Healthy Looks Great on You

Is Dementia Really Preventable?

 Is dementia really preventable? The answer is more complicated than a simple yes or no. There are some things we can control and other things we cannot, but  groundbreaking research shows that up to 40 percent of dementia cases might be preventable through lifestyle changes.  That's nearly half of all cases that could potentially be delayed or avoided.
In today's episode, we'll explore the science behind daily habits that can protect your brain health. We'll separate fact from fiction about dementia and examine the latest research and most importantly, share practical tips you can take today to reduce your risk.
Whether you're concerned about your own cognitive health or caring for a loved one, this month long series will give you lots of information, motivation, and inspiration regarding brain health. And what could be more important than saving the brains.  
But first, let's do a quick mini medical school review about dementia and Alzheimer's. Today's focus will be on Alzheimer's disease because it accounts for 60 80 percent of all cases of dementia. 
There are currently over 6 million people in the United States who are 65 or older who have Alzheimer's disease. It is the 6th leading cause of death in this country, but it moves up to number 5 if we're talking about older Americans.  Over the last 20 years, the incidence has increased by an alarming One hundred and forty five percent. Wow. So, what causes it? Well, that's a good question, and there isn't a clear answer.
One way to think about dementia is to think about the way other organs fail, like heart failure and kidney failure. Dementia is, quite simply, brain failure. Now, the brain is made up of neurons, which are nerve cells, and those are found throughout the body. In the brain, these cells are responsible for complex connections and communication, and that enables us to think, smell, talk, see, hear, remember, make decisions, plan, and move our bodies.
And with dementia, these cells start to die, and the brain begins to shrink.  But listen, brains typically begin to shrink around age 30 or 40 in perfectly healthy people. Then it ramps up around age 60, even more after age 70. We call this shrinkage atrophy, and to some degree it is normal. 
But the good news is that we have some reserve to the tune of about 100 billion nerve cells, 100 trillion synapses, which are the connections between nerve cells and a whole bunch of neurotransmitters, Which are the chemicals that go between nerve cells to make communication possible.
So, this network has some resilience even when there's an overall loss of brain volume. However, Alzheimer's is not normal atrophy. The brain shrinks at an accelerated rate. And no one knows for certain what happens inside the brain of people affected by Alzheimer's disease. But the two most notable things are plaques and tangles. If you've never seen it up close and personal, you may envision someone who doesn't know how to get around and can't remember your name.
But, it's not really like that at first, and it's tricky. It's not uncommon for family members and close friends to get a little concerned about someone's mind, then see times of brilliance and you think, Oh, everything's fine. So, This visual of tangled neurons really helps us understand that. Sometimes you're brushing your hair and everything's smooth and then sometimes you hit a mess and the brush gets hung up. 
These tangles interrupt the transport system in the brain. And it's thought to be related to the Tau protein.
The other process that seems to contribute to Alzheimer's is plaque.  Now, When I say the word plaque, you may think of the dental hygienist prying your mouth open and picking at that buildup on your teeth.
The plaques on your teeth are made of tartar, but the plaques in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease are made of beta amyloid. And these are just sticky pieces of protein that come from the fatty membrane around the nerve cells. And things that stick together clump together, and these form plaques.
And it blocks cellular communication.  On top of that, there's an immune response where inflammation causes cells to just be gobbled up.  There are going to be some great resources to better understand this process.  I'm going to put all of this together for you and send it out every Friday this whole month so you have all these resources at your fingertips.
And of course, if you aren't on my email list. You should be. You can sign up so you don't miss it. Now that you have an overall understanding of Alzheimer's, let's get back to prevention. When we look at the research, we divide the risk factors into two buckets, modifiable and non modifiable. We're going to focus on the modifiable.
Simply put, it's things you can control versus things you cannot. And this might be a really good time to recite the serenity prayer. Lord, help me to change the things I can. And accept the things I cannot.  Today, we will focus on what we can change. And I'm going to give you a quick list of known contributing factors for dementia.
And this is not a complete list and these are not your practical steps, but I think this is good information for you to have before we really get started.
Number one, diabetes, and it's way more prevalent than you might think.  Next is midlife, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, midlife obesity, smoking, physical inactivity, poor diet, which is the standard American diet, stress, and lack of quality social connectedness.  Notice there's a strong correlation between things that affect heart health and things that affect brain health. 
We often don't think of heart disease or dementia as being reversible. But what if,  what if, that's a question that deserves an answer. What if it's preventable and what if it's reversible? Dr. Dean Ornish addressed that question in the 70s for heart disease. And in June of this last year, he released a small research study showing reversal of cognitive decline.  Let's pause for a minute and let that sink in.
Not only is evidence showing that 40 percent of dementia is preventable, but now we have some evidence that at least in some people and to some degree, It's reversible. And if that doesn't motivate you, I don't know what does.
Now, this study was promising, but small. We're going to dive into the details in an upcoming episode in this series, but we're also going to look at information published by a reputable medical journal called the Lancet Commission, as well as recommendations and facts from the World Alzheimer Report, the National Institutes of Health, or NIH, and the Alzheimer's Association.
If you're interested in more information. , I'm going to put together a list of helpful resources, and some of them have some really cool visual tools where you can tour the brain.
There's a link in the show notes to sign up for my email, or just go to my website, www. healthylooksgreatonyou.com There's some great resources for you there, and episodes on diabetes and hypertension, because those are also contributing factors.
 And if all of this does motivate you to make lifestyle changes, as a bonus, you can sign up for a free mini course that I put together to help you work through making healthy habit changes. It's called seven day kickstart to healthy habits, but let's jump to the bottom line to quote the World Alzheimer's report 2024.
"There is no magic bullet for dementia, but there are tangible steps big and small that individuals can take to reduce risk. And any step is better than doing nothing."  
So let's look at those any steps.  There were nine risk factors that were identified to be modifiable, meaning you can change them, but they've added three more for a total of twelve.
I've divided them up into eight steps. Step one is literally a step, and that's physical activity. Any activity is better than no activity. And I would also say, the more, the better. Aim for at least 30 minutes a day to promote blood flow to the brain, which feeds your brain by delivering oxygen and nutrients.
Most experts have focused on aerobic exercise, which is getting your heart rate up. So, while it's great to walk three miles a day, if you aren't huffing and puffing just a little bit, But you probably aren't getting the maximum benefits. High intensity exercise can optimize the environment for creating new connections between neurons in the brain by releasing something called brain derived neurotropic factor or BDNF. This is a warrior in the brain that goes to battle to fight cognitive decline. 
More recently, strength training is being emphasized, especially quad strength. The muscles in the legs are some of the biggest in the body. According to "The Brain Docs", Dr. Aisha and Dean Shirazi, research has consistently shown that leg strength correlates with enhanced cognitive function. And on top of that, strong legs means less falls as we age and falling is associated with all kinds of bad things besides bruising and breaking bones. 
Another area that is currently being studied is called combined cognitive physical interventions. I'm going to talk more about this later, but it refers to activities that force you to use your muscles and brain at the same time. Now the studies are not conclusive, but the concept is that if you challenge your brain while exercising, you get more benefit.
Some people call it exergames, but think dancing, tai chi, virtual reality games, walking and recall, such as memorizing scripture while you walk. That's something I really enjoy because it's also outside in nature, which is a great stress reliever. And the instructor at the gym where I go comes up with all kinds of things to make sure our brains are being challenged in our circuits class.   And speaking of moving, let's move on to step number two. 
You probably knew this was coming, but the next step is diet. And of course, the big question is always, which diet? Let me just cut to the chase and tell you that lifestyle medicine promotes a whole food plant predominant diet. That means cutting out processed foods, especially ultra processed foods, and eating instead whole foods.
You know, the way God designed them instead of the way food manufacturing industry packages them. And yes, I know it's expensive and confusing and I talk about that in other episodes, but if you want to protect your brain, you've got to nourish it and nutrients come from food. The more the food resembles the way it exists in nature, the more nutrients it contains.
And that seems simple enough, but what does research and evidence tell us exactly? Well, Dr. Ornish says, whole food, minimally processed, plant based diet is best. for preventing and reversing dementia. And listen, his program is intense. The American College of Lifestyle Medicine says we should limit the amount of sugar and saturated fats. And make sure to eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. The World Alzheimer's Report tells us to diversify the food groups you consume and avoid ultra processed foods. In fact, we always say, eat the rainbow. That means different foods with different colors and that provides the different nutrients that we need.
And, by the way, when we talk about foods with different colors, we're not really talking about Fruit Loops, regardless of whether or not they contain dyes. Listen, junk food is junk food whether it's brightly colored or pale.  So what kind of diet? We're talking about diets that are rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats.
Those are all associated with better brain health. The Mediterranean diet is a classic example. The Mediterranean diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, fish, and healthy fats, and has been consistently linked to lower rates of Alzheimer's disease. 
And the MIND diet is a combination of the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet, which is used to treat and prevent hypertension. And it has also been shown to reduce dementia by as much as 53 percent. I have a separate episode on that. 
If you actually read the list of 12 modifiable risk factors, it doesn't specify diet, but instead includes maintaining a healthy weight and diabetes. And both of those are directly related to diet.  
Step number three is don't smoke. I'm not going to spend a lot of time on this one because fortunately most people don't smoke. That's one of the reasons that the rates of heart disease and stroke are decreasing. However, marijuana use is skyrocketing and we are starting to see evidence that it can increase the risk of heart attack by four fold. And I imagine as this trend plays out, we'll see more and more negative effects.
On top of that, air pollution has been linked to dementia. Now, I do have an episode on smoking cessation with some helpful resources. I'll link it in the show notes. You can find it on my website, but suffice it to say that anything that damages blood vessels damages the heart and the brain. Smoking contributes to cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and stroke. And is clearly a risk factor for dementia. Hypertension is independently listed as one of the 12 modifiable risk factors and so is a high LDL cholesterol.  
Step 4 is meaningful social interaction. We need people in our lives.
Ideally, we could combine all these measures together. Eat your meals with people. Exercise in a class. Stimulate your brain with games that involve another person. There is strong evidence that links social connectedness to overall health in general and brain health in particular. Not only that, the one thing that is the strongest indicator for both happiness and longevity is It's social connectedness. 
I have a couple of episodes on loneliness. The latter focuses on mood and it turns out that depression is also a risk factor for dementia.  To be honest, it's hard to know the difference or which came first,  but it's clear that loneliness is linked to poor health outcomes in general.
Step number five is stay mentally active. Now, people with less education to begin with have an increased risk of dementia. But that doesn't mean that once you graduate, you can stop there. Be a lifelong learner. And this doesn't just mean to sit around and do brain teaser puzzles, although there may be some benefit to that. But there's clearly benefit in learning new things, especially hard things. Challenging your brain helps create new connections, and new connections help maintain reserve during the aging process. Learning a new language is probably one of the best things you can do to challenge your brain. But it's hard. Memorizing is another good thing, and I cannot tell you how much memorizing scripture has meant to me personally. Not only for brain health, but for spiritual health.  
Number six is just protect your body. 
Pay attention to your overall health, that includes your teeth, but specifically protect your noggin. Head injuries are associated with an increased risk of dementia. I'm going skiing this month and I will be wearing a helmet, but also make sure your home is safe. Rugs can be a hazard, so can puppies and bathtubs. Remove clutter and cords so you don't trip.  
Other things that fall under protect your noggin are hearing aids. You see, when sound enters your ears, it goes to your brain for processing. And when you can't hear well, those parts of your brain start to shrink. Wearing hearing aids may help prevent dementia.
And more recently, research has also found an association between vision loss and dementia, likely for the same reasons. So, maximize those inputs to your brain through your eyes and ears and protect your head.  
One of the most common causes of traumatic brain injury is car accidents. Two of the biggest factors associated with motor vehicle crashes are alcohol and sleepy driving. 
So, step number seven is avoid excess alcohol. Previously, evidence indicated that one to two drinks a day was considered safe and maybe even protective. Admittedly, people who live in blue zones often consume red wine on a regular basis. And if you aren't familiar with blue zones, I'll have an upcoming episode, but basically, It refers to five geographic areas in the world where people routinely live to be over 100 years old with vim and vigor. 
Only one of them is in the United States. It's in Loma Linda, California. There's a large population of people there who belong to the seventh day Adventist faith in that part of the country. And their lifestyle is marked not only by faith, but also strong social ties, a vegetarian diet, time in nature, and no tobacco, and no alcohol.
Regardless, there is an alarming trend of increasing alcohol consumption, and excess alcohol is clearly linked to dementia. For more on alcohol, I included a previous episode link in the show notes. There is no controversy in the literature that two drinks a day is the limit. Quitting is hard, but And I've included some resources on my website. 
Lastly, step number eight is sleep. I know, I know I said there were 12 modifiable risk factors. Thank you so much for paying attention. I will list them out, one through 12 in my newsletter. But for this episode, I grouped them together.  
In a recent episode, I called sleep the mood mechanic. But the brain repair work that goes on during sleep is so much more than mood.
Poor sleep is associated with so many of the risk factors for dementia, like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, depression, and obesity.  Poor sleep, especially in late midlife, is associated with an increased risk of dementia. And if this is an area where you struggle, you will be glad to know that I have an entire series on sleep coming up next month with lots of great resources. Some of them are already on my website so hop on over there and snag them. 
The Lancet Commission states that "Our new life course model and evidence synthesis has paramount worldwide policy implications."  And they conclude by saying, "It is never too early and never too late in the life course for dementia prevention." So, no matter how old you are and what your risk factors are, prioritize your physical health and your brain health because healthy looks great on you. 
RESOURCES:
Join the email list for all the resources
Preventing Cognitive Decline
Practical tips for caregivers and friends of people with dementia
How to prevent and reverse type 2 diabetes
Control your blood pressure
How to quit 
Sleep - the mood mechanic
Kickstart Healthy Habits in 7 Days
The deadly epidemic of loneliness
From loneliness to belonging
Which diet is healthiest?
 
      The information contained in this podcast is for educational purposes only and is not considered to be a substitute for medical advice. You should continue to follow up with your physician or health care provider and take medication as prescribed. Though the information in this podcast is evidence based, new research may develop and recommendations may change. 
 

Your Holiday Stress Guide

  Every year, Christmas carols promise joy and magic. But for many people, they're just soundtracks to the silent screams of stress.  Today, we're turning those festive tunes into a real survival guide to take you from bah humbug to fa la la la la la la la la.
And it's gonna be fun.
  I'm Dr.Vickie Petz Kasper. I'll give you practical steps to start your own journey toward better health because healthy looks great on you.  
 Have yourself a merry little Christmas. You may be thinking, yeah right. There's shopping, and eating, and staying up late, and people. People. Though connection is crucial, some people clearly belong on Santa's naughty list. And they get seated right next to you at the dinner party.
Today, I'm going to give you a survival guide that will help you have a holly jolly Christmas this year. Because, even when you're singing Joy to the World, all that rockin around the Christmas tree can turn into a big crash. And I'm not talking about Grandma getting run over by a reindeer. You know, that song is pretty disturbing if you think about it.
And while you might not be worried about a collision with a four legged beast with antlers, you probably can make a list of things that bring stress instead of comfort and joy. Let's start with those weeks leading up to the holidays. I started decorating the day after Thanksgiving singing to myself, It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.
When I put it back in the attic, I'll sing, It's beginning to look a knot like Christmas.  I know, I know, my kids would say, I just set off the corn o meter. Ding, ding, ding, ding.  But let's face it, decorating and planning sets us up for festive fatigue right at the outset of the season.
Yes, of course, it's the most wonderful time of the year and How's that working to set unrealistic expectations? What happens if the illusion of everyone else having a blast only magnifies what you're really feeling?  It's a setup for disappointment. Like a kid who asked for a trampoline and got a history book for Christmas.
And speaking of Santa Claus coming to town, there's some pressure. Gotta be good, or you'll get a lump of coal in your stocking.  Do you hear what I hear?  Sometimes we hear sleigh bells ring ring ringing and jing jing jinging, but sometimes we hear snippy comments and conflict, all because I'll be home for Christmas.
Which may involve travel, and frankly, being around people you don't particularly like. Being pulled in so many directions you feel like a gingerbread man about to break apart.  If you missed the episode on navigating connections during the holidays, I really want you to meet my fictional Aunt Edna. She's a hoot.
Now, if you're like me, this year we've been dashing through the snow.  Actually, it's been so warm we've rarely even worn a coat, and we don't have a one horse open sleigh, but we do have a golf cart. But literally, my social calendar has been as full as Santa's pack when he leaves the workshop. 
I'm an extrovert, so I love it. But, as a result, my sleep is off, I've gained three pounds from eating Christmas crack, and no, I am not going to share that recipe, and it's not a whole food, and it's not plant based,  and Jingle Bell Rock, it needs to happen at the gym, but honestly, I feel like I need to sleep in.
 This month is halfway over and there are only a few days left to finish my shopping. And silver bells sound like, Cha ching!  Cha ching!  Whether you're braving crowds or surfing the internet to find the perfect gift for all the people in your family.
Your credit card is asking for at least one silent night.  And maybe you're dreaming of a white Christmas, longing for days gone by when your stocking was full of walnuts and oranges. Things were simpler then. Nostalgia is sweet, but let's face it, our minds tend to idealize the past and sometimes what we really need to do is let go and embrace the present. 
And speaking of presents, whether all you want for Christmas is your two front teeth or peace on earth, managing holiday stress is important. Now, you've already been to mini medical school and you know that stress causes increased cortisol levels, compromises your immune system, causes upset stomach, and disrupts your sleep. And that's just the physical stuff.
Anxiety and depression symptoms increase, and the Polar Express brings emotional exhaustion with brain fog pumping out the smokestack.  If you missed the class on how stress increases your risk for cardiovascular disease and pretty much everything that you wouldn't wish for, there's a link in the show notes. 
But if you're navigating complex family relationships, trying to avoid conflict and triggers, or Feeling social pressure to attend all the parties, or if you're feeling left out by all the perfect celebrations on social media, or you have FOMO and you always say yes, plus you have to get up and go to work the next day, or if you're feeling the financial strain of too much shopping, this is the episode for you. 
Since this is a lifestyle medicine podcast, let's take a quick peek into the packages and see what lifestyle factors contribute to more holiday stress.  Unhealthy coping mechanisms.  Overindulgence in alcohol and unprocessed food, especially sugar, which increases inflammation and maybe just maybe that's why your joints are hurting more.
Comfort eating. Don't be like Santa and feel obligated to eat the cookies just because they're on a plate in front of you. Avoiding exercise because you were up too late wrapping presents or watching Hallmark movies. And you know what that holiday mythology about perfect holidays can do? Set up unrealistic expectations.
The comparison trap is like the Grinch stealing the Christmas tree and comparison is the ultimate thief of joy.   Irregular sleep patterns because you're reviewing your grocery list or your shopping list instead of dreaming of sugar plums dancing in your head. 
By the way, if you want to learn more about how to turn off your mind and turn on restorative sleep, then I have a free cheat sheet for you. There's a link in the show notes. 
Another thing is poor boundary setting.
Some people just have difficulty saying no, so they overcommit. They're the people pleasers. Any of that sound familiar to you? Well, here's your holiday survival guide. We're going to look at practical tips to keep you from turning into Scrooge. Let's start with bills. No, not bells, bills. You know, electric bills, and mortgage payments, and gas, and groceries.
I just want to remind you, those bills aren't going to take a holiday break, so Obviously, you don't want to spend money that you need.  And let me tell you a story. One year before Christmas, I asked my kids to name their top three favorite gifts from the previous Christmas. Try it. See what kind of answers you get.
Most of the time, they can't even name one. Unless we spend it on an experience, rather than a tangible gift. And I highly recommend that, but listen, experiences can be expensive. So, survival tip number one is, it helps to have a holiday spending budget.  You need an emotional budget too, but we'll get to that in a bit.
First, finances. There are budgeting apps you can use, you can put those on your phone.  You might think about dividing your spending into categories and setting limits for each. And when it comes to gifts, remember, three was enough for Jesus, it's enough for your little one too.
Or, if you want to splurge, use the four gift rule. Something they want, something they need, something to wear, and something to read.  Let me give you some advice about a common mistake. Do you think that you have to spend the same amount on everyone?  Listen, this is a never ending merry go round of trying to even it up.
And I hope my kids are secure enough in our relationship to know that if I spend more on one than the other, it's not a reflection of anything except that I only bought what I thought they really wanted.  And what about family gifts? You know how everyone money launders gift cards for all those teenage boys in your family?
It's kind of silly and we quit doing it years ago. No gifts for anyone except immediate family and that has made the holiday season so much more enjoyable. We play games instead of exchanging gifts.  But if you think you can't give it up completely, try some homemade gifts, like a scrapbook, homemade jelly, or if you're handy with a hammer, maybe a birdhouse.
It's so much more meaningful. And it won't be forgotten by next year. Or maybe do a Santa gift exchange with a reasonable spending limit. Or if you really like each other, plan an experience together.   And if you need a small gift, you might want to buy my book, Dressing the Wound, Give Yourself the Gift of Forgiveness.
It's a short book I wrote, and it's available on Amazon for about 5. There's a link in the show notes. Another idea is to donate to charity in someone's name. Yes, it still costs money, but it takes the pressure off of searching for something for hours, spending money, and then wondering if they're even going to like it. 
You could also give the gift of yourself and services. Offer to babysit or cook a meal.  Now, it's a little late for this strategy, but it might help to start early and spread out your expenses over the year. Hey, you could even start right after Christmas this year and hit the sales for next year. One thing you need to watch for.
Sometimes you buy a little along the way and then you forget, so you buy more. So keep track of it.  And there are ways to save money. Often, if you're shopping online, you can get discounts for signing up for their email list. Speaking of email list, are you on mine? If not, sign up and you'll get a discount on the next podcast episode. 
Just kidding. The podcast is free for you, but I do have lots of bonuses for  subscribers.  Cashback programs. I use Rakuten. You can earn points by using a credit card and set it so that you pay it off automatically at the end of each month or you might end up spending more in interest and it's a good way to get in over your head quickly. 
 Practice saying no to unnecessary spending and focus on meaningful connections over material gifts. But listen, give. There are so many people struggling to make Christmas happen for their kids and there are elderly people in nursing facilities who are in need.
 Christmas is a time to give a year end gift to missions, your church, or a charitable organization. It is truly more blessed to give than receive.  And in addition to a financial plan and budget, you need to manage your physical, mental, and emotional energy too.
And part of that involves navigating relationships and communication.  Can I just be honest for a sec?  I totally failed at this one this week. So, this advice, it's for me. But, I suspect you could use it too. Tip number two for your holiday stress guide is set expectations. You know, blessed are those who expect nothing because they're never disappointed.
Okay Eeyore, let's just be realistic. We all have expectations and they can lead to more conflict. The goal is to set realistic expectations and to clearly communicate those expectations. In advance. This requires a conversation. You can do it on the phone, in person, or you might even try an email thread or a family group text to have a discussion in advance about expectations, limitations, and boundaries.
This needs to be non confrontational and the language should be neutral and collaborative.  Man, I wish I would have had this guide earlier this week.   After your better than I did discussion, send a follow up gentle reminder message outlining the plans you agreed on.
Provide context for your decisions and offer alternatives when possible. And once you've set realistic expectations, It's time to establish boundaries. Be clear and be kind. Use I statements and explain your personal needs without blaming someone else. Remember, this isn't a wish list for Santa's elves.
This is trying to connect with the people you love. So provide rationale for your boundaries and again, offer compromise where appropriate.  None of this is a guarantee there won't be conflict. So let's look at some conflict resolution strategies.  Active listening techniques go a long way. When you're listening, you need to look like you're listening, and you need to act like you're listening.
This is super important. Tip number three is communicate. Probably most of us have finished all of our Santa shopping only to hear our little darling declare that their most wanted Christmas wish wasn't even on our radar. The problem with communication is making the mistake of thinking that it actually happened.
Learn to listen.  It helps to reflect, repeat back what you've heard, ask clarifying questions, show genuine interest and validate other people's feelings with phrases like, I understand why this is important to you, I can see why you might feel that way, and your feelings are valid. Emotional intelligence comes into play, but everyone's not playing on the same field.
So recognize your own underlying emotions and separate intent from impact you see, we tend to judge others by our intentions and then we judge others by their actions. Don't assume you know what someone is thinking. Avoid defensive responses and practice empathy.  It takes practice. This doesn't always work, so
if you do get into a difficult conversation, try to de escalate by maintaining a calm, soft voice without accusatory language. And if the tension really rises, take a break. Try to find common ground. Try to find a win win solution, but be willing to compromise and focus on preserving the relationship because that's what really matters. 
Tip number four is budget your energy. Over commitment leads to overstressed.  Learn to say no, but do it politely. I appreciate the invitation, but I won't be able to make it this year.  Now, let's talk about physical well being. Tip number five. As much as possible, try to maintain your routine. Your routine for eating, sleeping, exercising, and managing stress.
I know, I know, trust me, I've seen the big hand on the six and the little hand on the ten twice as often as normal just this week. But, I've also felt the effects. Try to maintain your movement or exercise routine and don't forget nutrition. Listen, the most important advice I can give you is start your meal with fiber.
It's critical for gut health and it helps even if you're going to eat those bacon wrapped crackers afterwards. And remember, sleep matters. Sleep hygiene can help unless you already suffer from insomnia. Then, maybe not so much. You're going to want to stay tuned for the next series. It's going to be on sleep. 
If you need a resource, visit my website and grab that tip sheet on how to turn off your mind.  All six pillars of lifestyle medicine have an impact on your holiday attitude. Let's wind up this series with this focus on stress. And we've already discussed managing expectations and setting boundaries with your time and energy.
Now, let's look at some practical tips for regulating your emotions. Tip number six. Since we're using Christmas carols to frame this episode, how about singing to relieve stress and reset your mood? 
I'd like to read you a text I got from my son in law. With his permission, of course.   Hopefully this time I can read it without choking up. 
He was talking about his oldest son, my little grandson. And he said, we like to shut off all the lights, put the Christmas tree in the fireplace, and play Christmas songs. He asked me for a special one tonight. Not a Grinch one, lol. There's one that stands out. It's not catchy or particularly memorable, but my grandpa loved it.
He used to look like he was a thousand miles away when he played it on a vinyl record. He told me on Christmas Eve, 1944, he had gotten a letter that one of my grandma's brothers, his future brother in law, was unaccounted for at the Battle of the Bulge.  Another brother was at Bastogne, with the 101st Airborne and the 3rd was in the Philippines.
His unit sat down to eat and this song played and they were all choked up.  Just a bunch of 20 something year olds trying to hide it. A few weeks later, he'd start prepping for D Day. Most of those men didn't make it.  He said, oddly, Christmas was simpler, a reminder of God's blessings. of family and home.  I thought of it last week and sat downstairs at your house one night and after everyone went to bed, listened to it. 
It was nice to be home with y'all. 
Okay, I got choked up a little,  but if you're like me and you can't sing, listen to music. And tip number seven is  remember to breathe.  There are some specific breathing exercises that help manage stress. The 4 7 8 breathing method where you inhale for four seconds.  Hold your breath for 7 seconds,  exhale slowly for 8 seconds. 
Repeat this if you're feeling overwhelmed or do the box breathing technique where you inhale for 4 seconds, hold it for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds, hold it for 4 seconds. And you know what?
Even if you can't hit the high notes of heavenly peace, sing anyway.  Tip number eight is read the Christmas story and meditate on its truths and pray.  And tip number nine is  practice gratitude. You want to know why we always recommend practicing gratitude?  Because gratitude equals contentment.
And I can hardly think of anything that alleviates the stress of the holidays more than contentment. Be content with the gifts you buy and content with the gifts you receive.  Love the home you have and all that is in it, including the people.  Accept the family you have. Not the family you wish they were.
When you don't feel grateful, take a walk. God reveals his very self to us in nature, and that goes a long way in resetting your mindset.  
I hope you'll follow me into the new year.
We're going to start 2025 by focusing on a good night's sleep,  but we're going to keep focusing on all the pillars of lifestyle medicine. You are such a blessing to me. 
Tip number 10. Don't get overwhelmed. Don't overindulge, but don't miss the moments. Keep Christmas simple. Sit on the stairs, turn off the lights, listen to music, but also embrace the opportunities.
 Like eating the toffee that my neighbor gave me yesterday. After all, it's Christmas and managing expectations may mean making some exceptions. The bottom line is, stress is inevitable during the holidays. You cannot avoid it, but you can manage it. It's a skill that can be learned, but like any skill, It takes repetition and practice.
So if you cry and pout, give yourself some grace because it is a wonderful life. Really? Because though there's no miracle on 34th street, there is a miracle. That is the reason for the season. And don't forget, that's what we're really celebrating.  The birth of Jesus brings perfect peace. He came to earth to do for us what we can't do for ourselves.
So, hark the herald, angels sing, glory to the newborn king, peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled. Have a merry, healthy Christmas because healthy looks great on you.  
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The mood mechanic and the work of sleep

Have you ever snapped someone's head off simply because you are a sleepy head?  Our fuses can get pretty short when we're sleep deprived.  We need dream time therapy to hit reset on our emotions. And without it, look out. Sleep is so much more than rest. You and those around you can appreciate the benefits of good sleep on emotions and mood.
Sleep is so much more than rest. You and those around you can appreciate the benefits of good sleep on emotions and mood.
I'm Dr. Vickie Petz Kasper, I help you make changes that make a difference. Healthy Looks Great On You podcast takes you to mini medical school so you can learn the power of lifestyle medicine.
Sleep is hard work. And I don't mean getting to sleep and staying asleep is hard work, though it often is. I mean, there's a lot of work that goes on while you sleep.  Sleep rebuilds your mental landscape. What happens when you sleep affects your emotions while you're awake. The brain undergoes active processing and healing while you're getting your Z's.
You need sleep for emotional maintenance. The physiology is absolutely fascinating. So let's start right off the bat by going to mini medical school and learning about how sleep affects mood. Now, don't worry. I'll make it fun so you don't sleep through class.  Let's start with sleep cycle basics. There are two primary types of sleep that alternate in cycles throughout the night.
And those are REM and non REM. That probably already sounds familiar. REM stands for rapid eye movement  and  they each have different functions. Non REM does the work of physical restoration and recovery, while REM does the emotional processing and cognitive maintenance. It's divided into three stages.
Now this is going to be super easy to remember because the stages are called N1, N2, and N3. But let's peek under the covers and explore each of them a little more. Stage N1 is light sleep. And this is a transition between being asleep and being awake, and it only lasts about 5 or 10 minutes. In this stage, your muscle activity slows down, though you might twitch occasionally, and you can be easily awakened and even somewhat aware of your surroundings. You're actually asleep, but you're just in that lightest stage of sleep.  Stage N2 is moderate sleep, and this accounts for about 50 percent of total sleep time. During stage N2 sleep, your body cools down. The temperature actually gets lower, and your heart rate slows, and your brain waves slow down, and this is so important for memory consolidation.
In fact, stage N2 sleep has a huge impact on your ability to learn, remember, and retain new information. The cognitive impact also includes decision making skills. Without adequate stage in to sleep, Memories don't get consolidated, and processing speed is slowed down, and so this causes increased difficulty with complex cognitive tasks.
Lack of adequate sleep doesn't just affect your cognitive ability, though. It also affects mood. It makes us more susceptible to the effects of stress, both physically and emotionally. And emotionally.  Poor sleep disrupts emotional regulation, so we're more reactive.  The next time someone's voice goes up a couple of octaves in response to something you said, maybe, just maybe, They didn't sleep well last night. 
I don't recommend mentioning it.  Even more serious than becoming a soprano during a conversation, without good sleep, people have an increased risk of mood disorders like depression and anxiety. And at the very least, the symptoms of anxiety are heightened without adequate shut eye. And listen, everyone reacts to having their buttons pushed, but when the work of sleep is on strike, our emotional resilience is kaput. 
 And the fruit of the spirit just goes right out the window. No peace, no patience, no kindness, no goodness, and definitely no gentleness.  Now, emotional reactions can be dangerous, but the physical health consequences of poor sleep can be deadly. Without good quality sleep, the immune system is weaker, metabolism is wrecked, Inflammation skyrockets and even hormones get out of whack.
We need sleep for healing and recovery every single time the earth revolves around the sun. Think of your brain as a computer. You know, it has to be charged in order to function. Without recharging through sleep, there are several neurologic effects on your brain. Those grouchy neurons in your head quit communicating effectively.
This leads to impaired synaptic plasticity. The dampening of the pathways in the brain to adapt and rewire themselves. It causes the brain to filter and organize information much less effectively. This leads to decreased productivity, more errors, and accidents.
This process is crucial for emotional learning, adaptation, and developing resilience to emotional challenges. And don't we all have emotional challenges?  Stage N2 sleep is critical for overall cognitive and physical restoration. Chronic deficiency can lead to cumulative negative effects on mental and physical well being.
Now before you put your head down on your desk for a little nap, Now, let's move on to the deepest subject, stage N3, or deep sleep. This one is essential for feeling refreshed. And here's the deal, you can't really skip over stage N1 and stage 2 to get there.  You can probably guess that this stage of deep sleep is the most restorative.
It's harder to wake up during N3. It's so critical for physical recovery,  strengthening the immune system and promoting growth and repair of tissues.  You know how they always do road work at night? Well, your brain kind of does the same thing. And just like highway repair, it's never ending.
Now, let's shift gears a little bit and talk about REM sleep. The brain undergoes a sophisticated process of emotional memory integration. And this just isn't passive storage, but it's an active recalibration of all of your emotional experiences.  And as implied by its name rapid eye movement. The eyes move rapidly beneath the eyelids and the brain is actually highly active, but the body is temporarily paralyzed.  
This part of the sleep cycle is critical for cognitive functions like memory consolidation, emotional regulation, learning, and creative problem solving. I mean, have you ever woken up in the morning and just had a better perspective on things?   I certainly have. But while your eyes are dancing, your brain is sorting and processing emotional experiences. And this is what leads us to be more clear headed and in control of our emotions during the day. And without it, you're probably going to wind up on Santa's naughty list.  So, how does all this work?
Well, that little maintenance crew in your brain goes to work in your prefrontal cortex. When the work of sleep is disrupted, emotional processing is impaired, which causes heightened emotional reactivity  and the reduced ability to manage stress.  No wonder we get irritable when we're sleep deprived.  Even more serious, during this phase of sleep, traumatic or intensely emotional memories are processed, and they're gradually detached from their immediate emotional intensity.
So think about that. If they don't get detached, you just keep reliving it over and over with all of the emotional intensity attached.  That's miserable.  The brain essentially sorts out these emotional experiences and helps reduce their psychological impact.
And that prevents us from being overwhelmed and it keeps us resilient.  Now that you understand how this neurochemical rebalancing of sleep has a direct impact on mood, Let's step into the lab for a sec and just look at a little bit of sleep chemistry.
You see, sleep keeps neurotransmitters and hormones in balance to stabilize mood. Everybody's always worried about their hormones being out of balance. Well, how about trying a good night's sleep? Things like serotonin, the happy hormone, cortisol, the stress hormone, and dopamine, the motivating and pleasure hormone.
All get regulated during sleep. What happens is, sleep replenishes the serotonin and dopamine while clearing out the excess cortisol.  When these neurochemicals are out of balance, due to poor sleep, there's more inflammation in the brain.   And that can increase anxiety and depressive symptoms. In fact, studies show that chronic sleepyheads are ten times more likely to experience symptoms of depression. 
So, there's this little cleanup crew in the brain that's supposed to haul all of those inflammatory proteins to the dump. We call that the glymphatic system. But without good sleep at night,  they  don't get an opportunity to come in and clean up all those messes created during the day.
As a result, there are more mood swings and more mood disorders. And here's the deal. It doesn't take a lot of sleep deprivation to cause a pile up. Even mild sleep deprivation can affect emotions. Just one night of poor sleep can increase negative emotional reactivity by up to 60%.  
 The bottom line is that sleep is so much more than rest. It's actually hard work. It's an active and very complex process coordinated by the amygdala. which is the brain's emotional processing center, as well as the prefrontal cortex, and that's where we make rational decisions. Or if we're sleep deprived, it's where we make irrational decisions. 
The brain's nightly housekeeping crew, which occurs most effectively during deep sleep, helps maintain and restore emotional control. It's necessary to reset communication patterns, and reduce impulsive outbursts.  
 Think of it as a nightly emotional tune up for your brain, helping you process, adapt, and maintain psychological balance. And we all need balance, don't we? But like everything in life, this is no quick fix. Adults go through four to five complete sleep cycles every night, and each one of them lasts about 90 to 120 minutes. In other words, it takes some time to get there.
 REM sleep tends to be shorter early on in the night and gets longer as the night goes on. It can last up to an hour. So, if you're feeling big feels that are out of proportion to the situation, take a look at your sleep quantity and quality. 
Maybe your crankiness is a result of imbalance caused by lack of good sleep,  or depression, anxiety, or plain old stress that impacts sleep which interferes with that critical maintenance that goes on during shut eye.  Are you struggling with this area of your health?  If you have trouble with spinning thoughts that keep you from lying down in perfect peace, then grab a sleep freebie from my website.
 This cheat sheet will help get you started turning off your mind so you can turn on restorative sleep. There's a link in the show notes or you can just head on over to my website www. healthylooksgreatonyou.com and look for the sleep freebie. If you want to feel rested, restored, and refreshed during the day, you need a good night's sleep.  
It will help you feel in control of your emotions instead of them tricking you into making mountains out of molehills. Getting enough shut eye is crucial for your health, and healthy looks great on you.  
    RESOURCES:
Cheat sheet to TURN OFF YOUR MIND AND TURN ON RESTORATIVE SLEEP
Healthy Looks Great on You 
Good food for good mood
Move for better mood
How alcohol, sugar and caffeine affect mood
Navigating connections during the holidays
From loneliness to belonging
 
 

From loneliness to belonging

Do you ever feel like you have no one in your life?  Even if you spent the holidays with family or friends, maybe you've decided that you're okay with isolation. Today we're going to discover why it's not okay to be alone and some practical ways to connect with others to improve your physical health and overall quality of life. 
Episode 147 from loneliness to belonging with Dr. Vickie Petz Kasper.
 It's easy to believe you're the only one, and think that others are leading perfect social lives, while you're sitting at home, feeling isolated. Loneliness is considered an epidemic, and it affects people of all ages and all backgrounds, But when you're isolated, it's hard to know that what you're feeling is common.
 So even if you feel alone in your feelings, remember, you're not. Let's take the argument that you're the only one feeling this way off the table and talk about loneliness and how common it is. It is a human emotion that does not define your worth. People often internalize their loneliness as a personal failure or flaw, but it's not. 
There's a loneliness cycle. I'm okay by myself, followed by isolation, which then fosters a fear of being misunderstood or dismissed, and then that prevents you from opening up about loneliness.  Isolation can actually feel comfortable and safe.  There are lies we believe, like no one cares or I'm fine on my own and I don't need anyone. 
Even God said it's not good for man to be alone. We are created to be in community with others and prolonged loneliness can have significant consequences on your health. So I'm going to give you some practical tips on connecting with others. And listen, it's never too late. Certain ages and stages are harder than others, but meaningful relationships are possible. 
After I got really sick, and then I got divorced, and then there was a pandemic, I felt lonely. And I didn't want to admit it. It seemed like a weak word to tell people, I'm lonely. But I was.  But you know what? When you admit it, Sharing your feelings can lead to unexpected support and understanding. 
C. S. Lewis said, "Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, What? You too? I thought I was the only one."  And that's what loneliness can do to you. Now, before I give you a prescription for connection, let's go to Mini Medical School for a quick overview. And if you have not heard my previous episode on loneliness, I would recommend it and I'll put a link in the show notes. And also, if this episode is a little heavy, listen to last week's. It was funny. 
Chronic loneliness is linked to increased inflammation in the body, and that can damage your blood vessels and lead to cardiovascular diseases and increase the risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, and even dementia.  Loneliness also increases cortisol levels, and it also damages blood vessels and weakens the immune system.
And all of this can impair cognitive function. The amygdala gets sensitized and communicates with the prefrontal cortex. This is where we make decisions about our social behavior and It shows reduced activity when we're lonely and that is why it can impair cognitive function and decision making. And the nucleus accumbens, which is the brain's reward center, becomes less responsive, making activities that once brought you joy feel less rewarding.  
The impact on your physical health is significant as well. Social isolation and loneliness are linked to a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The lack of social engagement can lead to unhealthy lifestyles, such as sitting in front of the TV, not being active, and eating junk. Loneliness can elevate your blood pressure, causing hypertension, and the stress response triggered by loneliness can lead to long term heart issues. Chronic loneliness can weaken the immune system, making you more susceptible to infections and illness.
Cortisol, the stress hormone is the culprit  and chronic inflammation contributes to a lot of different health conditions including autoimmune diseases  Loneliness can impact your quality of life leading to feelings of emptiness and dissatisfaction. Lack of social connectedness affects your mental and physical well being. Social isolation and loneliness can impact your health as much as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Your lifespan can actually be shortened by loneliness. It's also linked to an increased incidence of depression and anxiety, which can lead to persistent worry and sadness. And, of course, the most serious thing is an increased risk of suicide. Social isolation is also linked to a higher risk of mortality associated with cardiovascular disease as well as cancer.  Overall, there's a 29 percent increased risk of dying early if you're lonely.
You can be around people and still be lonely.  It's the quality of connections that matters, not the quantity. So seek out relationships with depth and meaning. 
But even brief, positive encounters with people can release oxytocin. And that makes you feel good. So, try to be intentional about connecting with people, even in little short bursts. Speak to the clerk at the grocery store. Have a conversation while you're waiting in line. Smile at people and shake hands when you can. Even those small little doses can make a difference.
Loneliness can be a temporary phase, But chronic loneliness requires proactive steps to overcome. Don't ignore loneliness because it has serious issues for your health. And asking for help is a sign of strength and not weakness. It actually takes courage to acknowledge loneliness. So if you're feeling lonely, admit it and just recognize it's part of being human.  And if you are lonely, what you need is people. 
I know, kind of a no brainer. So, where are there people? Well, there are people in classes. So, could you maybe take a class? Here are some ideas. Take a dance class. This is such a fun way to get some exercise and meet people. Or maybe take an art class where you paint together and tap into that creativity. You can even take a class at a community college or university and learn about something like history. That would be a great way to meet some people.  There are cooking classes and interior design classes and pottery classes where you put your hands in the clay together. But, here's the deal, don't take a private lesson. You know, that kind of defeats the purpose. But any new hobby, usually you can find a class where you will meet other people who are at your same skill level. 
So that brings me to my second idea. Join a club. Something like a running club. Women can run or couch to 5K are beginner runners who work together for a common goal. And the key word there is together. When you have a sense of accomplishment, that can really help form a strong bond between you. Or just go to any kind of fitness class and meet other people. But don't think you can come in late and leave early and stare at the floor and meet anyone. 
You're going to have to put yourself out there. And interact with people and it may not work the first time or the second time or the third time be persistent  Don't give up. It's so important for your health Maybe join a quilting club if you're so inclined or if you can sing join the church choir. Bible study is a great way to meet people. There are also master gardener groups that are well connected. Hiking clubs that get out in nature. So there's added benefit there too.  
And you want to know what's all the rage right now? Pickleball. Learn to play pickleball and I can promise you, you will meet people. Another popular thing right now is Mahjong. And I don't have a clue how to play it but they say it's really fun and it uses your brain so that's super important. The same can be said about playing bridge. So find a bridge club. And if you don't have a hobby or a skill or anything like that that interests you then maybe a book club is the answer. I bet you could find a local book club or you could start your own.  
I just moved to a new town about a year ago and I'm in a new bunko group. My old bunco group played together for nearly three decades. Here's the thing about bunco, you gotta have 12 people to play. So if you can't play, you have to get a sub, which ensures that there are always 12 people there. It helps maintain the cohesiveness of the group. And I think bunco is a great way to form connections. In my group, we've celebrated babies and grandbabies and weddings and graduations. And we've mourned loss and supported each other through illness and surgery. So grab some dice, set up some card tables, and invite some people over to play Bunko. And you just might find your tribe that way.  
During my season of intense loneliness, I started the Interesting People Dinner Series. I lived alone  and I would just invite a group of people to sit around the table and have dinner. People who maybe didn't know each other. And we had some of the most interesting conversations. 
And here's a super simple idea. I recently interviewed Kathi Lipp about her new book called Sabbath Soup. And she says you can always just send a message to someone and say, I made too much soup. Can I bring it over?  Taking soup or any type of food is a great way to connect with your neighbors.   I'd love to hear what your ideas are for connection. Make sure you're on my email list and just reply to one of the emails and let me know what you've found to connect with others. And give yourself some grace. It's not easy. Sometimes it takes time and effort and it can be super discouraging, but it's worth the effort because loneliness has such an impact on your health and social connectedness will make you healthier, and healthy looks great on you. 
The Deadliness of the Loneliness Epidemic
Navigating Connections During the Holidays
Sabbath Soup
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Navigating connections during the holidays

The holidays are coming fast. I hope you're looking forward to gathering around the table, but sometimes family conflicts can Social anxiety and just the pressure to meet expectations can make you feel a sense of dread rather than anticipation.
Stay tuned for practical tips on navigating connections through the holidays.  This is episode 146, Navigating Connections During the Holidays.  Holiday stress is real.  I'll bring the sweet potatoes, you bring the cranberry sauce, and someone, I'm not naming names, will bring a grudge, an attitude, or some equally distasteful dish. It can be challenging when we bring all our different personalities around the table.
 Whether it's family, co workers, or friend groups, it's enough to make you dread social gatherings. But it doesn't have to be that way. Today you'll learn some practical tips to help you navigate holiday gatherings so you get that boost of oxytocin that makes you feel oh, so good. By the end of this episode, you'll be prepared to handle whatever is served this year. Except maybe fruitcake. No.   But I hope you'll look forward to gatherings in anticipation and not dread. 
What is your family tradition? In my family, we joke that if we ever do something one time, my mom will say it's a tradition and she will want to do it that way from then on. And listen, this is a double edged sword. On one hand, traditions are comfortable. We know what we're doing, when we're doing it, where we're going, and there is no need for discussion or decisions.
And that can be nice. No pressure, right?  Well, the problem is, things always change. Kids grow up and get married. Or, people move away and have to take time off work to travel home. Or get divorced and kids have to split their time with each parent. Trust me, I know about these things. And to be honest, sometimes it still makes me mad. But I know it's even harder for my grown kids. Feeling the pull of obligation is no fun. So, I try to be flexible to ease their stress. And some of you may not have family or a close knit group to celebrate with.
And that can magnify your loneliness. Isolation during the holidays is especially painful, and I've been there too. My kids live far away, and I was single for many years. And though I'm blessed to have a very loving family that get along, it's not the same as it used to be when I set up card tables throughout the house, complete with tablecloths and centerpieces in my grandmother's beautiful China. 
Now, maybe you're one of those people who likes paper plates. I'm going to tell you the truth. It just hurts me. I mean, what is China for if it's not for special occasions?  Okay, here's what I just did. I inserted my expectations and my vision for the ideal holiday right here in the middle of the podcast.   While some of you think there's incredible beauty in just walking to the trash can after a big dinner and dumping it all without having waterlogged hands from washing all those dishes.
And that, my friends, is a perfect example of conflicting expectations. No wonder it's stressful. We just got crossways and I'm the only one doing the talking. Well, yes, and you see, that can be a problem too. Listen, stress during the holidays is nearly universal. In fact, it's reported that the majority of adults deal with an extra dose of stress during the holidays.
For people who already struggle with their mental health, this can be serious.  Depression and anxiety can reach critical levels.  Loneliness during the holidays is often worse than loneliness on a pretty summer day. And loneliness increases the risk of heart disease, dementia, high blood pressure, stroke, and premature death. 
While we're on the subject of physical health, let's go to mini medical school and walk through some areas of the brain where we feel dread and anticipation. And yes, It's in the same location, the amygdala. It's a little almond shaped part of the brain that's located deep in the temporal lobe and it's part of the limbic system.
And this means that it's intricately involved in processing memory and emotion. And boy, oh boy, don't those two things go together like turkey and dressing.  Here's what happens. You know that Aunt Edna has been invited to dinner. Aunt Edna, who criticizes what you cooked, your weight, and the color of your shirt.
That, Aunt Edna. You remember her, don't you? Well, your amygdala certainly does, so it sends signals to other parts of the brain, like the hypothalamus, which mobilizes the troops and dumps cortisol and epinephrine into your system.  We call it the fight or flight response, but your mama isn't going to let you fly away and she's certainly not going to let you fight Aunt Edna.
So you'll just have to sit there, heart pounding, palms sweating, and teeth clenched in dread.  But remember, anticipation is experienced in the exact same part of the brain and the amygdala plays a crucial role in that. in our responses, tapping into our memories from past holidays filled with either conflict or delight. 
Knowing neuroanatomy isn't going to help you navigate holiday dinners, so what are we to do?  First of all, don't ever let people push the buttons they installed. You know what I mean, they say this, you do that, rewind, repeat. Happens every time. In fact, you can see everyone's face right from the start.
You've seen this play out before, I'm sure. So instead of dreading it, anticipate it. And, rehearse a different response.  She says, have you thought about trying a new diet? Or, I cannot believe you voted for,  Or, did your husband ever find a job so he could support you?  Without a plan, there's usually a reaction and sometimes it's nuclear.
Either sulled up and not talking or saying the exact same thing you said last year. Word for word.  But that's not going to happen this year. Why? Because you're going to have the tools to redirect the conversation. First of all, push pause. Remember lining up dominoes as a kid? You'd tap the first one and watch the chain reaction.
And that is exactly what Aunt Edna is doing. She's tapping the dominoes, ready to see them fall. But, if you put just a little more space between her comment and your response, then you have the power to interrupt the cascade.  Try taking a deep breath in this space. In through your mouth, out through your nose, that's it, one more time.
Now, smile.  It's unexpected. Throws everyone off balance. I dare ya.  Now, you're ready to respond because you've prepared a script for this in advance.  You knew she'd bring it up. She always does. But this time, you've rehearsed a different response, and you're ready.  Don't forget, your response is kind and it decompresses the tension. 
See? Wasn't that easy?  No?  Okay, keep rewriting and rehearsing your response until you get it down.  And try asking questions. This is a non threatening form of conversation that can steer things in a different direction. You see, when you ask a question, multiple areas of your brain start to engage.
You start viewing the topic from a different angle and exploring different perspectives and you get a surge of serotonin, the happy hormone. The person being asked a question is now in the driver's seat and it feels good with serotonin relaxing the brain, which results in thinking more clearly and having better insight and understanding.
of the whole picture. Now, that really was easier, wasn't it?  Need more neurotransmitter weapons? Well, when you ask a question, the areas of the brain that are associated with reward and pleasure light up. Because curiosity is activated.  And, to top things off, dopamine is released. And that's better than whipped cream on pumpkin pie. 
Oh, you don't like pumpkin pie? Well, you probably don't like my shirt either, but we're not going to discuss that at the dinner table.  But think about it. When someone asks you a question, it interrupts the negative highway that your brain is traveling down and that's And that can help with anxiety and stress and change the direction of your emotions.
When we're trying to answer a question, we self reflect. And we get a grip on our emotions and run away thoughts. And the end result is better emotional regulation.  Asking questions helps you create openness and positive emotional connections with others.   And that releases oxytocin and love fills your home along with the aroma of roasting sweet potatoes.  Strong social connections increase our chances of longevity and boost our immune system by reducing inflammation, which is responsible for lots of negative health conditions.  It's also associated with mental health benefits.
Lowering anxiety and depression, and boosting self esteem, empathy, and trust.  It all works to create a positive feedback loop. And it's not just about having people around, it's about the quality of those connections and how they contribute to our overall quality of life. 
So, next time you find yourself reacting, take a deep breath, smile, Rely on your rehearsed response and ask genuine questions. And listen, if they aren't genuine, you've defeated the purpose. And the purpose is a better sense of mental and emotional well being for all.  Let's don't stop there. Let's look at some of the other pillars of lifestyle medicine and how they can help you make a holiday memorable.
In a good way.  I hope you're going into this holiday season with some good health habits like good quality sleep, regular activity, and nutritious eating. And listen, it's not too late to start. There are some resources for you in the show notes to help, including an episode about how food affects mood. So let's take a peek in the oven.
Many traditional holiday foods are packed with vitamins and minerals. Things like sweet potatoes and green beans. Also pumpkin, Brussels sprouts and cranberry add color and nutrients. On the other hand, fatty foods and rich sweet foods can lead to a sugar induced roller coaster of emotions. And overindulgence in caffeine, sugar, and alcohol don't help either.
And neither do foods that are too high in salt. And all of this is more of a challenge if you're a stress eater. The best advice I can give you is, fill up on the good stuff, and then enjoy all of your favorite foods in moderation.  Cook your sweet potatoes without heaps of butter and sugar and top with black beans instead. 
I'm sharing a recipe with my email followers, so sign up today if you aren't on my list. And maybe leave off 3 pounds of cheese in the vegetable casseroles and just enjoy the taste of the vegetables instead.  It's easy to just eat mindlessly, but instead, savor your food,
making conscious choices to maintain your health and mental well being.  And get up and move around. Incorporating physical activity into your holiday routine will give you an instant boost. Try it. You'll actually have more energy. Physical activity helps you manage stress and improves mood by releasing endorphins and lowering cortisol. 
And you know what else helps? A good night's sleep. And here's the deal. Many people get less than adequate sleep, especially during the holidays. Well, let's face it, some people just constantly struggle, and if this is you, you're going to want to sign up to receive three simple steps to create the perfect sleep sanctuary. It's a good way to get started getting your Z's 
When you don't sleep, you can't regulate your emotions as well.  And we all know what happens when Aunt Edna pushes your buttons, and you're sleep deprived. Handling holiday stress is hard enough without the added challenge of trying to function after tossing and turning all night. Decision making, problem solving, and memory are all part of the process.
You are all impacted by poor sleep. Don't test your limits of dealing with difficult people and situations by staying up too late. You'll be better able to control your reaction, plan and focus with a good night's rest. Plus, without sleep, your immune system is weaker and a few germs are sure to be on the guest list at parties and holiday gatherings. 
Bronchitis?  Ain't nobody got time for that.  I don't mean to make it sound like getting together is hard. It's hard. I mean, it can be, but it can also be super rewarding. Social interaction is crucial for good health. It's worth the effort. So stay connected to family and your community.
During the holidays, there are extra opportunities to engage with church and philanthropic activities. And that goes a long way in reducing feelings of isolation and loneliness.  But listen, you can't please everyone, so stop trying.  Spend some quality time with people who bring out the best in you. Enjoy the moments and be grateful.
 Gratitude goes a long way in bringing joy to the season. If you're focused on thankfulness, you'll be more resilient and less susceptible to stress because it lowers cortisol levels. Gratitude strengthens relationships, and you get a boost of oxytocin as a bonus.  If you missed the episode on gratitude, there are some practical tips there that I think you'll find useful.
So I put a link in the show notes, but also make sure you're on my email list because I created a lovely card to use to express your gratitude for others. And I believe this one action has the power to transform your holiday gathering. Be sure and sign up today. I hope you'll take a moment to reflect on this past year and shift your focus to all the blessings that you've had.
And even if you're struggling, take a hike, literally, get out in nature. You might be surprised at the difference being in God's creation makes. And lastly, manage your expectations.   That starts with clear communication in advance. But don't  think your plans are concrete. Things happen. Be flexible and let go of perfection.
Trying to control all the details will make you and everyone around you miserable. The holidays can certainly bring mixed feelings and extra helpings of stress. So, set some boundaries for yourself when you need to. My oldest daughter turned 35 this week, and I remember when she was born, just a little bit before Thanksgiving. Our pediatrician recommended that we not travel even the 30 minutes to feast with family. And listen, after the delivery that I had, I was just fine with that,  but my in laws showed up anyway with leftovers in Tupperware containers and they passed my little baby around from person to person.
I was exhausted emotionally, physically, and mentally. And the last thing I needed was wall to wall people in my tiny little apartment. So guess what I did?  I went to bed and I took my baby with me. Yep, it might have been 6 p. m., but I was at my limit and I knew it and that is how everyone got out unharmed.
So give yourself permission to shut the door and lay down if you need to.  And remember to be flexible. Thanksgiving 2020 fell in the middle of the COVID pandemic. I was chief medical officer of a hospital and the toll the virus took on my little community was enough to give me pause about hosting my elderly parents, Toddler grandbaby, and everyone in between.
So guess what I did? I covered my patio tables with tablecloths, hauled my dining room chairs outside, and carefully put china and silverware at each place setting. Because we weren't going to use paper plates. Fortunately, it was a balmy day and we sat together as families. And here's the deal.
Thanksgiving's run together in my memory But that one stands out. So embrace the opportunity to be flexible. You might just make a lasting memory, rather than allowing an inconvenience to ruin the season.  But if you have particularly difficult challenges, It might help to visit with a counselor to help you navigate your dread.
Because if you prepare, you can look forward to the holidays with a jolly, healthy attitude. 
And remember, if you missed last week's episode, I highly recommend it. Of course, there's a link in the show notes, and if you're on my email list, you'll be getting that downloadable card to help you focus on the positives and be grateful for the people in your life. And you know, if you have difficult people in your life, Be thankful you have people in your life.
Pray about it, show compassion, empathy, patience and appreciation, and see if it doesn't change the atmosphere. If you can go into the holidays with a healthy attitude, it can be a blessing for you and your family, and healthy looks great on you.  
   
 
 

How gratitude changes your brain

 It's that time of year. 30 days of thankfulness and a whole month focused on gratitude. Does it ever feel like life isn't so great as everyone else's? Well, stay tuned, friends. I'm going to show you the way to a grateful heart and how it changes your brain.
I don't know about you, but I always check my Facebook memories.  It's a repository of the seasons of my life, both good and bad.  And I remember one November, I accepted the challenge to post 30 days of thankfulness.  And about this time of the month, I posted, "Today, I am thankful that I resisted the urge to run over someone in the grocery store with my cart."
Nothing like a little honesty. Let's be real. Sometimes, the holidays can make you feel down and anxious. There's cooking and shopping and parties to go to.  Or, maybe not, and that's equally depressing.  This has everything to do with your health. Not only is social connectedness super important but gratitude can literally change your brain.
So, instead of fantasizing about ramming that person who irritated you in the grocery store, how about a changed heart?  Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.  So, that's a pretty good diagnostic tool about where you are right now. And listen, if you're struggling, you're in the right place.
I've been there and I can help you see the bright side. But first, let's go to mini medical school and learn some brain anatomy and physiology. And by the way, if you want to meet some cutthroat people, hmm, med school is the place. But, we won't dwell on that.
I've had the privilege of working with so many wonderful doctors and nurses during my career, and I'm grateful for it.  Let's start in the middle of the brain. Now move down below the thalamus, but above the brain stem, and you'll find an area of the brain called the ventral tegmental area.  Now why are we here in this deep place in the brain?
Well, you see, This area of our brain is our built in reward center. It's involved in not only reward and pleasure, but also motivation, emotional regulation, learning and cognition, which is a fancy word for thinking. Hopefully, if you've been listening to this podcast for very long, some of this is going to sound familiar.
 The ventral tegmental area contains dopaminergic neurons.  That just means nerve cells that make and release  dopamine. Yes, good old dopamine. That fuels our sensation of pleasure, motivates us to seek more and feel that good reward. 
If you've missed some of the recent episodes of Mood, you might want to go back and listen to them. And, by the way, don't miss another episode. Sign up for the email list, and I'll send them straight to your inbox, so all you have to do is push play.  You know where the ventral tegmental area is, what it does.
Now, what does that have to do with gratitude? Think of it as buried treasure. Deep in the brain, this connection of pathways is a treasure trove of pleasure. Dopamine gets released when you practice gratitude, and it just feels good to be grateful.
 A friend of mine always told her children, put that in your treasure chest of memories. I think that's good advice. In other words, make deposits so you'll have something special to pull out. This reward circuitry is like buried treasure with connections to other structures in the brain called the mesolimbic pathway. 
This network includes the nucleus accumbens, the prefrontal cortex, the amygdala, and the hippocampus.  Okay, before we get lost, Suffice it to say, gratitude activates the ventral tegmental area to release dopamine to the nucleus accumbens. And listen, you're gonna like it. In fact, your brain will like it so much, it'll make you want to do it over and over again.
And just think, being grateful is what activates it.  Gratitude can lead to better mental health, including less depression and anxiety. Overall, emotional well being tends to be higher in people who practice gratitude. Let's face it, when we focus on being thankful, it changes our perspective and helps us be happier, or at least have more positive emotions than negative ones.
Gratitude can also improve sleep quality, which of course affects mood. I mean, who isn't grouchy when they don't get enough shut eye? Sleep is so important, but it can be complicated. And if you struggle to get a good night's sleep, I have some resources for you. Check it out in the show notes.  When you have an attitude of gratitude, it also affects your relationships.
People who are focused on what's right, instead of what's wrong, tend to have stronger bonds with friends and spouses and any romantic relationship.  There's more of a sense of trust, connection, and commitment. And social connectedness is one of the pillars of lifestyle medicine because it's crucial for good health, both physical and emotional.
In fact, the effects on physical health are so significant.
People who are full of gratitude tend to have a stronger immune system, as well as lower blood pressure.  Gratitude makes us more resilient, so we can control our emotions when we are faced with stress and trauma.  Now, I'm going to give you some practical ways to start practicing gratitude. But first, a little neurochemistry. 
Gratitude has the power to reduce cortisol levels. Now, who remembers what cortisol is nicknamed?  If you said the stress hormone, you get an A.  Gratitude helps us relax and be more calm and peaceful. In the episode on how food affects mood, I nicknamed all the neurotransmitters to help you remember. And if you forgot or missed that episode, there's a link in the show notes, but all of them are involved in regulating mood and all of them are affected by gratitude. 
Gratitude causes your brain to release dopamine, which is associated with pleasure and reward. This makes us feel happy and satisfied. And guess what happens then? Well, you feel grateful. And that sets it all in motion again.  In health, we often talk about a vicious cycle.  This is a victorious cycle. 
Serotonin levels also increase with gratitude. And remember, serotonin is the happy hormone. It helps alleviate anxiety and improves mood and makes us feel calm. Yes, I'll take some of that, please.  Oxytocin is also released when we feel grateful, especially in social situations. And remember, oxytocin   is the love hormone.
So when we're grateful, levels go up, that strengthens trust, and trust is the foundation of any relationship. So more oxytocin means more connectedness, And that's great for your health.   Another benefit is the release of endorphins. And those are those natural painkillers that lower stress and make you just feel good all over.
And just think, you don't even have to run a marathon to get a runner's high. Now that's something to be grateful for. Okay, now that I've convinced you that gratitude is a mood booster, let's talk about some practical things you can do. But first  You have to shift your focus. If you focus on things that are good, that you can be grateful for, then you can practice gratitude. 
And it may take some practice like anything else.  
Once you've shifted your perspective, and you're looking for things to be grateful for, you'll find them. And here's how you can practice gratitude.
1. Count your blessings out loud to yourself.  There is something powerful about saying it. When I was so sick, I could hardly walk and my life was crumbling around me. This practice was a lifesaver.  Listen, I was at the edge of despair, but every morning before dawn, I'd drag myself to the front porch and sit there and count my blessings out loud, starting with Thank you Lord that I was born healthy, because many are not.
Now this is scientifically proven to improve your life, and one of the studies was even on people with neuromuscular diseases.  The autoimmune disease that I have that caused my illness was a neuromuscular disease and I thought that was pretty cool. 
2. Talk about it with others. Tell other people what you're grateful for and thank them for being in your life.And trust me, they'll want to be around you more if you're focused on the good in life.  Now listen, this is not Pollyanna pretend everything is okay when it isn't. That's called toxic positivity. You need friends in your life who can help you shoulder your burdens. That's real connection. But, if you constantly vomit your story of woes on people, they're not going to want to be around you. And you need to shift your focus. Express your gratitude for friends who help you through the hard times. 
3. Write it down for yourself. Keep a gratitude journal. Write down at least three things every day that you're thankful for, and preferably do this first thing in the morning to start your day with your brain circuitry working for you rather than against you. Studies show that this helps lower depression and alleviate stress and it's associated with positive emotions, life satisfaction, and optimism. And we all need a dose of hope, don't we?  Keeping a bedtime gratitude journal is a great way to improve sleep. This is a fantastic way to start and end the day. 
4. Write it down for others.  Literally send thank you notes or even just a text message to people in your life who you care about. Writing gratitude letters has been proven to improve your health.  And not only that, it will improve the lives of those people who are in your world.  So what are you thankful for?  Here's the deal. One of the areas of the brain in this loop is the prefrontal  cortex. 
This is the area of the brain right behind your forehead where we make decisions, solve problems, and control our emotions.  Think about it.  See what I did there? If you're going to think about it, you're going to think about it in your prefrontal cortex.  
And gratitude enhances the brain's ability to see the world with a positive outlook and improve mood and emotional regulation. All of that happens right there. And gratitude helps your thinking brain dig into that treasure chest in the middle of the brain to activate all those pathways to release feel good chemicals.
The ventral tegmental area will start cranking out dopamine and activate the nucleus accumbens and that floods you with the warm fuzzies.  And then it motivates you to live that way. It becomes a habit. But here's the deal.  You have to choose it.  And, why wouldn't you choose it?     I hope by understanding the neurochemistry of gratitude, You're ready to put it into practice and improve your mental and physical well being, as well as your relationships. Remember, it's all a matter of focus.  Incorporate gratitude into your daily routine with prayer, journaling, and expressing thanks to others.
In fact, I have my own thankfulness challenge for you.  Now, I don't know if you send out Christmas cards, But, how about sending out an actual thank you card to someone just because?  This year, I'm hosting Thanksgiving dinner, and I'll have a card for everyone around the table. And, if my family is tuning in, maybe they'll have some too. 
Wouldn't it be nice to give and receive thank you cards for Thanksgiving and all year round? 
And if you're up for more of a challenge, here's an idea from one of my listeners. A gratitude jar. Start on New Year's Day with some type of jar, and every time you're thankful for someone,  put a little note in the jar. And then at the end of the year, send it to them. I got one of these notes one time, and it was so meaningful. It blessed both of us.  
If you're on my email list, I'll send out a lovely card that you can download and give to those you care about. And if you aren't, it's not too late. I'll send it out every week until Thanksgiving.  You can sign up at www.healthylooksgreatonyou. com  
Download it and pass it on. Give it a try and see if it improves your mood and your health. Because healthy looks great on you.    
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Sleep resources
How food affects mood refresher

How caffeine, sugar, and alcohol affect mood

  Mood swings. Things they can trap you in an endless rotation of anxiety, the blues and a big old energy crash. But how do you break out of the cycle and stabilize your mood? Stay tuned.
   I'm Dr. Vickie Petz Kasper. I practiced obstetrics and gynecology for 20 years until I landed on the other side of the sheets as a very sick patient. When my own body betrayed me, I took a handful of pills to manage my disease and another handful to counteract the side effects. My health was out of control.
Through surgery, medications, and lots of prayers, I regained my strength only to face another diagnosis.  My doctor challenged me to make radical changes through lifestyle medicine. Now I feel great and I want to help you make changes that make a difference. Healthy Looks Great On You podcast takes you to mini medical school so you can learn the power of lifestyle medicine.
If you're ready to take control of your health, you're in the right place. Whether you're focused on prevention or you're trying to manage a condition, I'll give you practical steps to start your own journey toward better health. Because healthy looks great on you. 
 This is episode 1 44. How caffeine, alcohol and sugar affect mood.   
The problem with mood swings is that they trick you into turning to things that feed them instead of helping you get out of the cycle.  Ah, I guess you could say that moodiness is hungry and greedy.  When we feel down or anxious, we "need" something to feel good or heck even feel close to normal. Think about it. 
Do you ever grab an extra dose of caffeine to feel more energized. A glass of wine to feel more relaxed. Or do you just treat yourself to a little dessert or a snack to boost your spirits.  Today in mini medical school, let's do some dissection. Except there won't be. Any nasty formaldehyde involved.
Do kids even still do that in school? I remember getting that little kit with a dull scalpel, some forceps that wouldn't grab tissue and scissors fit for kindergartener.
We had all get a white mouse stiff and stinky. I don't know about you, but that sure brings back some memories. And I'm sure of one thing you either loved it or hated it. Ah, I'll give you one guess about me. Yeah, it was fascinating to peel back the layers of skin and muscle and fascia. Okay, enough review of history. 
Let start peeling back the layers of how caffeine, sugar and alcohol affect mood.  I'm going to start with my drug of choice. Caffeine. And this one is really pretty complex because here's the deal. There are a lot of studies that show that coffee and tea have significant health benefits.  So please hear me. 
I am not telling you to avoid them. Today, we're just discussing the role that caffeine plays to influence mood.  And like many relationships. Caffeine's relationship with mood and mental health is complicated.  We all know that caffeine can boost our energy, help us focus and motivate us to tackle that to do list. And if you're like me, you can't even function until you've drained a couple of cups of coffee in the morning. And listen. That's not a problem, unless you're stuck somewhere in a coffee desert. Once I went on a mission trip and the women stayed in a bunk house on one side and the men stayed on the other. And here's the part that's really unfair. The kitchen and therefore the coffee pot, were on the men's side and it was absolutely off limits until the lights came on. Now we were two times zones away, so my early bird self was wide eyed and bushy tailed at 3:00 AM.  I managed to lay there for a couple of hours, but by five am, which was two hours past my normal waking time, I was desperate. And when I say desperate, I mean, desperate. Fortunately, I never travel without a little sleeve of instant coffee.  Yeah, I know. The problem is all I  had was a bottle of room temperature water that I had sipped out of the day before.   
 Yes I did. I emptied those glorious grounds into that plastic bottle and started shaking it.  One of the ladies literally opened one eye and said,  You have a problem, don't you.  Maybe.  But as a general rule, regularly consuming coffee or tea is not a problem. Unless you start using caffeine reactively for energy dips, deadlines, or excessive fatigue. 
  The truth is. Is 90% of all adults in the entire world consume caffeine daily.  Before we move on, let's go to the classroom and study caffeine.
The benefits come from polyphenols, catechins and flavonoids
here's how it works. It amps up the nervous system, both the central and peripheral nervous system, by blocking the adenosine receptors and that in turn causes the release of neurotransmitters that excite the nervous system. 
And individuals who regularly drink coffee and tea, actually perform better
on cognitive performance test. They can have a better reaction time. 
And they can have better processing of what they see. 
Caffeine makes you more alert, gives you mental energy, helps you concentrate.   And yeah, it helps when you're fatigued and your're sleep deprived. 
And it can eliminate headache. And that's why it's actually included in some headache medications, but that can be a vicious cycle and you can get a withdrawal headache. 
When you drink caffeine, it can also make you more nervous, more sweaty. It can interfere with your sleep. It can make you irritable.  And sometimes it can even elicit a panic attack.  Especially in people who already have some anxiety or are susceptible to the effects of caffeine. 
Now safe levels are considered to be 400 milligrams a day. Heavy coffee use is considered to be more than five cups of coffee a day.  It can increase your heart rate. And it can aggravate symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease because of its acidity.  And timing matters too.
The half-life of a cup of coffee is about five to six hours. Meaning that if you drink coffee at three o'clock in the afternoon, it will affect you at 9:00 PM.  
 And also you can develop some tolerance, so that it takes more and more to get the same effect. You know,  too much of a good thing always is a bad thing. Normally I drink two cups of coffee every morning, black, by the way, that's  a total of 280 milligrams. My husband makes it the night before. 
So it's at my fingertips as soon as I slip my feet into my house shoes and walk into the kitchen. But the other day, he forgot to make the coffee.  When I woke up the pot was dry.  Instead of making a pot of coffee, I popped in K cup so I could instantly get my fix, then I did it again because it was five 20 in the morning and he didn't have to go to work until late that day. But when he got up and brewed a pot it's smelled so inviting. I thought.  I'll just have one more cup. 
Now, normally I don't consider myself prone to anxiety, but my life has been invaded. By termites. Yes termites. Apparently they'd been chewing on my house for awhile. I'm talking through the window frame downstairs, the window frame upstairs and all the way to the studs. The front of my house  has been boarded up. 
My dining room table has been in the entryway. And there have been people inside my house, sawing hammering and vacuuming for more than a week.  Oh, on top of that, my neighbor has a big project going on and they decided to repave my street. The smell of fresh asphalt, the fact  that the garbage trucks couldn't get through to pick up my trash and the sound of beeping trucks and people working was enough to drive anyone nuts.  But you want to know what the final straw was for me?  That third cup of coffee. I sweated. 
I snapped. Even at my sweet mother.  Maybe you haven't noticed that dramatic of an effect. But maybe you just haven't made the connection. And there is no doubt that caffeine can trigger anxiety. And make existing anxiety worse.  And it affects sleep 100% of the time. You may fall asleep, but studies show that the quality of your sleep is undeniably affected by caffeine.  And speaking of sleep,
if this is something you are interested in, or if you struggle with it you're going to want to make sure you're on my email list because I have some exciting things coming soon about sleep. There is a link in the show notes to sign up to get the emails, or you can go to my website, www healthy looks great on you dot. Com.
 Lack of sleep has a profound impact on your health. In fact the risk of dementia and stroke are markedly increased if you don't get seven hours a night. 
 And here's another thing, if you're exhausted, what you need is rest, not something that masks your fatigue and pushes you to do the opposite of what your body needs. 
Occasionally it doesn't hurt to get a little extra boost from a cup of coffee or tea. And I'm addicted to caffeine without it, my head hurts, my brain shuts down. And I will hurt you.  Like many substances, there is a dependency cycle. Now I have no desire to cut back on coffee, but. I do recognize that two cups is enough. No more. No less, because if I indulge in more, you might not want to be around me.  I know that my circadian rhythm is in sync with this consumption between 5:00 AM and 6:00 AM.  It's important for everyone to have a cutoff time and it should be no later than 2:00 PM, because if you think you can drink a cup of coffee and go straight to bed and sleep.  You're fooling yourself because the quality of your sleep is affected even when you don't realize it.  
And to be clear, although there are health benefits to black coffee and unsweet tea, there are no benefits to sugar sweetened, caffeinated beverages.  
 I'm talking about mountain Dew, Coke, Dr. Pepper, and. I guess if you live somewhere where it's socially acceptable, Pepsi.
And listen. The biggest. The source of added sugar in the U.S. Diet is drinking it.  I'm talking
soft drinks, energy drinks sports drinks, even things like vitamin water. They have a lot of sugar in them and it's a lot of unnecessary calories and that can cause weight gain and type two diabetes, which increases your risk for heart. Disease and stroke. 
And the connection is really very strong. 
There's a, there's an increased risk of dying early, especially. Specially from heart disease. How much more? Well, if you drink. Two or more a day it's actually over 30% higher. And it's worse if you're a woman.   Energy drinks usually contain around 200. Milligrams. So a couple of those is pushing the limits. 
If you're drinking too much caffeine or sugar sweetened beverages. You may have to wean slowly to avoid withdrawal.  Start by switching to half caff
or drinking only half of your soda. 
It's important to make mindful adjustments and try not to use caffeine to medicate fatigue. Be aware of how caffeine affects your mood and sleep. And be sure to hydrate with water.  Food helps too, especially getting some protein in your stomach because coffee on an empty stomach can be very acidic. It can also. Interact with medications affecting absorption. 
So be sure and talk to your pharmacist or doctor about that.  So, what do you do when you get that afternoon slump.  Well,  it up and move. Often people feel fatigued in the afternoon because they're sitting or maybe they're just bored. So try getting your blood pumping to give you a boost of energy. And make sure and get sunlight in the morning to ensure that your circadian rhythm is optimized.  That means having good sleep hygiene.  And remember if your body is screaming for rest, rather than overriding your body's signals with caffeine learn to work with your natural energy rhythms. 
  Before we move on to sugar's impact on mood, let's talk about alcohol.
And adult beverage can make you relax and give you relief from feeling tense. It can even make you feel happy. But then it turns on you making anxiety and depression worse. It even depletes your serotonin levels. And it has a huge impact on your circadian rhythm disrupting sleep, which only makes matters worse. It's a double-edged sword. 
You have to drink to relax then you need to drink to relax. Alcohol is a temporary escape from stress. And it tricks you into thinking it will help you unwind and sleep better. But it doesn't.  Using alcohol as a coping tool for stress, anxiety,
or social situations. Can lead to dependence.  Now in the short term, it boosts gaba, which is a calming neurotransmitter. That's why you feel relaxed and it increases dopamine, which is that reward hormone that makes you feel temporary pleasure.   It reduces activity in the part of your brain called the prefrontal cortex. That's where the worry cycle spins and spins. So it settles that down.  And then it disrupts glutamate which impairs your judgment. And then it has a rebound effect. 
GABA levels, drop anxiety increases.  And cortisol goes up. 
There's an inflammatory response in the body that affects mood. And it has a long-term impact on mental health, depleting serotonin which increases the risk of depression. And the natural stress response system is disrupted. 
Overall, it weakens your resilience to life stressors by changing the brain's reward circuitry. And creating a dependency cycle for emotional regulation.  So, what do you do? Well, it might help to keep a diary. Like see what your mood is in relation to your intake of alcohol. Awareness is key. And note the three R's. What is the reason you're drinking? 
What is the response to drinking and what is the result to drinking. And maybe track your sleep quality too.  Practical steps would be established some drink free times. 
And see if that makes a difference.  And sometimes you have to create a new ritual. Instead of responding to those triggers by fixing a drink.
 Here's the scary thing.
Excessive alcohol use is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States now.
And yet it's the most common substance used among people aged 12 and over in the United States, in fact, 85% of all adults drink alcohol. And the effects are worse in women.  You have to learn radical acceptance and radical honesty  and learn to sit with uncomfortable emotions.  And don't forget those natural endorphin boosters, like exercise and laughter and music.  And learn stress management techniques like breathing and meditation and prayer.  Building your emotional regulation skills  will keep you from using alcohol.  to control your mood. Because, you know, it doesn't work. Alcohol actually borrows happiness from tomorrow. So building natural resilience, let's you.  own your joy today.  Okay, now let's talk about sugar.  Who hasn't felt blah, and reached for a sweet treat t to reward yourself.  Honestly, this gets ingrained in kids at an early age. I mean. What did you hand out to the trick-or-treaters at your door? And worse than once a year, we send our kids to church on Sunday and they feed them donuts, goldfish and apple juice. 
And then we wonder why they have a meltdown in the car on the way home. It's a great way to ruin a Sunday, whether you're a kid or a grown-up.  Sugar puts you on an emotional rollercoaster. You get the thrill of a quick release of dopamine. And followed by a drop in blood sugar, which causes a sugar crash: irritability, fatigue and mood swings. And it's not just external. 
There is a lot of research on sugar and inflammation and what it does to the brain, not just for short term mental health, but for long-term cognitive function.  Here's what happens. There's a rapid spike in blood sugar and you get an immediate lift in your mood and energy. Then there's an insulin surge, which causes blood sugar to crash.  That triggers the dopamine reward system in the same way that any addictive substance does. It causes that inflammation and affects brain chemistry. 
It can cause a craving cycle.  And then you can get into an emotional eating pattern that gets reinforced by all of this.  The long-term effect can be an increased risk of depression and anxiety. Not to mention disrupting the gut microbiome because of all the effects of neurotransmitter production. 
And when you eat food, that's not good for you, it takes the place of food that is good for you. So you can get nutrient depletion and that certainly affects mental health. 
So what's a person to do. Number one -understand your triggers. 
Know what triggers you to reach for caffeine or alcohol or sugar to treat your mood.  And really be aware of emotional eating patterns. Or drinking patterns. There are certain times of the day when we're more vulnerable to these things than others. So rather than reaching for a drink or going to the pantry to treat your mood,  develop other habits that are better, like exercise, social connectedness and even just laughter.
In the end, you'll be happier and you'll probably live longer. 
 Recognize the connection that alcohol, and sugar and caffeine have on your mood and look for hidden sugar sources because this one can really sneak up on you. 
Make sure you're getting a diet that's rich in fruits and vegetables and whole grains, so that you have a healthy gut microbiome. There are some other episodes you may want to listen to, to get a more detailed review of this. 
Make sure that you have tools to regulate your emotions and to manage your stress. You might need to make gradual adjustments to find alternatives and establish new routines and sustainable habits. But in the end, your energy levels will be stable, you will be genuinely relaxed and you'll have emotional balance. 
It's better to regulate your mood.  naturally, so you feel healthy.  And healthy looks great on you. 
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Sabbath Soup with Kathi Lipp

A very special guest on the podcast, Kathi Lipp.
Dr. Vickie: The main reason I wanted you to have to have you on the podcast today is because you are an expert on connection and social connectedness is such a part of lifestyle medicine and so many people struggle with loneliness.
Kathi: I'm going to be totally honest with you. It's something that Roger, my husband, and I have struggled with up here. And we've had to be super intentional about it. So, even though I may be an expert on it, it means I still have to work at it.
Dr. Vickie: Well, most people who are an expert on something have had to work through it themselves, right?  But set the scene about the red house first of all. Can you just let our listeners know what it's like to be there, to live there, and how you came up with the idea for your newest book, which is Sabbath Soup.
Kathi: So several years ago, Roger and I, we love to go to the mountains to kind of get away and to write and to work and do all of that kind of stuff. And we started praying about, could we get a little tiny cabin in the woods that for us to be able to do that? And then, as dreams often do, it got out of control the and we ended up buying the house with the intent of living in San Jose, and going coming to the mountains, Airbnbing this place, and then also doing writer's retreat.
Well, every time we came here, we didn't want to leave. So we eventually sold our house in San Jose and moved up here full time. only And so we have a much bigger house than we could ever use, but we're able to use it in different ways like the retreats and we can have guests here. We've had people who have been in the midst of a crisis come and stay with us. So the house gets used in ways that we never imagined. And the we just feel very lucky that we get to live here
Dr. Vickie: How far away is your nearest  neighbor? 
Kathi: It's about a 20 to 25 minute walk depending on who's doing the walking. We've had to make really deliberate attempts to be able to be connected with people. 
Dr. Vickie: So many people do struggle with connection and loneliness, and they're like, well it's hard for me because, and it was hard for you because, but you found a way to overcome that, and a lot of it revolved around meals.
Kathi: We had the Caldor fire come through our county and we we only lost two acres and it didn't touch our home But one of the reasons that our home was saved was because of the volunteer firefighters who live on both sides of us. All those firefighters are living together, sleeping together, eating together Well, this was at the height of the covid pandemic, and Paul got covid and was in the intensive care unit. It was really really bad. When he got out I'm like, "Could I bring you some soup?" and come to find out, If I didn't bring him soup, he was going home to Lunchables. That's what he eats. So I said, Oh, we can do better than that. So we've just started to bring him meals every week.  I'm used to cooking for six, Vickie, we were a blended family of six and you don't lose those muscles really quickly when you're cooking for a crowd. And so, we bring him meals. And just yesterday way we brought Nancy and Patrick meals because they're going through  a health crisis. And we just show up with food and it takes one burden off of them and is a very, low and easy connection point for people. 
Dr. Vickie: And I think people associate soup with health. I asked my listeners on Facebook this week, what's your comfort food? And so many people said soup. You've got chicken soup, but there's so many other soups and, I got to feast on them when I was there and it just makes you feel warm inside and it's a big pot that you share with people.
There's so much about soup that just screams connection.
Kathi: It really does. And, you know, I found that the easiest way to reach out to somebody, a neighbor, a friend, a coworker is to just say this simple line, I made too much soup. Can I bring some over? And it's such a low risk way of reaching out. And it's also a low risk way of receiving Because I think we're very hesitant to receive from strangers, or, even people we don't know really well, because it's like, what are they going to want from me? Are they gonna, you know, are they going to try to recruit me for their multilevel marketing system or their religion? And to just say, no, I just care about you.
And soup's a really easy way of doing that.  
Dr. Vickie: Well us a little bit more about Sabbath soup.
Kathi: So, you know, Roger and I have really been on a journey. I think when you kind of pull away from some of the hustle, I mean, we, we're from Silicon Valley, so hustle was built into what we were doing. And when you kind of pull away from that, you start to see, maybe I haven't had some of the healthiest habit. As you know, I've been on  a  weight journey and a food journey, and those have been going really well. But a couple of things that I was not doing great at, rest and stress management. You can go live in the middle of the forest, like Roger and I do. is And if you're not intentional about those things, they can continue to be not great for you. So we really got intentional on about Sabbath, about saying, "Hey there's this day set aside for rest." And, you can't just say, "Oh, we're resting on Sunday. Everything  stops." People still want to eat. It's very annoying. And so to spend a little bit of each day preparing since so that Sunday can be taken off.
And the reason it's soup is because if you make a soup on Friday or Saturday, one, it's the easiest thing in the world to reheat and two, soup tastes better. Then after a couple of days, it just does. So that's why we got into the habit of having soup on Sundays.
Dr. Vickie: So  that's your routine every Sunday.
Kathi: And here's the beautiful thing for those of us who are overwhelmed. Vickie, If you say I'm having soup on Sunday, your decisions go from infinity to about 25. Most of us know of about 25 soups that we like and we could make. Soup is pretty simple to make and if you are overwhelmed by decision making just saying, okay, Sunday soup and then I add a salad, even if it's a bag salad. I don't care if your soup needs to come from Costco or the grocery store. Do what you need to do. There are a lot of busy people who are like, I can't even think about cooking. If you just make the decision soup, the next time you go to the store, you pick up a couple of containers, you're buying yourself some pre decision. Taking away some anxiety about what am I going to feed these people or myself? 
Dr. Vickie: That's so good because you've mentioned so many pillars of lifestyle medicine, rest and stress management. And I mentioned that this is all part of social connectedness, but also nutrition. And I have to tell you what I did the other day, I did not want to go to the grocery store. I had been traveling a lot and came home and I didn't have a lot of groceries and I literally went into the pantry and found what I could find in the pantry and in the freezer. And I threw it all in a big pot with some vegetable broth. And I made a bean and corn and fire roasted tomatoes. And I put my secret ingredient that my husband really loves and that's just a little bit of cloves. Cloves and beans. That's my secret. And he loved it and I took some leftovers to my mom.  so, you're right, it goes, I mean who makes soup for two?
Kathi: You really don't.  There are so many things I want to respond to there. One, wouldn't we agree that for so many people in North America, one of the biggest stressors is finances  and soup is such a beautiful way of using up those odds and ends. Beans are so inexpensive and I'm going to try your cloves because I can taste that in my mouth right now. The beans and the cloves. That's amazing. I love it. Because also I like some cinnamon with beans. I love soup because it's very easy to make a big batch of, it's so easy to share like you did with your mom, it's so easy to freeze. love these things called super cubes, S O U P E R cubes. They are just silicone molds to freeze portions of soup. And we call that homesteader fast food where you can just pop out one of those cubes, that heat up in the microwave and you've got lunch. And, I think about it like this, every once in a while we like to go to fast food. We're Americans. We like to do that. But for the 2 of us to go to fast food is 30 dollars, which is nice for a treat. But leftover soup is pretty much free. And so economically, nutritionally, and community wise. It works on all levels. 
Dr. Vickie: It really does. Beans in particular are so high in fiber, so high in protein, and they're inexpensive. You can do them out of a can, and they're almost just as healthy as they are any other way. You've gotta watch the sodium content. But also, you can do them in the Instant Pot, and you don't have to soak them overnight and do all that
Kathi: They are very blue zone. They are very, very blue zone. 
Dr. Vickie: Yes, they are. Well, what's your favorite soup recipe in the new book Sabbath Soup? Do you have one? Because I do.
Kathi: Okay, when I  want to be a little decadent, the tomato and gin soup, That's  my favorite. Everybody loves it. What's yours? 
Dr. Vickie: Same. It was so good, I love it. And like I said, that would be for a sort of a treat occasion, but I love tomato soup anyway. And that tomato soup recipe was delicious. 
Kathi: Okay, Vickie, the next time you need a treat and you want to double up on your treat, there's no more classic combination of tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches, right? Which has nothing redeeming about it. Let's just be super honest, except joy. And in the book, I have a recipe for Cuban sandwiches. That's like a grilled cheese sandwich on steroids. It's so, so, so good. So if you, if you want something kind of decadent, it's a real crowd pleaser. 
Dr. Vickie: That's awesome. And I love a pickle with my grilled cheese sandwich.
Kathi: That's that's what the Cuban sandwich is all about is the pickle.  
Dr. Vickie: Well, I want our listeners to know all about your book and where they can find you and the book because it is a gorgeous book and it is full of so many good recipes. 
Kathi: They really did a beautiful job on it. So if you go to SabbathSoup. com, we have a lot of little gifties there for you, some menu plans, some other bonuses you can do, but you can buy Sabbath Soup at Amazon and any place you love to buy books. You can buy it there. It's available everywhere. 
Dr. Vickie I will put the link to your website and all of the links to that. so much. In the show notes, because I know people are going to want to check that out. But I, I love the, just the connection that's involved with, with food and with soup in particular,
Kathi: You know, I always think about it this way, Vickie, I've never been fed without feeling love. I did an interview yesterday and they talked to us about how God created us with the need for food. God didn't need to do that, but God is invested in our connection and our joy and that's what food does. 
Dr. Vickie: That's so true. And, and I think eating a meal without someone to share it with,  magnifies loneliness. I went through a season of singleness and I said, I ate a dinner for one at a table for 10. It just magnifies the fact that you're alone. And my father passed away about three years ago. And so my mom's had to eat her meals alone and it's difficult for her to go to the table and do that. So that's why I take her my leftovers, but how beautiful that just to show up at your neighbor's door and say, Hey, I made too much soup. And would you like to have some? I love that.
Kathi: Yeah. And I love what you said there. Show up. Don't ask, what can I do? Just say, Hey, I made you some soup. What time can I bring it over? That works for you? It's such a different because nobody wants to put anybody else out. But when you say it's already done, it brings, it brings a different level of connectedness.
Dr. Vickie: You're absolutely right.  And even better, stay with them. I remember when I was sick and people would bring me meals and a lot of times it wasn't anything I could eat. The prednisone made me diabetic and I had to be very, very careful what I ate and I'm sort of a health nut anyway, so I was careful about what I ate, but what I really wanted was for them to stay and visit. It's not something that you drop off on the doorstep and ring the doorbell and run away. If you can stay and visit that, that's the, that's the decadent cream on top.
Kathi: Yeah, and I think asking. Roger went to visit our neighbors yesterday and there was a nurse there and it just wasn't a great time. So, Roger said, I'm going to call you later to find out when a good time would be. You're there to serve somebody's needs. And that is the deep connection - seeing that need. And it's such a gift to the receiver to let them know, even if now doesn't work, later on will, and we're going to be back. We're in this for the long haul.
If you can just make a decision for one day a week in advance what you're going to eat and one, make it a little special and two make it easy on yourself. It's going to create a rhythm in your life that is going to be life giving. 
Dr. Vickie: My husband thrives on a rhythm like that. And so we do the same thing every Friday night and the same thing every Sunday night. It's just relaxing to me because we don't have to talk about it. We don't have to decide anything. We don't have to plan anything. We know what we're doing. 
There are tons of recipes in this book. It's a beautiful book just to even have sitting in your kitchen. So thank you so much for being here. 
Kathi: Vickie, it's such an honor to see everything you've started with this podcast and now to be a guest, it just feels like such a full circle moment and I'm so proud of you and I love what you're doing to serve your community. It's, it's just awe inspiring.
Dr. Vickie: Well, thank you so much. It was great having you.    
RESOURCES (may contain affiliate links):
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Sabbath Soup Website
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Move for better mood

 Can exercise really make us happier, more resilient and more energetic?
Episode 142 Move for Better Mood
Have you ever said to yourself, I'm so tired? And then you just want to sit on the couch and scroll through social media or watch your favorite series?  This is not rest. And it won't fix your lack of energy. In fact, it will make it worse. Sitting zaps your energy and it's a vicious cycle. You sit and do nothing rewind and repeat.  It's time to change gears and shift out of neutral and get a boost of energy. And if you're already on the movement train, stay tuned. I think you'll enjoy the science. In fact, let's start there. Today in mini medical school, we're going to review the family of neurochemicals that are responsible for mood. And if you haven't even been introduced to endorphins, dopamine and serotonin, you might want to listen to episode 141. How food affects mood. I'll put a link in the show notes. These neuro-transmitters can improve mood and reduce feelings of stress and anxiety.
Also cortisol levels can be reduced by exercise, which creates feelings of relaxation and improved mood,  not to mention the effects on sleep, metabolism and weight.  Let's start with some basics. There is a difference between physical activity and exercise.  Physical activity is anything that gets you moving and requires energy; things like cooking and cleaning the kitchen or housework of any kind yard work, even just going to the grocery store. That's considered physical activity.  Exercise on the other hand is intentional activity for the purpose of physical fitness. This is things like running, classes at the gym, lifting weights, doing aerobics. These things are considered exercise.  Physical activity and exercise benefit both physical and mental health.
In addition to reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression, sleep patterns may be improved. And lack of sleep definitely affects mood. Who doesn't have a more positive outlook after a restful night of sleep.  And speaking of sleep. If this is something you struggle with, you're going to want to make sure you're on my email list. Because we're going to do a whole series on sleep very soon. Check the show notes for a link on how to sign up or just go to my website, www.healthylooksgreatonyou.com  
When you exercise, it opens up the blood vessels and improves blood flow to important organs, you know, like the brain. And that can help with mental clarity and overall brain health. You know, we used to think that adults could not grow new brain cells, but it turns out that's wrong. So think of exercise as fertilizer for forming new blood vessels and they may be able to nurture new neural connections which can improve cognitive function. We call that process neurogenesis. And to me it's pretty exciting. And if that's not enough reason to get off the couch, there are some studies that suggest that regular exercise may at the very least delay dementia in people who are predisposed to it.  
Exercise also has a significant impact on health conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and arthritis.  People who are active tend to have more self-esteem and confidence and listen, there is a difference between being fit and thin. But if weight is your concern, remember, 80% is related to diet, not exercise. It takes a lot of exercise to lose weight.  But you can also be very skinny and very physically unfit.  Now, before we dive into how physical activity and exercise can help lessen symptoms of anxiety and depression. I want to do a little dissection on the runner's high.
And listen, I had never run enough to get a high, but I have experienced this sense of euphoria while pedaling my bicycle. And if you've never felt it, it's unbelievable. And even if you're not planning to lace up and train for a marathon, the biochemistry is pretty fascinating. Here's what happens: you start running or exercising very intensely and you get your heart pumping and it works harder and harder to increase the heart rate to make sure your muscles and brain are getting enough oxygen. And speaking of oxygen, you'll start huffing and puffing. But you keep going, pounding the pavement or the trail or whatever, and your body starts dumping endorphins into your bloodstream. 
And wow! There's this burst of euphoria and burst of energy that makes you feel like you can conquer the world and keep going.  It doesn't last long, and it's actually pretty uncommon to experience. But it gives us a little inside look at what exercise can do naturally to cause feelings of elation.  But here's the deal. You don't have to train for an iron man to see benefits. Even moderate levels of exercise may improve mental health, lessening feelings of depression and anxiety. And the benefits of regular physical activity on mood are not temporary like the runner's high.  When you think about someone who is physically fit, you picture someone with big ol' well defined muscles.  But it's not just the external that gets the benefit. People who exercise regularly have not only bigger muscles, but also a bigger hippocampus. The hippocampus is the part of the brain that processes memory and learning. So exercise can improve memory, and help focus, particularly on what we call the ability to switch tasks without chasing squirrels.  But let's get back to mood specifically depression and anxiety. 
And before I take another step, I want to acknowledge that depression and anxiety are serious mental health disorders. And I am in no way, suggesting that a run around the block is going to fix it all. If you need help, please see your doctor or mental health care provider. There are lots of good medications and effective therapies. But there are also a lot of studies that look at the impact of exercise on mental wellbeing. 
And while it might not be a cure for significant anxiety and depression, there is no doubt it has a positive impact on mood.  Setting fitness goals or completing challenges can give you a sense of accomplishment and that helps you gain confidence.
And if you participate in group fitness, and I highly recommend that you do, you get an opportunity to have conversations and social interactions and meet new people. And that's good for your mental health. Anything positive you do for your mind takes you in the right direction. Whereas negativity takes you the wrong way. For example, turning to alcohol or tobacco or junk food to cope is not going to help your symptoms and ultimately leads to worsening. However, doing something good for your body, like exercising will make you feel better and feel good about yourself.  And when you're thinking about your feet, it's kind of hard to think about your problems.
Exercise can stop the worry cycle that leads to less anxious thoughts and symptoms of depression. Right now, there's a lot of research being done to understand the exercise connection with mental health. But we know that it can help move you forward, and especially help at keeping you in a good space in your head. So how much exercise do you need? Well, the general recommendation for all healthy adults is a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise per week.  If you missed the episode on fitness, I'll put a link in the show notes, but here's one thing you need to know. Moderate exercise means, you can still talk, but you can't sing.  I mean, I can't sing anyway, but that's not because I'm breathing hard. But, you know what I mean? 
Did you know that 20% of adults struggle with anxiety? And if you're one of them, you're going to want to listen to my interview with Dr. Michelle Bengston. She's a clinical neuropsychologist and she wrote a book called, "Breaking Anxiety's Grip." It's a great episode and I'll put a link in the shownotes. 
Anxiety has a significant impact on your overall health.  And here's the irony people with anxiety tend to be less active. So if you're sitting on the couch feeling down and you're in that vicious cycle. Where's the exit?  If you're using activity to improve your mood, you're going to need to do it every single day. 
Add some activity in little increments like take the stairs instead of the elevator, park at the spot that's fartherest from the store, not the closest one. And never drive to the mailbox. Even a little activity may help though. So can you find 10 or 15 minutes in your day to do some aerobic exercise? Because that's best. Or maybe you can take a class or go for a walk or dance in the kitchen or skip down the street. 
Once when my son was about seven or eight years old, we had a series of unfortunate events in our family.  I'm not talking about little things I'm talking about big things. And we were pretty devastated.  I was trying to explain all of this to my little boy and he looked up at me and said, "Mom, can we skip?  And I said, what. And he said, can we skip? Because when you skip, you feel happy.
It was after dark. But we went outside, held hands and skipped right on down the street.  I've always wondered if any of the neighbors were watching, but you know what? It worked we skipped and we felt happy. Usually, you skip because you feel happy, but I think the reverse is true as well. So if you're having a particularly bad day because of bad circumstances, and let me know if it works for you. 
But listen, the effects are cumulative. Once your mood improves, it's easier to start doing things that improve your mood. And the opposite is true as well. So this really is a cycle. And to make sure you stick with it,  find something you enjoy doing. Maybe you want to set some smart goals, you remember smart goals, right? 
S. For specific, like I'm going to skip.  
M is for measurable. I'm going to skip to the neighbor's house.
A is for accountable. Accountability makes a huge difference in achieving your goals. So I'm going to skip with my son. 
R is for Relevant. I'm going to skip so I don't feel blue.
T is time bound. I'm going to skip every night. 
Now, we all have good intentions, but sometimes there are barriers to success. And it's super helpful to identify those barriers so that you can overcome them. I have a course called seven day prescription for change. If you're interested, there's a link in the show notes. It's kind of intense, but it's only a week. There's a downloadable workbook and videos that you can watch to help you meet your goals. 
But don't think of exercise as a hard pill to swallow. There are enough things in life that you should do. Instead think of it as therapy. A tool to help you improve your mood.  Exercise distracts your mind from the worry cycle. It can decrease muscle tension, increase your heart rate and release those feel good neurotransmitters that improve mood. It actually changes the brain in ways that help us think more clearly and calm our emotions.  The effect is cumulative. 
The more exercise, the better.  But a single burst of activity can mitigate anxiety over a situation such as skipping. And here's another thing that helps. Get out in nature. Studies have shown  that time in nature has a calming effect.
So. If you exercise outdoor, you get a double benefit.  Now depression is a serious condition and it affects over two and a half million people throughout the world. And I'm not suggesting that people with moderate or severe depression can sweat it off. But exercise does dampen the effect of stress and stress takes a serious toll on our body and our mind.
And the best exercise is one that you enjoy and that you're going to stick with over the long haul, but mix it up so you don't get bored.  
Aerobic exercise is best, but any physical activity helps. Remember physical activity is just movement, like getting out in the garden and getting your hands in the dirt that is very therapeutic for a lot of people. Or play pickle ball.  Goodness knows that's gone viral recently. 
My stepson is getting married soon. And so my husband and I dance in the kitchen and I can promise you, we laugh.  Partly because our dancing skills are out of sync. 
But what if you feel worn out by your daily activities? Well exercise regularly and you'll feel better physically and not be worn out by those daily activities. And then that makes you feel better physically, and that makes you feel better mentally. And then you want to exercise. See how this goes. It is definitely a cycle.  
And what about yoga?  Yoga is an ancient Chinese practice that focuses on holistic health,  meditation, exercises and physical postures.  Now, if you're doing flow, you  might get your heart rate up, but most of the time you're holding poses. And if you don't focus, then you will not be able to balance. 
So when you change your focus, to maybe that spot on the floor so that you don't fall over you're not really thinking about all the stuff that's making you anxious. So that's how that works.   And when it comes to focus, you have a choice.  And it can become a habit to focus on your problems. That's why scripture tells us, fix your eyes on Jesus. He is the author and perfecter of our faith. 
But if you feel stuck in your feelings, of anxiousness and  depressive symptoms. and I use the word depressive symptoms, because what I'm really talking about is just feeling down or feeling blue.
Then move out of that place.  It's going to require some effort.  But are you ready to get moving? Because movement makes you feel more healthy and healthy looks great on you.  
RESOURCES:
How Food Affects Mood
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7 Day Prescription for Change
Breaking Anxiety's Grip with Dr. Michelle Bengston

How food affects mood

Food has a big impact on mood.  Why would that be? How does what you put in your mouth that goes down into your stomach affect all that's going on in your brain? 
Carbohydrates are my dear friends. Well, some of them. You know, In every family, there are those people, you know how some people just make you feel good and others, not so much. For example, let's talk about Dorothy. I used to hang out with Dorothy once a week. Sunday mornings, in fact, And after we'd been together, I had bad breath, a headache, and I felt more than a little edgy. You see, Dorothy is a donut.  We parted ways several years ago, but one day I walked into a meeting and there she was dressed in chocolate and still pretty hot and I thought I'd just take one bite. But before, you know, it, I ate the whole thing.  And it didn't take long that I felt physically and emotionally drained.  But here's the deal, that period of absence highlighted the contrast of how I feel when I eat good stuff versus pure junk. And maybe you've noticed, or maybe you  haven't and maybe you just feel kind of bad all the time and you don't really know why. So let's talk about how certain foods affect mood and why. And since mini medical school is going to be pretty intense today, I thought I would turn the science into fiction.  
No, don't meanan the facts aren't going to be true. I mean, fictional characters. To help you remember, you're going to need to use your brain, but bring your imagination along too.
 And don't worry about taking notes, I created a free download for you that. It has a list of mood boosting foods. If you're on my email list. List. I sent it out. And. If not, there's a link to sign up in the show notes. 
It's never too late. You can also go to www healthy looks great on you dot. Com. 
  Now the way that food affects mood is. About altering brain chemistry and hormone levels. 
 And my old buddies carbohydrates, they can  give you a real boost. But, their cousins can really bring you down. So let's talk about the good side of the family first. Food rich in carbohydrates boost serotonin levels.
 The ol' feegood neurotransmitter er serotonin. We're going to call her Sarah for short. Sarah Tonin affects mood sleep and appetite. She is an intriguing member of the neurotransmitter family. And it has both a significant impact, both on mental as well as physical health. Sarah is a happy girl because she regulates mood and makes you feel happy and have an overall sense of wellbeing. 
And she's the one you'll really miss when she's not around. You may feel depressed or anxious. And Sarah's family is a power family. In fact. Mel is another member of the tonin family, and that's super important. Did you know that Sarah tonin is a precursor to melatonin? So think of Sarah as Mel's mother and you need both of them to get a good night's sleep, and yeah, I'm talking to you cranky pants.  Mel is related by marriage to the hormone family.  And his presence is highly influenced by light exposure. And he regulates the sleep wake cycle.  
He squirts out of the pineal gland. And if you're interested in the science of sleep, I'll put a link to that episode in the show notes, "Why is sleeping so hard?" 
And stay tuned because after this series on mood, we're going to focus on sleep.  But here's what happens, Mel gets up every evening and tells your body it's not night, night time. He stays up most of the night and then he drops off in the morning.  At least that's how it's supposed to work. He keeps the bodies internal clock in sync, making sure the circadian rhythm aligns with the sleep-wake cycle; daytime and nighttime. And he serves on the antioxidant team as well, combating free radicals and reducing oxidative stress in the body.  To boost melatonin, you can eat things like tart cherries, grapes, nuts.  And itit's alsoimportant to have good sleep hygiene. 
And again, if. If you're interested in sleep, make sure you're on my email list because there are some really exciting things coming now, let's get back to Serotonin. Do you know where Sarah lives?  Did you say the brain? Well, I hate to tell you, but 90% of the body's serotonin  is actually found in the gut, not the  brain. That may surprise you, but think about that gut brain connection.  Yep. That's why upset emotions cause an upset tummy. 
And since her address is in the GI tract, she affects appetite and digestion all the way to the end of the street.  I'm talking about bowel movements see, now you'll remember all of this science of neurotransmitter, Sarah Tonin. But wait, there's more. Speaking of learning and memory, Sarah affects those cognitive functions as well.
You know, Sarah is the type who can be all work and no play
. Because high levels of serotonin can actually reduce sex drive. And that's why some antidepressants which are called serotonin re-uptake inhibitors can kill your sex drive. It's a balancing act for sure because you need Sarah to have a good sense of wellbeing, but too much can cause intimacy to take a back seat.  Diet can boost our sense of wellbeing by increasing serotonin levels, particularly foods rich in tryptophan. 
 
Sarah tends to run away when they're stress or negative thinking, and that can be a vicious cycle.  Positive thinking and stress management, increase serotonin levels.
And if you need a review class on stress management. There's a link in the show notes.
Now I'd like to introduce you to another member of the neuro-transmitter family. He is the most likable guy you ever wanted to meet. Dopamine is considered to be the reward neurotransmitter thatkes you feel pleasure and motivation and helps with learning too. He's a standup guy. But we still have to nickname him dope. You see, he has a big role in addiction. 
And when I say he motivates, I mean, he really motivates. It's even if it's for another hit of whatever lights you up. Since dopamine is associated with pleasure, it contributes to addictive behaviors. That can be a substance or an activity that is pleasurable. But it drives you to find that pleasure again and again,
and that can lead to impulsivity to find more dope at all costs
regardless of the consequences. When you participate in the fun and games, whether that's eating, exercising, hanging out with those you love, dope is there. He pushes us to take action and pursue goals so we can feel that reward. That can drive us to work harder or it can distort and cause us to go into an endless pursuit. 
Again, it's a delicate balance. Dope keeps us focused, helps us pay attention. So we learn better and become more productive.
He's like a coach. He's also important in coordinating smooth muscle and movement. And people with Parkinson's disease have low levels of dopamine. So that explains some of the features of that disorder. And without dopamine you'll feel depressed and anxious. 
He's good to have around. So where can you find good. Dope.
Well, exercise can boost levels as well as sleep. And food can boost production. It's like a well coordinated family picnic. And if you think dopamine makes you high, I'd like to introduce you to another member of the neuro-transmitter family. Endorphins.  let's call her Endera. She comes around every single time there is stress or discomfort and tries to knock out your pain. It's like she wants to be the fixer in the family. 
She'll pump you up, make you feel great.
She'll even give you a feeling of euphoria when you exercise intensely. You've probably heard of a runner's high even if you've never experienced it. But she also makes you relaxed to fix all that stress and anxiety. She also boost your immune system. So, where is this lovely lady and where can we find her. Like it or not exercise, the more intense,  the better. 
Not ready to start running? 
Well, there's another great way to bring Endera to the party and I'm talking about a good old belly laugh to crank out endorphins. You see, laughter really is the best medicine and Endera loves her some dark chocolate too, as well as spicy foods that contain capsaicin like chili peppers.  She'll rush to your side, if you get acupuncture because yeah, there's a needle involved and she wants to fix your pain. And even if you're averse to such things, just turn on your favorite playlist, Endera loves whatever music you love and  that's why those tunes bump up your endorphin levels and help with mood. Endera the fixer releases endorphins to make you feel good, stay resilient in the face of challenge. The last member of the neurotransmitter family I'd like to introduce you to is oxytocin. Because you see, love love will keep us together. 
 
Oxytocin is the love hormone. 
We'll just call her O for short, she wants us to stay emotionally connected and she's a hormone too. She's the glue of the family. She helps form strong bonds, both between parents and children.  friends and lovers. 
We could call her the big O. Yeah, I did that on purpose. The foundation of any relationship is trust. O brings out feelings of trust and empathy, which is important for social interaction to be more positive and rewarding. She calms us down and reduces anxiety and stress. O plays a critical role in childbirth too. She stimulates the uterus to contract and promote the release of breast milk.. She's a lover, not a fighter. She likes touch any touch -hugging, holding hands, shaking hands, even a high five. All of those things release oxytocin. And this is going to make all the pooches happy, but petting your dog actually releases oxytocin.
You can boost O levels, by enjoying time with the people you love and having conversations that bring you closer together. 
Also do something for someone else and you both get a reward. ' Because doing acts of kindness, stimulates release of oxytocin. Stress tries to steal the joy that O brings. So learn relaxation and stress management techniques to keep her around. And oh yeah. O is important for sex too, in case you didn't get my previous pun. But it's not just casual sex. You see oxytocin promotes monogamous relationships, even in some animals. 
I'm here to tell you that God only desires the best for you. And that's why he created us the way he did.  Now that I've introduced you to some of the members of the hormone family. Let's meet the others. First is cortisol. Good old Cort. He gets a bad rap because you'll find him wherever there is stress, but here's the deal. 
He's got a lot of responsibility on his shoulders. He lives in the adrenal glands and he shows up in an instant when he thinks there's any kind of danger. He is the force behind the flight or fight response. He's in charge of controlling your body's metabolism and how fats and proteins and carbohydrates are used. His job also includes regulating the immune system and combating inflammation in the body. He knows how important blood flow is. 
So he's super involved in regulating blood pressure and cardiovascular function. So that we have the power to run or fight. We need him to survive,. 
especially in stressful situations, but he can be a bit much. Chronic stress.
 leads to persistently high levels of cortisol. Too much of Cort is not a good thing and it's terrible for your physical health, contributing to heart disease, unwanted weight gain, gI problems, anxiety, and depression. He can wake you up all night long and make you sick by lowering  your body's ability to fight off infection. He is a great guy and we need him, but a little goes a long way. If you know what I mean.  Now,  you can get him to chill out by exercising and making sure you have good quality sleep. Managing him isn't easy, but intentional relaxation.
 and combating stress settles him down. And if you eat a balanced diet of whole foods, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains that keeps him from getting out of control too.  And O can help.
So make sure you're tending to your social life and bonds with loved ones and O would  also like for you to meet another member of the sex hormone family. Estrogen.  We can call her Esther. I'm pretty sure you've met her before. And you know how much of an effect she can have on mood as well as energy levels and cognitive function. And when she gets on a roll,  it can cause fluctuations in emotions as well as wellbeing. Her main role is to influence the development of a woman's body during adolescence, then she controls the menstrual cycle during the reproductive years, and then she jumps off a cliff during menopause, but that's one of those family stories we'll talk about on another day. Esther can  be moody. I'm talking PMS, peri menopause. And all the things, female, but she's a protector maintaining bone density and healthy cholesterol levels and supporting cardiovascular health. And she has a twin sister, but they aren't identical. Her name is progesterone. And we're going to call her Polly. I think that's kind of cute.  Polly Polly progesterone. She regulates periods and maintains pregnancy. And that's a lot of Ps.
She also helps balance moody Esther by calming her down and trying to control her mood swings. She promotes better sleep and is just naturally sedating. We like her a lot because she helps maintain skin elasticity.  Now to balance these two wild sisters eat a balanced diet rich in nutrients. F oods high in omega three fatty acids control their behavior especially well, think flax seeds, chia, seeds, and walnuts. And you can add those to oatmeal and smoothies. Exercise. Is another good way to reign them in. And even if they smell stress, they'll go crazy and drive you there too. 
 And of course don't skimp on good sleep because they throw everything out of balance and they'll eat you alive without good sleep. 
The twins have a brother too, his name is testosterone. We're going to call him Rone instead of testy because, well, that doesn't sound good. You probably think of Rone as being a male hormone. And while it's true that he turns boys into men, he    is also found in women, it's just in smaller amounts. Rone can increase energy, motivation and overall mood. He's buff, and supports muscle mass and strength and bone density. 
He can be a lover and a fighter.  It's important in libido for both men and women.  And the last baby in the hormone family is insulin.   We'll call her Sully. She regulates blood sugar, brain function and mood. And she's tried for years to get along with Dorothy. You remember? Sweet, sweet, Dorothy.  She makes you crash and leaves you feeling sluggish and irritable.  And Sully is really just a peacemaker, always trying to control blood sugar and make sure it gets into the cells for energy. If Sully doesn't work properly then the body doesn't move sugar out of the bloodstream the way it's supposed to, and then we develop diabetes.  Sweet Dorothy and all of her sugary friends can sneak up on you and ruin your day. But here's the deal. If you consume sugar regularly, yuou  might not even realize that sugar and other simple carbohydrates. are what's causing that quick sugar spike. 
You eat your biscuit  and jelly and it goes up and then you get a sharp drop, then a crash and this rollercoaster of emotions can cause mood swings, irritability and fatigue. We talked about hangry last week.  Not only that, but a high sugar intake can cause increased inflammation in the body and that's been linked to mood disorders such as depression and anxiety. So we can all agree that chronic inflammation is not good for your brain.  Think about some antioxidant rich foods like berries, all kinds of berries, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and blackberries. And remember good old dark chocolate. It's gotta be at least 70% cocoa to maintain the antioxidant content. 
And then those nuts, like walnuts, pecans, and almonds. As well as spinach and other dark. Leafy green vegetables like kale and Swiss chard, and lots of beans and artichokes for their antioxidant properties. 
These are feel good foods. Unlike Dorothy. Dorothy sugar gives you a hit of dopamine. Well don't we like that. Yeah, but like everything else, the pleasure is temporary followed by dip, then cravings. And this is why sugar is such a vicious cycle and can be as addictive as any drug. These types of foods aren't good for you. 
And they're often nutrient poor. And replacing in your diet, what could be nutrient dense foods. The standard American diet includes a lot  of sugar. And sugar before bed can affect sugar plums dancing in your head because sleep quality is affected in a negative way by sugar too. And that certainly contributes to mood disorders, including anxiety  and depression. But let's get back to insulin.  Natural ways to increase insulin are a balanced diet with low-glycemic index think fruit. 
And regular physical activity. improves insulin sensitivity and helps maintain a healthy weight.
Foods high in antioxidants include foods that have omega-3 fatty acids because they combat that inflammation. That's linked to mood disorders like depression. So are leafy greens, fatty fish, nuts, seeds, berries, dark chocolate, whole grains, legumes and bananas. They're all rich in vitamins and tryptophan, which is a precursor to serotonin. 
Remember the feel good neurotransmitter serotonin.  It's also found in avocados, which contain healthy fats and vitamin B6, which can improve mood and brain function. 
If you didn't get a chance to listen to last week's podcast.,I talked about the gut brain connection. You see. What you put in your tummy affects what happens in your head, and what happens in your head affects your mood. 
So eat good food to have a good mood and. And be happy and be healthy because healthy looks great on.     
Resources:
Why is sleeping so hard?
Good mood foods
Stress management episode
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