deep breathing, going for a walk, journaling, light exercise and doing tasks like rearranging the books, furniture, cleaning the kitchen, doing the dishes and so on. Itโs the ability to change a negative situationโs impact to a more productive and fulfilling one.
7. The strategies of emotional regulation can be summed up as :
โข Recognise: Identifying the emotions like anger, anxiety, ambiguity and incoherence.
โข Respond: instead of reacting negatively, changing the situationโs impact to a more productive, controlled and tangible behaviour like going for a short walk, rearranging the books on the shelf, cleaning the mess, folding clothes in the closet, cleaning or mopping the floor or any similar activity.
โข Reappraisal, like changing the emotional response to more rewarding outcomes like stability, calmness, sense of control and certainty.
โข Reflecting on the change of behaviour and situation gives deep satisfaction and happiness.
8. Activities like cleaning a room, realigning a corner, rearranging books, furniture, cleaning a countertop or mopping the floor are not just tidying or organising acts or behaviour but something more deeper as emotional relief or emotional satisfaction. Itโs about reconnecting oneself, bringing a sense of control, stability in a world of external chaos, a stressful day or an overwhelming situation. So, for many people, organising and cleaning their home or their living space becomes a daily emotional ritual and therapeutic.
9. People who keep doing such activities, while they keep performing the acts, they also process their emotions, release the stressful thoughts, anxiety, ease the confusion, bringing more clarity and stability. In fact, by doing such activities, as the visual clutter slowly fades away by physical actions, internally, the mental clutter slowly subsides, emotions and thoughts become more under control, and thinking becomes clearer and regulated.
10. To sum it up, in a world full of uncertainties and unpredictability, organising, rearranging, and cleaning gives an instant outcome which the brain interprets as safety or being under control. When a book or a thing is placed exactly where it belongs, refolding a dress and placing it back in the closet, cleaning the otherwise dirty countertop, itโs like reconnecting with oneself, which gives the subconscious mind that instant boost or reward of comfort, safety and stability in an external world of chaos or an uncontrolled environment.
Thanks for reading.
Peace and love ๐
Silent Sunday ๐
Peace and love ๐
Silent Sunday ๐ป
Peace and love ๐
10 facts to know about Vitamin D linking to mental health๐ง
Vitamin D deficiency is critical for both physical and mental health. Here are some facts to understand the impact of vitamin D on mental health.
1.Several research studies have concluded that low vitamin D levels are directly linked to anxiety, mood changes, depression and cognitive dysfunction such as impaired memory, sadness, weight loss and loss of appetite. Studies have not shown that vitamin D deficiency causes depression but people who suffer from depression do show low levels of vitamin D.
2. Vitamin D mainly maintains the bodyโs calcium homeostasis. It is also crucial as a neurosteroid hormone and plays a significant role in maintaining normal brain functions and helping in brain development. Therefore, numerous studies have shown that hypovitaminosis D is linked to depression and neurocognitive disorders.
3.Some studies have shown that seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is more prevalent in winter as there is a lowering of Vitamin D levels in the cold season. Lack of exposure to sunlight in winter months is shown to increase the incidences of depression, mood changes and anxiety issues.
4. Rising cases of suicide have been a common risk factor for low vitamin D levels (psychiatric times.com).A research study in 2023 found a correlation between low vitamin D levels with cases of suicidal behaviour. Therefore, vitamin D supplementation is mandatory for all those who have low levels can help to address mental health issues and prevent cases of suicide thereby saving lives.
5.As mentioned earlier, Vitamin D is required for normal brain development. Vitamin D supplementation is essential in childhood for overall brain and cognitive development. Low levels of vitamin D have been found in many cases of ADHD (attention deficit hyperactive disorder). Improved levels of vitamin D by supplementation have shown marked improvement in symptoms of ADHD children.
6. Vitamin D deficiency has been found to have a direct correlation with adult schizophrenia. Studies show that it is quite common to have in individuals with poor nutrition, elderly persons, people living in regions with insufficient sunlight, or during pregnancy. So, it is important to routinely check the levels of Vitamin D to reduce such risk factors. Correction of the levels of vitamin D shows marked improvements in symptoms of such mental illness.
7. Vitamin D acts as a neuroprotective neurotransmitter and helps to maintain the functions of neurons and glial cells of the central nervous system. So, administrating Vitamin D helps to reduce the oxidative stress and neurotoxicity on the cortical neurons. Therefore, controlling the neuronal inflammations helps to reduce many psychiatric illnesses.
8.Strong evidence shows that low levels of Vitamin D are related to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimerโs disease, dementia, and Parkinsonโs disease. Vitamin D supplementation can improve or even prevent the neurodegenerative process by reducing the deposition of beta-amyloid plaques, intra-neuronal tangles of tau-protein and loss of cholinergic neurons and synapses.
9. Vitamin D levels ranging from 50nmol/L or above are sufficient to maintain overall physical and mental health well-being. Blood levels below 20 ng/mL are treated as insufficient and require immediate vitamin D administration. Normal levels can be maintained by exposure to sunlight, vitamin D supplementation and food sources like oily fishes, eggs, meat, liver, veggies like broccoli, pumpkin, green leafy veggies, green peas, avocados and many more.
10. Though vitamin D is not the only cause of mental health issues, essentially, it is an important nutrient to maintain normal brain function and neurochemistry. In the general population, many people do suffer from vitamin D deficiency, unknowingly. Supplementation of vitamin D can improve the blood levels in individuals and can at least help address the challenges of mental health issues.
Thanks for reading.
Peace and love ๐
10 facts to know about Ghee (clarified butter) ๐
Research has shown that Ghee is a powerhouse of anti-oxidants, healthy fats and vitamins. For centuries, it has been used traditionally in Middle Eastern and Indian culinary traditions. In Ayurvedic medicine, it has been used extensively as a remedy for various ailments.
- There are various dairy sources of Ghee, such as cows, buffaloes, goats, and camels. But the best source of Ghee is the cowโs ghee depending upon the fatty acid composition. Ghee is a rich source of Short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), linoleic acids, omega-3, omega-6 fatty acids and phospholipids. Research has shown that these fatty acids have the most potential benefits of anti-oxidants, and anti-inflammatory properties and are excellent sources of fat for brain health.
- According to Ayurvedic literature, the health benefits of Ghee depend on the manufacturing process, the source of dairy from which it was made, age and phase of the ghee. Cowโs ghee has the highest nourishing and health benefits. Buffalo ghee can be a good source of building a physical and muscular physique. Goatโs ghee has respiratory benefits whereas camelโs ghee has digestive properties.
- Research says that grass-fed ghee is more nutrient-dense than grain-fed ghee. Cow ghee has different varieties. Garlic grass-fed ghee is a superior quality ghee which has higher therapeutic benefits. Grass-fed Cultured Organic ghee is from grass-fed milk which is of premium quality and has several health benefits. A2 Organic ghee contains A2 protein and is purest in terms of quality which has no traces of GMOs, antibiotics or steroids. Another variety is lime grass-fed ghee which has good taste due to lime flavour.
4.Cognitive health benefit: The most important benefits of ghee are cognitive health, the overall brain wellbeing. Though limited research has been done so far, studies show that SCFA, omega-3 fatty acid, and linoleic acid in ghee show a significant role in improving memory, intellect and brilliance. Ghee helps in the management of diseases like epilepsy, ageing cognitive issues,depression, anxiety and insanity.
5.GI health: SCFAs found in ghee play an important role in enhancing digestive health. Butyrate found in ghee feeds the gut microbiome and enhances the gut immune system, improves digestion, and helps to strengthen intestinal wall integrity. Ghee has been used for centuries to treat abdominal disorders, peptic ulcers and improvement of appetite.
6.Respiratory health: According to Ayurveda, A2 ghee plays a significant role in lowering
symptoms of asthma, bronchitis, sore throat, fever, bleeding disorders and other respiratory issues A2 ghee is combined with herbs like Malabar Nut are used as herbal medicines to heal respiratory issues by Ayurvedic experts. It acts as a natural expectorant in case of colds and coughs.
7.Other ailments where ghee has been used by Ayurvedic Medicine to treat issues like abscesses, boils, liver issues, hernias, vaginal pain and other reproductive problems. It is also used for topical application for a calm relaxing skin massage. In some Ayurvedic cleansing techniques, ghee message is used to release toxins from fatty tissues and treat osteoarthritis, and insomnia.
8.Since ancient times, ghee has been a natural remedy for various issues. It was used as a
natural moisturizer, bath oil for skin, remedy for gums, and teeth when gargling with ghee, to stop nose bleeding, and to treat minor cuts and burns.
9.Butter and ghee have similar fat contents and nutrients. But for people who have problems in the digestion of dairy products, pure ghee is comparatively better as they have no or less quantity of protein than butter.
10.Ghee has been slowly emerging as a healthy cooking choice because of its various nutritional benefits and better absorption of nutrients from foods and vegetables. Recent studies show that ghee is cholesterol-friendly as it can help to increase good cholesterol over bad cholesterol. However, due to its high fat content, it has to be used in moderation. When consuming ghee daily, the person has to undergo regular physical activity and exercise to digest the fat properly and enjoy the benefits. According to health experts, consuming 2-3 teaspoonfuls of ghee can bring overall health benefits and be heart-friendly.
Thanks for reading.
Peace and love ๐
Diwali wishes 2024 ๐ช
We keep moving forward in life because thatโs the only option left with us. We may meet new challenges and new obstacles on our path. In this festival of light, may the Divine show us the path, lead us through darkness and protect us in this journey of life and self discovery.
Dear readers, wishing you and your loved ones, a prosperous, joyful and healthy Diwali 2024.
Thanks for reading.
Love and light ๐
3H:health,happiness,healing 