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Dr. Susan E. Brown

Vegetables make you happy . . . yes, really!

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You’ve heard the old saying that “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.”

But would it surprise you to know that an apple — or a carrot — also discourages the blues and makes you more engaged in life? That’s what research has found — repeatedly! — in recent years.


Research shows fruits and vegetables boost emotional well being

  • A 2016 study that focused on the food diaries of more than 12,000 Australian adults found significant increases in emotional well-being of individuals who increased their intake of plant foods. This occurred within a relatively short (2-year) time span and could not be explained by other life changes.
  • A 2014 study that looked at emotional health in 100 volunteers, half of whom snacked on fruit and the other half on chocolate or chips in mid-afternoon, found that those who ate fruit scored lower on measures of anxiety, depression, and emotional distress than those who ate junk food.
  • And a 2015 study in 405 British young adults found not only improved emotional well-being, but increased creativity and curiosity as well, were reported by the subjects — not only in general, but in particular, on the specific days the study subjects reported eating more fruits and vegetables.

Changes can happen almost immediately

We’re all well aware of the long-term physical health benefits of a diet loaded with plant foods. Now these studies indicate that benefits to our emotional well-being occur in the short term once we start incorporating more fruits and vegetables into our daily food intake. The British study suggests that such changes may happen almost immediately!

Keep this in mind, the next time you reach for a snack like this delicious Green Agua Fresca.

 

Green Agua Fresca

Combine a fruit and vegetable in this snack!

3 cups fresh watermelon

2 cups fresh spinach or other mild green

Mix in blender until smooth. Your drink will be bright green and taste entirely of sweet watermelon.

 

References:

Conner, TS, et al. 2015. On carrots and curiosity: Eating fruit and vegetables is associated with greater flourishing in daily life. Br J Health Psychol 20(2):413-427. doi: 10.1111/bjhp.12113.

Mujcic, R, and AJ Oswald. 2016. Evolution of well-being and happiness after increases in consumption of fruit and vegetables. Am J Public Health 106(8):1504–1510.

Smith, AP, and R Rogers. 2014. Positive effects of a healthy snack (fruit) versus an unhealthy snack (chocolate/crisps) on subjective reports of mental and physical health: A preliminary intervention study. Front Nutr 1:10. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2014.00010.

 

 

Dr. Susan Brown PhD
Dr. Susan E. Brown

Challenge 28: Expanding Love

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Every day is a new opportunity to grow and transform our body, mind and spirit.

When we slow down to listen to the wisdom within us — and in the world around us
— wonderful changes can occur.

To help you get started, I’ll share a weekly “Transformational Challenge” that can
bring both growth and joy into your life. I’ll also be focusing my attention on
the challenge right along with you, so I would love to hear about your experiences.

Yours in Health, Susan

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There are only two emotions, love and fear.

“There are only two emotions: love and fear. All positive emotions come from love, all negative emotions from fear. From love flows happiness, contentment, peace, and joy. From fear comes anger, hate, anxiety and guilt. It’s true that there are only two primary emotions, love and fear. But it’s more accurate to say that there is only love or fear, for we cannot feel these two emotions together, at exactly the same time. They’re opposites. If we’re in fear, we are not in a place of love. When we’re in a place of love, we cannot be in a place of fear.”  -Elisabeth Kubler-Rosslove-or-fear2

This month we challenge you to take stock and see if your thoughts, words, and actions are coming from a place of love or of fear. If coming from Love you will feel expanded (joy, peace, well being, etc.);  from fear you will feel contracted (worried, unhappy, angry, etc.).

Dr. Susan Brown PhD
Dr. Susan E. Brown

Challenge 26: Make Your Own Gifts

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Every day is a new opportunity to grow and transform our body, mind and spirit.
When we slow down to listen to the wisdom within us — and in the world around us
— wonderful changes can occur.

To help you get started, I’ll share a weekly “Transformational Challenge” that can
bring both growth and joy into your life. I’ll also be focusing my attention on
the challenge right along with you, so I would love to hear about your experiences.

Yours in Health, Susan

Like Our Facebook Page for the Latest News!

Homemade gifts can often express more love and appreciation than a commercial gift may offer

They also give us the opportunity to be a bit creative and to really think about what might make that other person happy. This week’s challenge is to make a homemade gift for the holidays. A gift  that comes from the heart for someone you love —  a homemade pie or treat, a knitted scarf or cap, or any one of these 51 ideas from Country Living magazine. If you are not handy or run out of time you can offer your services to someone —  babysitting, driving someone to the store, cleaning someone’s house, making a calendar with family birthdays on it, etc. This list goes on and on and is only limited by your imagination.

handmade-christmas-tree

Bonus: Share your own holiday gift idea with our community.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS from Dr. Susan Brown

Myths about joint health
Dr. Susan E. Brown

5 myths about joint health

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When it comes to joint health, what you may be told as “fact” may actually be fiction – and can do way more harm than good. 

Over and over, I see some of the most popular myths about joint health be disproven with the work I do with my clients at the Center for Better Bones.  Here are the top 5 common myths about joint issues so that you can avoid making common mistakes:

Myth #1:  Joint pain naturally happens as we age
While it’s tempting to rationalize nagging joint pain as something that just happens to everyone as they get older, this isn’t true. Many healthy people around the world age well without experiencing degeneration of their joints.  Those with chronic inflammation, low anti-oxidant status, excess acidity and toxic overload are more prone to aging joint woes – but you can do something about these factors.

Myth #2: Foods we eat don’t affect joint pain
I commonly see women whose joint pain is caused by a reaction from eating wheat and other gluten products as well as from beef, dairy, soy or other foods. Even arthritis specialists recognize the existence of “reactive arthritis.”

Myth #3:  Excess weight is a major cause of joint pain
While it’s true that our joints bear the burden of our weight, our weight alone is rarely to blame for joint discomfort.  Our joints are designed to support body weight. It’s only when they become inflamed and unable to adequately repair themselves do we end up with joint pain.

Myth #4: Joints get damaged as we use them and exercise can aggravate this damage
What we commonly think of as joint “wear and tear” is really “cumulative repair deficit” —when we don’t support our body enough to repair the natural damage caused by using them.  We can benefit from exercise through increased circulation and delivery of nutrients to the joint tissues to promote tissue health and renewal. Gentle full range-of-motion exercises actually stimulate and help heal the joints, especially when used with nutritional joint support.

Myth #5: The drugs and medications used to ease joint pain are safe to use without side effects
It may be easy to pop an ibuprofen or a naproxen, but these anti-inflammatory painkillers aren’t without their side effects. High dose, long-term use of these medications can lead to damage to various organs including the heart, stomach and kidneys and also increase the risk of stroke.   The even stronger steroid medications, such as prednisone, have system-wide negative effects, not the least of which is osteoporosis.  An estimated 20 percent of all osteoporosis in this country is due to steroid use.

Now more than ever, we’re finding how nutritional, lifestyle, and environmental factors provide lifelong bone health. Remember, by taking heart and taking action, each of us can use this knowledge to stay strong and naturally create better joint health.

 

can stress lead to osteoporosis?
Dr. Susan E. Brown

Stress-induced osteoporosis: A new concept

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stres“Can stress cause osteoporosis?”  I’ve been asked this question by thoughtful women at least a   thousand times. Until now, my response of “yes” was based on ancient Eastern medical sciences which directly link emotions and bone health.

For some 5,000 years ancient Eastern medicine has said that skeleton health, as all health, flows from a state of internal mind-body-spirit-emotional balance. Strong emotions and one’s response to them hold sway over specific organs and internal energy circuits. For example, while anger upsets the liver, the emotion of fear, anxiety and worry drain and dry the bones.

Modern Science catches up with Ancient Science

Now with the concept of “stress-induced osteoporosis,” modern Western science is catching up with ancient Eastern science.  Here’s how.

One important way Western medicine is showing a healthy respect for the power of emotions is by recognizing that depression and anxiety are linked to weaker bones. The emphasis is the detailed study of the biochemical mechanisms involved, and I recently saw the first medical article identifying “stress-induced osteoporosis.” The research focused on the production and activity of stress hormones such as cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine.

As most things in modern medicine tend to do, the article attempts to unravel the nuts and bolts mechanisms by which stress alters physiology.  I suspect they are most likely looking for knowledge which would allow for the development for a drug to interfere with the mechanics stress-induced damage.  While contemporary medicine is not exactly aimed at getting to the roots of anyone’s stress response, it at least now recognizes the emotion-bone link.

However, from my clinical practice it is clear to me that Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda of India and ancient biblical texts had it right.  Health lies in balance, and chronic negative emotions are powerful forces that can disrupt internal balance.  As for bone…fear, anxiety and worry take their toll. Previously I detailed a simple procedure to begin modulating the fear response.  Read more here.

I’ll be writing more on this soon.

 

References:

Baldock, P. A., et al. 2014. Neuropeptide y attenuates stress-induced bone loss through suppression of noradrenaline circuits. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research 29(10):2238–2249. DOI: 10.1002/jbmr.2205.

Furlan, P. M., et al. 2005. The role of stress-induced cortisol in the relationship between depression and decreased bone mineral density. Biological Psychiatry 57(8):911–917. DOI:  10.1016/j.biopsych.2004.12.033.

Aging well techniques
Dr. Susan E. Brown

Aging well: My 2-minute plan

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With the start of every season, I’m reminded that with the passage of that season comes the opportunity to age well.

One great way to do this is with the exploration and maximization of our vast inner resources.

Below are simple techniques I’ll be using in the fall to tone up and energize my physical, emotional, mental and spiritual dimensions.

Why not give them try?

1. Breathe with awareness — deeply and slowly.

For just 2 minutes, twice a day, create a rejuvenating state of physical, emotional and mental rest. This is your ultimate energetic and creative source. Here’s how:

• Sit quietly and breathe deeply and gently for a count of 4

• Hold for 2 counts

• Exhale for 4 counts

• Pause for another 2 counts

• Put all your attention on the in and out movement of the breath

Release any thoughts that might come to your mind and aim to experience the stillness deep within. Whatever feelings or emotions come up acknowledge them and let them go.

2. Stop and listen to what your mind is saying.

Our thoughts are powerful sources of creation and attraction. Many times, however, it appears as though “our thoughts are thinking us”, instead of us deliberately choosing our thoughts. Vibrant and healthful aging is greatly enhanced by first recognizing our chronic thought patterns, and then eventually transforming them to be truly life supporting.

3. Check into your emotional status.

Our emotions — those we acknowledge and those deeply hidden away in our psyche — are often the hidden directors of our thoughts. Sit for 2 minutes, twice daily, and ask yourself, “What am I feeling right now?” In a few days, patterns of emotions will arise. Recognizing these is the first step. Then deliberately chose a more positive emotion. Choose love over fear, forgiveness over anger, compassion over criticism or judgment, light heartedness over pessimism, possibility over limitation. Say yes to life.