![]() As the lyrics from the Edwin Starr song, War, says... "Absolutely Nothin"... Hold up.... I'm talking about "That Lovin Feelin", not living. Well maybe I am talking about both. Can we live without love? Can we love without living? Is life and love one in the same? I think we need both. We need to love so that we may live, whether it's love for another human being, a pet or even a humanitarian cause. We also need to get out into the world and live life. Without living we can not find that which we love. I asked myself this question though: Where does "That Lovin Feelin" come from? We often associate the feeling of love with the heart? According to Linda Thraybule's article on http://www.livescience.com/18430-falling-love-brain.html "Falling in love can wreak havoc on your body. Your heart races, your tummy gets tied up in knots, and you're on an emotional roller coaster, feeling deliriously happy one minute and anxious and desperate the next. Research shows that these intense, romantic feelings come from the brain." When we come across someone we care strongly for it sets off a chemical in the brain called oxytocin which gives us a feel-good feeling and makes us crave what ever made our brains release the oxytocin. Sam Geen says this "In fact, all thoughts come from the brain, including love. However, emotion can be affected by chemicals called hormones made around the body, including the heart (however, the heart’s hormones are only really used to control your heartbeat)." So, it seems Love is based in the brain, but other reactions our bodies give us also clue us in to love. Things such as sweaty palms, butterflies in our stomach and a racing heart rate are all related to "That Lovin Feelin". I have been reading a book that talks about how food affects the way we love both our selves and others. If we eat healthy foods we will have healthy relationships because our body has the nutrients we need to work properly. Like wise if we do not eat Healthy foods our body will not produce the hormones and chemicals our body needs to feel loved, thus producing moodiness, anger and even depression. So maybe there is a little truth to the saying " The way to a man's heart is through his stomach"! So if you have a certain someone you are trying to win the heart of or if your playing cupid this valentines day try some of the following healthy ideas to get oxytocin and those heart hormones flowing!
To increase Oxytocin levels naturally... 1. Eat less processed foods and have some Salmon with omega 3 with a little olive oil with the omega 9 vitamins. Eat fruit, grains and fiber and nutrient rich veggies and be sure to drink plenty of water. 2. A minimum of 8 hugs a day is recommended for our health and well being. Hugs help reduce cardio stress, improve our immune system and yes it helps the production of oxytocin! 3. Giving a gift to someone also raises oxytocin levels. So giving someone that special gift on valentine's day is good for their health! If that gift is going to include chocolate, Dark chocolate is best. It has been shown to lower blood pressure and increase blood flow which can help reduce stress. 4. Eat and drink fermented foods and beverages. ( Check our calendar for our fermented foods and beverages classes) All in all we need to eat healthy to keep our brain and heart functioning properly. Love may truly be linked more to our brain than our heart but without a healthy heart our brain will not have enough oxygen and nutrients delivered to keep that love flowing! To learn about Herbs that can help your heart health and circulation go to this link http://www.greenlotusstudios.com/calendar.html to sign up for our Heart Month classes. A Healthy Heart will help keep love in your life! Come out and join us for a fun and exciting class on... February 28th Heart Month Classes Culinary Cooking with Herbs and Local Organic Slow Food at 11:30am Herbs for Your Heart: Herbs for Circulation, Cardiovascular System, & Maintaining Heart Health! 6:00pm Disclaimer This Material is intended as an information guide only. Green Lotus Studios is not prescribing any of the substances. Any Remedies, approaches and techniques described within are meant to supplement, and they are not a substitute for professional medical care or treatment. They should not be used to treat a serious ailment without prior consultation with a qualified healthcare professional.
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AuthorDonna Carpenter: Master Herbalist, Soap Maker, and Yoga instructor. Archives
February 2016
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