There are times when we feel low and lack the energy to do anything, a solution for this is dopamine foods. Our aim is to enjoy life to the fullest and be as productive as possible, and the trick here is dopamine, it is a neurotransmitter that controls the pleasure and reward center of the brain. A sufficient amount of dopamine contributes to enhanced concentration, memory, creativity, and learning. It improves alertness and emotional maturity.
Individuals with addiction have lesser than normal levels of dopamine and the role of this neurotransmitter is to signal when to finish a meal and not eat anymore. This cycle is affected when people are addicted to nicotine, cocaine, and alcohol. People with dopamine deficiency are at an increased risk of suffering from Parkinson’s disease, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, schizophrenia, mood disorder, and stress.
There are ways in which we can increase our dopamine levels through food such as
Caffeine:
We crave for caffeine when we feel low and tired, to just get a boost of energy and alertness. You can depend on caffeine to increase dopamine, it increases the level of dopamine in areas of the brain associated with concentration and attention. The good sources are dark chocolate, tea, coffee.
Resveratrol:
In order to feel fresh and rejuvenated, binge on resveratrol foods that increase levels of dopamine. Being an antioxidant, resveratrol protects us from cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Load up on all the delicious resveratrol foods such as a moderate amount of wine, peanuts, cranberries, blueberries, dark chocolate, and pistachios.
Folate:
Folate is a good remedy for heart disease, sleep and mood disorder, anger management, memory, depression, and anxiety. The feel-good factor that contributes to fighting depression and maintaining good mental health is contributed by dopamine released by folate. The good sources are nuts, meat, fruits, spinach, kale and fruit juices.
DHA:
DHA offers a range of health benefits, it is good to fight depression, ADHD, type 2 diabetes, dementia, and coronary artery disease. It also increases dopamine levels and the good sources are sardines, herring, salmon, and mackerel.
Uridine:
Uridine maintains a good balance of dopamine, it helps in synthesizing dopamine receptors. It is used to treat mood disorders and enhances memory. The good sources are parsley, fish, beer, oats, broccoli, and mushrooms.
Pregnenolone:
Pregnenolone helps fight mood disorders and increases levels of dopamine and it is obtained from cholesterol. The good sources are eggs, butter, meat, and dairy.
Phenylalanine:
Our body utilizes phenylalanine to synthesize dopamine, and phenylalanine is an amino acid that helps in fighting vitiligo, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, depression, chronic pain, Parkinson’s disease, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The good sources are seeds, meat, dairy, fish, eggs and soy products.
If you want to attain a great amount of energy, productivity, and success, then the solution is to increase dopamine levels. There are ways in which dopamine levels can be increased naturally such as:
Consume a diet high in protein:
Tyrosine an amino acid helps in dopamine production, and a diet rich in tyrosine works wonders to feel happy and productive. The good sources are legumes, eggs, fish and chicken. Apart from these protein foods, binge on kale, spinach, broccoli, and avocados.
Get a good amount of sleep:
Getting a good amount of sleep is essential to boost dopamine and feel productive the next day. It is in the evening when dopamine levels fall, before going to sleep, and in the morning dopamine levels increase. With unhealthy sleeping patterns, you will not get the required amount of dopamine needed to feel fresh and energetic.
Regular exercise:
Regular exercise increases dopamine and creates a feel-good factor.
Meditation:
Meditation is soothing and relaxing, and it offers powerful health benefits such as lower levels of anxiety, depression, blood pressure, and stress. A recent study revealed that people who meditate for one hour have shown increased dopamine levels by about sixty-five percent.
Music:
Music is just relaxing, and it makes us feel good and calm, and you can listen to the music of your choice. Recent studies have shown that music elevates levels of dopamine and fights stress and mood disorders.
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