Dr. Caroline Leaf Archives - Amazing Health Advances

Navigating Regret

The AHA! Team — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 06:34:25 +0000

Dr. Caroline Leaf – In this podcast (episode #596) and blog, I talk about how uncontrolled regret can affect us mentally and physically and how to manage our regrets and make them work for us and not against us. This is a replay of a Neurolive webinar I did on my app. For the full webinar Ad-free, please see Neurocycle.app, or look for Neurocycle on the App Store or Google Play. Unmanaged regret can make us feel like we are truly wading through a swamp with no end in sight. Regret is one of those emotions that is so crippling that it can be hard to get through the day, let alone move forward or heal. It is so easy to feel like we are drowning in our “darkest moments”. This is also pretty insidious. It tends to haunt so many areas of our lives at once, sometimes without us even realizing until it is too late. Suddenly, we are caught in a thunderstorm of disappointment, guilt, remorse, sorrow or helplessness, and are left asking how, we got here and how we can leave. If this sounds familiar, you are not alone. Regret encompasses so many human emotions, especially sadness, disappointment, frustration, and can leave us incapacitated and unable to heal. This usually results from something that has happened, something that has been done to us, a lost opportunity, or lost time. We tend to take out our regrets most on ourselves, torturing our minds with various scenarios on what could have happened, which can have many negative mental and physical health repercussions. Regret feels awful because, by its nature, it makes us think that there was something we could have done or said differently, or some better choice we could have made. It compounds all these swirling emotions with feelings of guilt and shame, further incapacitating our ability to move on and heal. Over time, this can impact our overall wellbeing because the emotional distress that unmanaged regret triggers can dysregulate our hormones and immune system, making them vulnerable to ill-health. Imaging studies show increased activity in several areas of the brain, including the medial orbitofrontal cortex, the anterior cingulate cortex and the hippocampus, when we experience regret. If we stay in the state of mind, this high activity can become unbalanced and contribute to all kinds of problems in the brain and body. We have to learn how to manage regrets because they are an inescapable part of life. Every day is packed with choices, many of which can go wrong. Even the most “well lived” life is not perfect! Some of the most common regrets we experience are ones relating to education, career, romance, parenting, the self, and leisure, which, are all ongoing and organic experiences filled with choices and possible mistakes. These regrets, if managed, can help us learn from our mistakes because they allow us to see possibilities and potential outcomes, which gives us better data for more informed decisions. Dwelling on the past in a healthy way, to learn something about our current and future selves, can help us conceptualize and realize our “ideal self” in the future as well as help with regret in the present by emphasizing our ability to grow and heal. One of the best ways we can learn to manage our regrets and keep ourselves from spiraling is to develop what I call a “possibilities mindset”. Develop what I call a “possibilities mindset” This is a way of thinking that perceives all kinds of probabilities and potentialities in any given situation. It is intrinsically hopeful, and can help us reframe regret as a part of our journey towards a future, better destination. When we embrace a possibilities mindset, we see “could have and would have” scenarios as possibilities that may or may not have happened, which provide enriching information that may be useful for us in the present or future. These regrets become data to enrich our experience as opposed to a battering ram to beat us up. Practice this; don’t allow yourself to see your regrets as failures that define who you are as a person. See them as possibilities that didn’t materialize, which you can still learn from to open up future probabilities. Visualize these scenarios as opportunities where you gained knowledge that will help you in the future. Make this a habit; deliberately and intentionally practice seeing possibilities in every regret you have and writing them down, which will help organize your thinking. I love using tables to do this as I analyze each regret and look for the possibilities that it can lead to in my life. The more you do this, the more you will find yourself applying this mindset in your life. Start with more simple regrets first to build up your resilience to face major regrets you may be holding onto. For more on managing regret, listen to my podcast (episode #596). Podcast Highlights 2:00 Getting out of the regret trap 2:30 Unmanaged regret can be incredibly crippling 4:00 What regret is & how it impacts us 6:30 Regret can affect us mentally & physically 8:00, 17:52 Managing regret Switch On Your Brain LLC. is providing this podcast as a public service. Reference to any specific viewpoint or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by our organization. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. If you have any questions about this disclaimer, please contact info@drleaf.com. This podcast and blog are for educational purposes only and are not intended as medical advice. We always encourage each person to make the decision that seems best for their situation with the guidance of a medical professional. To read the original article click here.

The post Navigating Regret appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.

It’s Okay Not To Be Okay

The AHA! Team — Fri, 08 Nov 2024 06:13:29 +0000

Dr. Caroline Leaf – In this podcast (episode #594) and blog, I talk about the 100% happiness fallacy, and why learning how to embrace your pain and rewrite your story is an important part of being truly happy. This is a replay of a Neurolive webinar I did on my app. For the full webinar AD-free, please see Neurocycle.app or look for Neurocycle on the App Store or Google Play. Does it feel to you like you have to be happy all the time? Often, it feels like happiness and being positive is touted as the wonder drug to solve our problems. It is easy to feel like there is something wrong with you if you are not as happy as other people seem to be! Yes, being happy and optimistic can have a positive impact on our minds, brain and body, but thinking happy thoughts doesn’t just eliminate whatever we are going through. To truly heal and find some measure of intrinsic happiness, we must move beyond positive affirmations and thinking, and face what is holding us back through embracing, processing and reconceptualizing our past pain. If we don’t do this, we won’t truly benefit from positive psychology and happiness techniques. Using the latter before we have processed and managed what has happened to us often results in a toxic positivity cycle, where we feel bad for simply being human and try to ignore our more uncomfortable emotions, which only makes us feel worse! In fact, research indicates that pursuing happiness in a toxically positive way can impact our ability to fully embrace the human experience, with all its ups and downs and uncertainties. Our lives are infused with fragility, setbacks and unpredictability as much as they are filled with passion, excitement and joy. Using happiness or positive thinking to mask the harsh realities of life will backfire because there is no avoiding what it means to be human. An adverse emotional response to an adverse life situation is normal. It is okay to not feel okay. It is okay to not be happy all the time. An adverse emotional response to an adverse life situation is normal. Understandably, we don’t want to get stuck in a dark place, but happiness is not a bandage we can slap on all of life’s wounds and just “keep on keeping on”. It is an important part of life, yes, but it also means different things to different people, and will not take away that pain that we experience as we go through life. If you feel pressured to be happy all the time, take the time to pause and examine your thoughts. Ask yourself: Is the happiness fallacy taking up mental real estate in your mind? Do you feel guilty when you feel unhappy? Do you think that there is something wrong with you when you feel sad, upset or angry? Do you feel shame, guilt, and embarrassment if you don’t feel happy all the time? Do you often tell yourself and others that you just need to “think a positive/happy thought” if you are feeling sad, angry, or any emotion that is considered uncomfortable or negative? Do you find yourself ignoring or repressing your suffering or pain? Don’t let your guilt consume you; rather, be curious.. If you said yes to any of these or all the above, work on reframing how you see happiness and its role in your life. Don’t let your guilt consume you; rather, be curious, almost as if you were listening to a friend tell you about their thoughts. And, when you find yourself falling into a pattern of using toxic positivity to suppress your more uncomfortable emotions, pause and say out loud: “Not only is it okay for me to not feel okay, it is part of what it means to be human, and trying to be happy all the time can actually hurt me and make my pain worse.” For more on the 100% happiness fallacy and learning how to embrace your pain and rewrite your story, listen to my podcast (episode #594). Podcast Highlights 2:05 The 100% happiness fallacy 4:09 Toxic positivity can make us feel worse! 6:20 Happiness is just one part of what it means to be human 8:02 Happiness means different things to different people 11:45 Feelings of happiness are actually pretty rare! 16:00 It is easy to feel unsatisfied even when we are happy 17:50 To be happy, we also must embrace & process the hard things in life 22:32 How to be okay with not being okay Switch On Your Brain LLC. is providing this podcast as a public service. Reference to any specific viewpoint or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by our organization. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. If you have any questions about this disclaimer, please contact info@drleaf.com. This podcast and blog are for educational purposes only and are not intended as medical advice. We always encourage each person to make the decision that seems best for their situation with the guidance of a medical professional. To read the original article click here.

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Prescription for Happiness: How Understanding Your Body Can Help Improve Your Mental Health

The AHA! Team — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 05:45:48 +0000

Dr. Caroline Leaf – In this podcast (episode #585) and blog, I talk to internist, bestselling author and speaker Dr. Robin Berzin about the relationship between GI health and the mind, why so many people feel gaslit by traditional medicine, the power of functional medicine, what is wrong with women’s health, why we need to change the way we manage our mental and physical health, and so much more! Dr. Berzin is the Founder and CEO of Parsley Health, the nation’s leading holistic medical practice designed to help people overcome chronic conditions. Dr. Berzin attended medical school at Columbia University and trained in Internal Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. She has been named as one of the 100 most innovative women in business by Inc. Magazine and praised by Fast Company for founding one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies. She founded Parsley Health to address the rising tide of chronic disease in America through personalized holistic medicine that puts food, lifestyle, and proactive diagnostic testing on the prescription pad next to medications. Since founding Parsley in 2016, Dr. Berzin has seen 80% of patients improve or resolve their chronic conditions within their first year of care, demonstrating the life-changing value of making modern holistic medicine accessible to everyone, anywhere. Dr. Berzin is incredibly passionate about educating people and teaching them how to advocate for their own mental and physical health. Many people feel gaslit by our current medical system, whose focus is often on specific symptoms or issues they are having in the moment rather than their whole person or life story. But 99% of our health is happening in our lives, not at the doctor’s office! How we live has incredible power over how healthy or sick we are, which is actually great news. It means that we can be proactive when it comes to our own wellbeing. Indeed, contrary to what many people believe, we don’t have to wait till we are sick or for the “wheels to come off” to start improving our health. We can learn how to create and generate health and wellbeing in our minds, regardless of our genetics and environment, which is both empowering and liberating. This is why Dr. Berzin wrote her amazing new book, State Change: End Anxiety, Beat Burnout, And Ignite A New Baseline Of Energy And Flow. A state change is a metamorphosis of your emotional and mental health triggered by a change in your physical health. All too often, our mental and physical health are seen as separate—the former treated by a psychiatrist, the latter by your regular doctor. In this book, Dr. Berzin presents a different approach, one that acknowledges the intricate relationship between our bodies and our minds and how our physical health impacts our mental health. She shows us how taking care of our bodies and understanding our physical triggers can help us rejuvenate and energize our minds. Dr. Berzin’s book is based off her own research and work at Parsley Health, where they do not just treat people’s issues as a one-off thing. Rather, they focus on the whole person, teaching patients how to understand their own bodies, how their environment impacts their wellbeing, and how to advocate for their own health on a day-to-day basis. She is especially passionate about helping women find their voice when it comes to their mental and physical health needs. Even though women play such a large role in our healthcare system, both as professionals and patients, it is estimated that 8 in 10 women delay care until their symptoms worsen or affect their daily lives. Many women find they do not have time to seek medical care for their needs as they are so busy taking care of others, and, when they do seek care, they often feel gaslit by medical professionals, who overlook what they say, are told that it is “all in their heads”, or just offer them another pill for their issues rather than truly listening to what they are experiencing and what they need. This is why taking a functional, rather than just reductive, approach to medicine is so important. We need to focus on the whole person: what they are experiencing, who they are, their environment and so on, because the mind, brain and body are intricately connected. When medical professionals are trained to look at root causes and the whole person, and when they take the time to listen to what their patients are really telling them (which is what Dr. Berzin’s team does at Parsley Health), they are able to connect the dots between different parts of a patient’s brain and body as well as their life, get to the root cause, and give them a roadmap to better mental and physical health. A big part of this process is looking at the gut-brain connection. Our mouth is an opening to the outside world, and our gut has to break down everything we consume for energy and information. The gut also has its own nervous system: the enteric nervous system, which is why the gut is often called our “second brain”. This is why what we eat, what medications we take, what we drink and other environmental factors can have a tremendous impact on both our mental and physical wellbeing. For more on the relationship between your physical and mental health, listen to my podcast with Dr. Berzin (episode #585) and check out her incredible work. Podcast Highlights 1:50 Dr. Berzin’s amazing work 3:20 The power of advocating for your own wellbeing 4:30 The importance of looking at the whole person when it comes to health & wellness 5:45 What is wrong with women’s healthcare 10:45 How our current medical system fails us 14:53, 22:50 Why Dr. Berzin wrote her book State Change 16:00 The relationship between our body & mental health 17:42 How medicine is changing for the better 27:32 The relationship between our gut health & mind 32:13 Metabolism, blood sugar & mental health Switch On Your Brain LLC. is providing this podcast as a public service. Reference to any specific viewpoint or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by our organization. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. If you have any questions about this disclaimer, please contact info@drleaf.com. This podcast and blog are for educational purposes only and are not intended as medical advice. We always encourage each person to make the decision that seems best for their situation with the guidance of a medical professional. To read the original article click here.

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Amino Acids & Mental Health

The AHA! Team — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 17:04:19 +0000

Dr. Caroline Leaf – In this podcast (episode #589) and blog, I talk to Angelo Keely, co-founder and CEO of Kion Aminos, about the role protein plays in our mental and physical health, why amino acids are important, and how to strengthen your mind, brain, and body and increase your longevity! After a near-death experience in his late teens, Angelo decided that taking charge of his own health should play an integral role in his life. He eventually started a new business based on his own experiences and his passion to help people improve their wellbeing and live their best lives, called Kion Aminos. I am a big fan of Kion Aminos, which I take every day as part of my mental and physical regimen. As you have heard me talk about on my podcast and in my books, our mental health and physical health are intertwined. Both are heavily influenced not only by what we put in our bodies, but by what our bodies are missing, or deficient in, as well. This is one of the reasons I want to make sure I am getting enough protein. For our cells to be able to communicate with each other, we need to consume adequate protein for the essential amino acids it contains. Our body breaks down protein into its individual essential amino acid components, which then circulate through our blood and are used by the brain and body for everything from building muscle to forming neurotransmitters and hormones. Our mental health and physical health are intertwined These essential amino acids are very different from other macronutrients like carbohydrates or fats, which are energy sources. Protein can be converted into an energy source, but this is not its primary use. When we consume protein, our body wants to break down protein into individual amino acids and use them to fuel all the amino acid and protein requirements in the mind and brain. Many of us get our daily intake of protein from whole food protein sources like eggs, poultry and tofu, but most people don’t know we can also get what we need most from protein – essential amino acids – directly as a supplement, hence the reason Kion Aminos is an important part of my life, and why Angelo is so passionate about what he does: in so many ways, amino acids are essential to life! They play an important role not just in muscle building and physical recovery but also in the mind-brain connection. When we go through life, our experiences are wired into the brain on several different levels, which involves the production of amino acids. Amino acids help build many things in the brain and body, including our experiences! Without amino acids, we would not be able to experience life as we know it. In fact, over 50% of our solid body mass is made up of proteins (and thus amino acids), including the heart, kidneys, muscles, neurotransmitters, neurons and so on. Our experience of existing mentally could even be called an amino acid experience! It is important to note that proteins are in a constant state of breaking down and then re-synthesizing to function optimally. When these proteins break down into amino acids, some cannot be reused, which eventually leave our body in our urine. These amino acids have to be replenished through what we eat and drink so that our brain and body can continue functioning optimally. This means that when we consume protein (and thus amino acids), we are not just giving our brain and body energy to burn; we are also giving ourselves the building blocks that make up the brain, heart, kidneys, muscles and so on. It is important to note that proteins are in a constant state of breaking down We are actually protecting the most vital parts of ourselves by building up and strengthening our muscles–it is not just about moving fast or looking good. Many people think that the primary function of skeletal muscles is to help the body move, but our muscles are also the primary reservoir of amino acids for the rest of the brain and body. If we stop consuming amino acids or proteins, then the body will start breaking down our muscle tissue to get amino acids into the blood and to vital parts of the body like the liver, heart or brain, so that these organs can function. Amino acids really are the building blocks of life! And supplementing so we make sure we get the amino acids we need is incredibly important as we age. Research shows that, after the age of 30, our ability to break down proteins and get the essential amino acids we need decreases, so we need to make sure we have good sources of these amino acids in our diet to maintain our health and improve our longevity. Of course, with so many supplements out there, we shouldn’t just take the first amino acids we see, as not all products are created equal. This is why Angelo and the team at Kion are passionate about making premium, clean, research-backed amino acid supplements and foods that support a long, fun, active life. They meticulously select the highest quality natural ingredients and blend them into complementing supplements and functional foods that maximize wellness, performance, and longevity. Their products contain all 9 essential amino acids our bodies cannot make by themselves, already broken down from protein and ready to be absorbed and used by your body, making it 2X to 8X more effective than protein. I also love that the Kion formula is completely transparent and backed by over 20 years of research. This is something I am particularly passionate about as a woman in her 60s. As we get older, we need certain amino acids to help us maintain our wellbeing and longevity. And low-dose (3g), leucine-rich, essential amino acids (like those found in Kion Aminos) can help stimulate muscle synthesis equivalent to 20g of whey protein in older women at rest and after exercise. This means that, for women like myself, Kion Aminos can be 6x more effective than an equal amount of whole food protein at stimulating muscle synthesis to help maintain my physical and mental health, quality of life and longevity! For more on why amino acids are so important for our mental and physical wellbeing, listen to my podcast with Angelo (episode #589) and check out Kion Aminos’ amazing products. For more on mindsets that increase your resilience, listen to my podcast (episode #589). Podcast Highlights 2:05 Proteins, amino acids & why they are so important 9:43 What essential amino acids are & why we need them 11:40 Great sources of essential amino acids 12:30 Why essential amino acids are important as we age 20:45 Why we all need to strengthen muscles—this is not for bulking up! 25:40 Why we want to be proactive when it comes to our health 27:06, 32:51 Why we need to be careful what supplements we take & why I love Kion Aminos 33:55 Why Angelo started Kion Aminos & his advice to fellow entrepreneurs and people who want to start their own business This podcast and blog are for educational purposes only and are not intended as medical advice. We always encourage each person to make the decision that seems best for their situation with the guidance of a medical professional. To read the original article click here.

The post Amino Acids & Mental Health appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.

3 Mindsets to Unlock Resilience & Mental Toughness

The AHA! Team — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 08:35:50 +0000

Dr. Caroline Leaf – In this podcast (episode #586) and blog, I talk about 3 mindsets that will strengthen your mental resilience so that you are not blindsided by life! This is a replay of a Neurolive webinar I did on my app. For the full webinar AD-free, please see Neurocycle.app. Life is filled with ups and downs, and sometimes, when we least expect it, those downs can really hit us, leaving us blindsided, confused and overwhelmed. Even though our resilience is unlimited, if we don’t work on unlocking this resilience when life is calm and we are at peace, it can become “locked up” when we need it most. Thankfully, there is a great way to practice tapping into your resilience reserves so that it becomes a habit when you need it most: changing your mindset. A mindset is a way that your mind functions, like a habit. It is the way you “set” your mind, literally! Like planting your garden in the spring yields amazing results all year if you do it right, deliberately choosing and practicing a mindset can really help you when life hits hard. That is why I often call mindsets “insurance policies”—they are there for you when you need them the most! Three mindsets in particular are incredibly helpful, and can get you through those inevitable blindsiding moments in life: 1. “I need some time” When you say something like “I just need some time,” you are giving yourself the space to acknowledge and work through what you are going through, which is particularly helpful when you are feeling overwhelmed or stressed. This is not selfish! So, instead of rushing to recover from a tough situation, give yourself time to feel your emotions. This will help you develop emotional flexibility: the ability to regulate your feelings and reduce their intensity in any given situation, tapping into your resilience reserves. Mastery over this mindset can really help you feel empowered during challenging times! 2. “I can handle what comes my way” Reassuring yourself that you’ll overcome your circumstances can go a long way, but you must practice this for it to become a long-term habit. A great way to do this is to think about times when you accomplished something difficult or coped and got through a really tough situation, write about it, and read it to remind yourself when you are struggling. The more this becomes a habit, the more you will be able to let go of just focusing on the negative (thinking this “will end badly”) and understand that things may work out better this time. You will also be able to change and adapt to your circumstances, shifting your coping strategies and harnessing what you need most to get through what you are facing. 3. Saying “no” Don’t feel guilty for putting yourself first and saying no! Resilience should be more about prioritizing your needs by setting boundaries than about what the other person wants or needs. In fact, saying no when you feel you need to will increase your wisdom and empathy, as you will better understand yourself and your needs. It will also give you the energy you need to actually be there for others when they need you. I often compare this to putting on your oxygen mask on a plane—you must take care of yourself before you can truly be there for others. For more on mindsets that increase your resilience, listen to my podcast (episode #586). Podcast Highlights 1:05 Unlocking your mental resilience 2:48 What mindsets are & why they are so powerful 4:08 We all can be resilient! 5:12 3 mindsets that will unlock your resilience 8:06 It’s ok to ask for space! 12:07, 15:56 The power of believing that you can handle what comes your way 19:39 The power of saying “no” This podcast and blog are for educational purposes only and are not intended as medical advice. We always encourage each person to make the decision that seems best for their situation with the guidance of a medical professional. To read the original article click here.

The post 3 Mindsets to Unlock Resilience & Mental Toughness appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.

Signs You Are Too Hard on Yourself

The AHA! Team — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 08:01:11 +0000

Dr. Caroline Leaf – In this podcast (episode #588) and blog, I talk about why being hard on yourself can cause unnecessary stress, and how to manage your self-expectations. This is a replay of a Neurolive webinar I did on my app. For the full webinar AD-free, please see Neurocycle.app look for Neurocycle on the App Store or Google Play. Being too hard on yourself can cause pressure and toxic stress. Of course, not all stress is bad. Stress can be good for you, but when you put pressure on yourself to live up to certain expectations and you don’t, this stress can become toxic, affecting your mental and physical wellbeing. It creates confusion and uses up your energy resources, throwing off your balance, much like putting too much pressure on an object can throw it off balance. Pressure is a force, and if you are going to apply force in any direction, why not apply it in a positive, uplifting direction? Why not turn this pressure into your biggest fan, encouraging your every step? To do this, it is important to recognize the main signs that you are putting too much pressure on yourself, and what to do about them: Sign 1: “I didn’t get x done.” Often, we tend to focus on what we haven’t done instead of what we have accomplished, then get stuck feeling guilty, frustrated, edgy, and like a failure. When you feel yourself falling into this way of thinking, stop and say or write down what you have done. Remind yourself of what you have achieved, and that there will be time to get the rest done tomorrow. Sign 2: “I have to have it all together.” So many of us feel like we must have it all together all the time, but this denies our humanity and the fact that we all make mistakes, mess up and get things wrong at times. When you feel like this, remind yourself that no one has it all together. And try not to compare your life to what others are doing, because the way you think and act, and your experiences, make you completely and utterly unique! You will never be able to be anyone else but you, and you are amazing, even if you are not perfect all the time. No one is! Sign 3: “I must succeed.” It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that we must succeed at something or achieve something to be worthy. When you feel like this, remind yourself that you define your own success! There is something you can do that no one else can do. Sign 4: “I cannot make a mistake.” Even though we all make mistakes, it is easy to think that we shouldn’t mess up and that we need to get things right all the time. But it is important to recognize that our failures are often as important as our successes, and teach us important life lessons that help us grow as a person. So, next time you start beating yourself up over a mistake, ask yourself what this experience has taught you and focus on how you have grown. Sign 5: “I let everyone down.” Sometimes, it is easy to feel like we always let people down and like we are just failures. Here, it is important to remind yourself that we all fail at times, that your failures help you grow, and that, at the end of the day, life is unpredictable. We can’t always control everything to make sure things turn out well, because so much of life is out of our control. Also, remind yourself that trying your best is the only way forward, even when it doesn’t work out like planned, because you will learn and grow as a person. Sign 6: “I feel exhausted all the time.” We often take on so much and expect ourselves to do so much that we quickly find ourselves stressed out, overwhelmed and exhausted. If this sounds like you, do a lifestyle check, and ask yourself: Do I take enough breaks to recharge? Do I give my brain and body time to rest and reset? Am I having enough fun? Do I take time to take care of my mental and physical health? See what you can change in your life to give yourself the time you need to rest! This is so important for your mind, brain and body health. Sign 7: “I hardly smile anymore.” It is easy to get into a pattern of living where we are so focused on what needs to get done that we forget how to enjoy life, which can have an impact on our wellbeing. If you find yourself smiling less and forgetting why you are working yourself so hard, take a step back and think of ways to enjoy life again. Watch something funny, spend time with a loved one, or do something that makes you smile again! You can even schedule this into your day so you don’t forget to take the time to enjoy life. Sign 8: “I need to do everything perfect all the time.” If you find yourself emotionally “holding onto” the mistakes you’ve made, noticing more of what you’ve done wrong than what you’ve gotten right, and getting anxious when you do a good-but-not-perfect job, you may have fallen into the perfectionism trap, where you can’t accept your weakeness or anyone else’s. If this sounds like you, take the time to notice when you do this, and remind yourself that there is a difference between wanting to achieve certain things and thinking you need to do everything perfect all the time. Remind yourself that mistakes and learning are part of life, and that you can work hard even if you take breaks and set up self-boundaries. And, when you find yourself thinking about what you got wrong, remind yourself of what you have gotten right too! Sign 9: “I am not good enough.” Take the time to observe and analyze your internal dialogue. How do you speak to yourself? How do you think of yourself? If you are using a lot of negative, pessimistic language to describe yourself, take the time to work on the way you think about yourself. Consciously observe and write down your critical self-talk and how often it’s happening. Then, work on creating reconceptualized statements to counter this way of thinking and change the way you speak to yourself. For example, change “I wish I could be as good as…” to “I will never be able to live up to someone else’s example of success because I am unique and define my own success.” This will take time to become a habit, so make sure to practice it every day! For more on learning how to not be so hard on yourself, listen to my podcast (episode #588). Podcast Highlights 1:48 What happens when we put too much pressure on ourselves 4:35 Signs that you are too hard on yourself & how to change this 7:03 You don’t have to have it all together all the time! 12:00 Mistakes are an important part of learning & growing 17:02 The importance of resting & taking time to recharge 19:11 Why you should take a “lifestyle check” when you feel overwhelmed & exhausted 21:46 Why we should all take the time to smile more! 23:04 How to tell the difference between perfectionism & high achievement This podcast and blog are for educational purposes only and are not intended as medical advice. We always encourage each person to make the decision that seems best for their situation with the guidance of a medical professional. To read the original article click here.

The post Signs You Are Too Hard on Yourself appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.

Amino Acids & Mental Health

The AHA! Team — Fri, 20 Sep 2024 08:24:17 +0000

Dr. Caroline Leaf – In this podcast (episode #589) and blog, I talk to Angelo Keely, co-founder and CEO of Kion Aminos, about the role protein plays in our mental and physical health, why amino acids are important, and how to strengthen your mind, brain, and body and increase your longevity! After a near-death experience in his late teens, Angelo decided that taking charge of his own health should play an integral role in his life. He eventually started a new business based on his own experiences and his passion to help people improve their wellbeing and live their best lives, called Kion Aminos. I am a big fan of Kion Aminos, which I take every day as part of my mental and physical regimen. As you have heard me talk about on my podcast and in my books, our mental health and physical health are intertwined. Both are heavily influenced not only by what we put in our bodies, but by what our bodies are missing, or deficient in, as well. This is one of the reasons I want to make sure I am getting enough protein. For our cells to be able to communicate with each other, we need to consume adequate protein for the essential amino acids it contains. Our body breaks down protein into its individual essential amino acid components, which then circulate through our blood and are used by the brain and body for everything from building muscle to forming neurotransmitters and hormones. Our body breaks down protein into its individual essential amino acid components These essential amino acids are very different from other macronutrients like carbohydrates or fats, which are energy sources. Protein can be converted into an energy source, but this is not its primary use. When we consume protein, our body wants to break down protein into individual amino acids and use them to fuel all the amino acid and protein requirements in the mind and brain. Many of us get our daily intake of protein from whole food protein sources like eggs, poultry and tofu, but most people don’t know we can also get what we need most from protein – essential amino acids – directly as a supplement, hence the reason Kion Aminos is an important part of my life, and why Angelo is so passionate about what he does: in so many ways, amino acids are essential to life! They play an important role not just in muscle building and physical recovery but also in the mind-brain connection. When we go through life, our experiences are wired into the brain on several different levels, which involves the production of amino acids. Amino acids help build many things in the brain and body, including our experiences! Without amino acids, we would not be able to experience life as we know it. In fact, over 50% of our solid body mass is made up of proteins (and thus amino acids), including the heart, kidneys, muscles, neurotransmitters, neurons and so on. Our experience of existing mentally could even be called an amino acid experience! It is important to note that proteins are in a constant state of breaking down and then re-synthesizing to function optimally. When these proteins break down into amino acids, some cannot be reused, which eventually leave our body in our urine. These amino acids have to be replenished through what we eat and drink so that our brain and body can continue functioning optimally. Proteins are in a constant state of breaking down This means that when we consume protein (and thus amino acids), we are not just giving our brain and body energy to burn; we are also giving ourselves the building blocks that make up the brain, heart, kidneys, muscles and so on. We are actually protecting the most vital parts of ourselves by building up and strengthening our muscles–it is not just about moving fast or looking good. Many people think that the primary function of skeletal muscles is to help the body move, but our muscles are also the primary reservoir of amino acids for the rest of the brain and body. If we stop consuming amino acids or proteins, then the body will start breaking down our muscle tissue to get amino acids into the blood and to vital parts of the body like the liver, heart or brain, so that these organs can function. Amino acids really are the building blocks of life! And supplementing so we make sure we get the amino acids we need is incredibly important as we age. Research shows that, after the age of 30, our ability to break down proteins and get the essential amino acids we need decreases, so we need to make sure we have good sources of these amino acids in our diet to maintain our health and improve our longevity. Of course, with so many supplements out there, we shouldn’t just take the first amino acids we see, as not all products are created equal. This is why Angelo and the team at Kion are passionate about making premium, clean, research-backed amino acid supplements and foods that support a long, fun, active life. They meticulously select the highest quality natural ingredients and blend them into complementing supplements and functional foods that maximize wellness, performance, and longevity. Their products contain all 9 essential amino acids our bodies cannot make by themselves, already broken down from protein and ready to be absorbed and used by your body, making it 2X to 8X more effective than protein. I also love that the Kion formula is completely transparent and backed by over 20 years of research. This is something I am particularly passionate about as a woman in her 60s. As we get older, we need certain amino acids to help us maintain our wellbeing and longevity. And low-dose (3g), leucine-rich, essential amino acids (like those found in Kion Aminos) can help stimulate muscle synthesis equivalent to 20g of whey protein in older women at rest and after exercise. This means that, for women like myself, Kion Aminos can be 6x more effective than an equal amount of whole food protein at stimulating muscle synthesis to help maintain my physical and mental health, quality of life and longevity! If you want to try Kion Aminos for yourself, for a limited time you can get 20% of your order at getkion.com/drleaf! For more on why amino acids are so important for our mental and physical wellbeing, listen to my podcast with Angelo (episode #589) and check out Kion Aminos’ amazing products. Podcast Highlights 2:05 Proteins, amino acids & why they are so important 9:43 What essential amino acids are & why we need them 11:40 Great sources of essential amino acids 12:30 Why essential amino acids are important as we age 20:45 Why we all need to strengthen muscles—this is not for bulking up! 25:40 Why we want to be proactive when it comes to our health 27:06, 32:51 Why we need to be careful what supplements we take & why I love Kion Aminos 33:55 Why Angelo started Kion Aminos & his advice to fellow entrepreneurs and people who want to start their own business This podcast and blog are for educational purposes only and are not intended as medical advice. We always encourage each person to make the decision that seems best for their situation with the guidance of a medical professional. To read the original article click here.

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Healing Childhood Trauma

The AHA! Team — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 09:46:39 +0000

Dr. Caroline Leaf – In this podcast (episode #590) and blog, I talk about how adverse childhood experiences can make us focus on the negative, and how we can manage this and heal the mind, brain and body. This is a replay of a Neurolive webinar I did on my app. For the full webinar AD-free, please see Neurocycle.app look for Neurocycle on the App Store or Google Play. In the early 90s, researchers embarked on a landmark study of over 17,000 individuals and asked them about negative experiences in childhood and their current physical and mental health. They found was that when children are exposed to toxic stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, this can have a dramatic impact on their minds, brains and bodies. This study later became known as the Adverse Childhood Experiences or ACE study. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are traumatic events that children may be exposed to while growing up that include abuse, neglect, domestic violence, substance misuse or mental illness. Long-term exposure to childhood trauma has been linked to everything from heart disease and diabetes to alcoholism, depression, and suicide. While there is no denying the reality and impact of adverse childhood experiences on our mental and physical health, just focusing just on the negative alone, or the bad that happened to us, may actually slow the process of our healing down. Research on the mind-brain-body network shows that an overly negative focus without balancing with the positive can distort our perceptions and potentially hamstring our ability to work through what we have gone through in a way that doesn’t keep us trapped in the past. Why? The mind-brain-body network is all about balance and restoring balance when it is upset. Focusing only on the negative will add to an already overloaded amount of toxic stress from the adverse experience. This is why it is important that while we do the work to find the root causes of our distress and process and reconceptualize what has happened to us, we also make sure we have some positive, balancing checkpoints in place on our healing journey or we risk the danger of getting stuck in a cycle of pain and victimhood. In fact, there is exciting research that shows that positive childhood experiences (PCEs) can actually help buffer against the negative health effects caused by exposure to ACEs. PCEs can also promote healing and recovery through activating our resilience. This shows that all of a child’s experiences—positive and negative—matter, so we shouldn’t just be considering the bad of what has happened to us but also the good, and how all these experiences affect our mental health as adults. Some research even shows that people with some exposure to ACEs, if they reported 3 to 5 positive childhood experiences, had 50% lower odds of adulthood depression or poor mental health, and those who reported 6 to 7 PCE’s had a 72% lower chance of adult mental health challenges. These findings demonstrate that positive childhood experiences can have a cumulative effect on life-long mental health outcomes and play an important role in our healing. The 3:1 Ratio Although we definitely need to work on what we experienced growing up, at the same time we need to leave room for the positive, and a great way to do this is what I call the “3:1 thought ratio”. This is one technique I often use this to balance myself and find it extremely helpful when things seem overwhelming. All you have to do is to intentionally focus on the positive to balance out the negative in a 3:1 ratio. And this can be used for any negative situation, not just for ACEs. For every negative thought that comes to mind, along with its emotions, behaviors, and perspectives, counter it with three positive thoughts. This will help to maintain a balance in energy (quantum) waves in the brain so you can think clearly, build your resilience, and rewire healthy thought patterns! When you practice the 3:1 ratio, this means that each time you have a negative thought, you don’t suppress it, but rather use it as a prompt to think of three positive childhood experiences. This doesn’t mean you are ignoring what has happened to you; rather, you are maintaining the balance of your mind, brain and body so that you can heal what has happened to you rather than remaining trapped in the past. You are essentially using the negative thought as a habit loop trigger to help you recognize what to change WHILE “padding” or mitigating the effects this negative event has on your overall wellbeing. This is not swapping the negative for the positive. It is using the positive to help us face and overcome the negative. For more on managing the effect adverse childhood experiences have on your health and wellbeing, listen to my podcast (episode #590). Podcast Highlights 2:16 What ACEs are & how they impact our mental health 7:28 Our childhood experiences are not a life sentence! 11:55 Why we need to balance the negative with the positive 13:46 What PCEs are & how they can help us heal 20:07 How to use the positive to deal with the negative This podcast and blog are for educational purposes only and are not intended as medical advice. We always encourage each person to make the decision that seems best for their situation with the guidance of a medical professional. To read the original article click here.

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How To Move on Without an Apology

The AHA! Team — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 08:59:31 +0000

Dr. Caroline Leaf – In this podcast (episode #470) and blog, I talk about how to move on without an apology. Unfortunately, there will be times in life when someone hurts you and refuses to apologize, regardless of what you say or do. Here are just a few tips to help you when this happens: -Recognize and honor what happened to you. Remind yourself that it is not just “in your head”. You don’t need someone to admit they hurt you to validate what happened to you. -Allow yourself to feel the pain and emotions. Acknowledge how the person made you feel. Their lack of apology doesn’t mean it was okay, and you can be sad or upset about it. -Put boundaries up, especially if someone keeps hurting you or taking advantage of you. You may even have to pause or end the relationship—don’t feel guilty about this. Part of keeping someone accountable may include taking away their access to you. But make sure these boundaries are healthy and not just a distraction from your pain. For more on healthy versus toxic boundaries, listen to my recent podcast. Work on forgiving the person who hurt you even if they don’t apologize -Work on forgiving the person who hurt you even if they don’t apologize to disentangle yourself from the pain. For more on this, listen to my recent podcast on forgiveness. -Explore the “why” behind your feelings, and a great way to do this is using the using the Neurocycle mind management method, which I discuss in detail in my latest book Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess and my app Neurocycle. The Neurocycle is a way to harness your thinking power that I have developed and researched over the past three decades. It has 5 steps: Gather awareness of how you feel mentally and physically when you think about what happened. Reflect on how you feel. Why do you think you feel this way? Write down your reflections to help organize your thinking. Recheck: think about what your thoughts and feelings are trying to tell you. What does it say about how you view the person/situation? What is your antidote—how will you take action to protect your mental health and take control of your story? Look for clues in your writing, then start to reconceptualize the way you are thinking about what happened and the person who hurt you. Do your active reach. This is a thought or action you need to practice daily to help you reconceptualize what you worked on in the previous steps. What are you going to do to protect your own wellbeing and boundaries? What action steps are you going to take? Remember that you can’t fix or change the person who is impacting you in a negative way—don’t try to force someone to apologize. Focus on your own response and healing. Remember that moving forward and healing doesn’t depend on someone’s apology. Don’t give that person this power over you. Remind yourself that you get to write your own story. You cannot control the circumstances of life, but you can control your reaction to what happens to you. You have power over your own story, and you do not have to stay connected to the person who harmed you. For more on moving on without an apology, listen to my podcast (episode #470). Podcast Highlights 0:50 What happens when someone hurts you & doesn’t apologize 2:08 Tips to manage your mental health when someone doesn’t apologize 5:47, 15:57 How to use mind management to heal when someone hurts you This podcast and blog are for educational purposes only and are not intended as medical advice. We always encourage each person to make the decision that seems best for their situation with the guidance of a medical professional. To read the original article click here.

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