Why Do I Feel So Low?

It’s okay to not be okay. In fact, it’s perfectly normal.

Life aint no walk in the park, and it can often throw us curve balls which completely derail us and make us feel utterly hopeless.  Or, we can be completely paralysed by sadness for no reason with no understanding of where the sadness is coming from. The likelihood is, if it’s the latter, it’s your hormones. I don’t know about you, but I am acutely aware of when I’m hormonally sad, and even though I know it’s just my body’s chemicals playing havoc, I still can’t seem to snap myself out of the funk. This lack of control only serves to heighten my misery and culminates in rage, or the feeling that I’m a complete lunatic.

Now, this is definitely worth a mention and putting on your emotional radar: Anhedonia is a condition that makes you unable to feel pleasure.  DT suffered from this after being prescribed SSRIS and it was one of the reasons that she channelled all her energy into learning everything she could about hacking her hormones to support her happiness. With the right amount of know-how, you can overcome what can be an extremely debilitating condition. Regardless of whether your symptoms are as desperate as the ones this condition manifests, there are plenty of natural hacks to support your mood. 

DT explains how your hormones can make you feel utterly miserable, which is important for you to understand; this will ensure that you know how to hack the right ones.  DT highlights how you can almost measure your own hormone regulation when you tune into a bit of you.

The vast majority of Serotonin is made in the gut; therefore, you can literally eat yourself happy - I mean, it’s a dream come true, really! However, if you’re on the ultra processed food train and getting your fixes from vegetable oils, the likelihood is, your gut is actually making you miserable. 

Dopamine is the key hormone for motivation, so it is really important that you understand how to trigger your Dopamine release in a healthy and sustainable way. We all have different Dopamine baseline levels -  some people are luckier than others - the ‘other’s’ often have to work harder for their pleasure fix. If you’re a stay at home and potter, whilst you enjoy the company of you, yourself and a bit more you, the likelihood is, your Dopamine baseline level isn’t as high as Mr and Mrs Social Butterfly next door.  

Noradrenaline is the adrenaline in the brain and it supports our alertness and energy levels.  DT explains that if you feel tired ALL the time, even when you have slept well, this is an indicator that you may be low. 

Oxytocin is triggered by other people. When you surround yourself with people or animals that make you happy, your spark is ignited and your love hormone is released. 

Cortisol is not the Devil hormone and it’s actually the one that gets you out of bed in the morning, but if it is out of whack and spiking at the wrong times, like at night, it can really disrupt your mood.  If you lead a stressful life, the likelihood is, your Cortisol is spiking when you least need it to.  When this is happening, it’s important to chase after that Oxytocin boost, as the love hormone naturally blunts spiking cortisol.

• Look after your gut with nutrient dense fats and fermented foods to increase your production of Serotonin. 
• Reduce inflammation with herbs and spices such as: ginger; turmeric; cinnamon; parley; garlic; cayenne pepper and black pepper. 
• Eat fatty acids to balance your brain. Food like mackerel, salmon, herring, oysters, sardines, caviar, flax and chia seeds and walnuts are all amazing sources of omega 3. 
• Boost your gut bacteria with foods like: kombucha; kimchi; kefir; sauerkraut and live yoghurt.