I talked last time about getting outside and taking a walk around meal times because that will help lower your blood sugar after your meal.
But there is another reason you could benefit from taking a walk and help yourself with your cravings.
Let me explain why.
First of all, afternoon and evening, that 5:00 o'clock witching hour, is when people start craving carbs, maybe even a drink. Whatever it is you crave, if you can get outside and go for a walk, you will naturally boost your serotonin.
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, we make in the gut and in the brain. A healthy gut makes more serotonin which makes us feel good and satisfied. It's kind of like a counter to dopamine, which is the neurotransmitter that when it fires, makes it hard to “just eat one” So when we have serotonin in good amounts, we'll be more satisfied. We may not need the chocolate or the chips or the glass of wine.
We naturally have more serotonin in the morning, and we can encourage it when we get outside and get some natural sunlight and eat protein throughout the day. In the afternoon it starts to wane and then we have cravings.
How can we be stronger than those cravings? Here are some ways to boost serotonin:
Take a walk in nature.
Make a cup of tea.
Call a friend.
Call a friend and talk on your walk at the same time.
Read a magazine, or a book, or a novel.
Take a hot shower or hot bath.
Part of making good choices is making different choices when we have those cravings. Honor your Physiology with healthy choices instead of choices that you’ll regret later.
I hope this is helpful. I'd love to hear how you might raise your serotonin with something that brings you pleasure. Thanks for watching, and I'll see you in the next video.
