When your stressed-out your whole body is affected, from your brain to your hormones. It is necessary to have these physiology shifts to effectively respond to threats and ensure survival. Thankfully, when the stress is removed, you can recover. Interestingly, your body can’t tell the difference between the mind’s perception of stress and true...
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Why We Sleep: A Summary on Sleep Stages, Your Chronotype (Night Owls vs. Early Birds), and How to Optimize Sleep from a Neuroscientist
In my series on slumber so far, we have learned that staying busy at the expense of rest is a bad trade-of. Being underslept negatively impacts job performance, brain health, cognitive function, emotional balance, relationships, and general wellness. In fact, sleep is as vital for health as nutrition, movement, self-care, relationships, and socio-economic factors....
Why We Sleep and How Slumber Improves Your Brain, Hormones, and the Whole Body
Staying busy at the expense of sleep comes at a high cost. Evidence now reveals that being underslept not only leads to poorer job performance, it also negatively impacts brain health, cognitive function, emotional balance, relationships, and overall wellness. Yet, why is that to be fully functional and healthy, we need to shut out...
Too Much to Do to Sleep? Is the Status of Busyness Worth Sacrificing Slumber?
Busyness has become a badge of honor in our society. Somehow, getting things done has taken precedence over sleep, family time, and even other values. This shift in cultural priorities occurred for several reasons. Among these factors is that busyness became a status symbol of importance and a means to elevate one’s self worth....
Why We Should Still Consider Serotonin When Dealing with Depression
A recent review of studies took over headlines in psychiatry. The media claimed that it “debunked” the serotonin hypothesis of depression and made antidepressants invalid. Yet, there were three major caveats to that conclusion. One of the biggest issues was the fact that the researchers were measuring a biological marker against symptoms and using...
Depressed? Why a Pill and Manipulating Serotonin May Not Be the Sole Solution
Did Our Whole View on Depression Just Come Undone? A new analysis of a review of studies was recently released that created quite a stir in psychiatry. Headlines proclaimed that its conclusions officially “debunked” the whole serotonin hypothesis of depression. However, to many in the field of mental health, the fanfare was an overdone...
How the Gut-Liver Connection Hurts or Helps Our Liver and Overall Health
Caring for Your Microbiome for Better Brain, Liver, and Hormonal Health: Part II
One of the organs that doesn’t get enough accolades, at least not for being more than a “detox” champ, is our liver. In fact, it is the gut that is getting most of the current scientific research and clinical headlines. More precisely, the spotlight has shined most brightly on the diverse roles that the...
The Gut-Liver Axis and All About Leaky Gut: Part I
In almost every article I’ve written, especially on the topics of hormones and brain health, I have highlighted the influence that the tiny bugs that inhabit our digestive tract have on our wellness. If you want to optimize your mood and/or endocrine system, you can’t ignore the importance of these gut microbiota. The microbes...
How to Balance Your Hormones by Supporting Your Liver Health: Part II
The Link Between the Liver and Hormones
With over 500 functions, our liver impacts virtually every organ system. Although it is most well-known for its role in detoxification and digestion, it does so much more. Some vital liver functions include: regulating many of the chemicals in the body processing all the blood leaving the stomach and intestines nutrient break down, balance,...
The Liver-Hormone Link: Part 1
Our liver has many vital functions in the body. Its most well-known role is detoxification. Digestion is a close second. Our liver is a master at metabolizing drugs and harmful compounds from our bodily processes and environmental exposures. It then transforms them into non-toxic byproducts to be excreted. It also regulates most chemicals in...