ENDORPHIN – the chocoholic effect of exercise in your body

Lets start with the word ENDORPHIN and what does it translate into physicality?
ENDORPHIN – is a neurotransmitter acting like a hormone released from your brain which blocks the P substance that indicates sense of pain to the brain thus acting as natural pain killer. But more importantly what it stimulates in the body is a ‘feel good factor’ or happiness or mood regulation also seen as a relief in mental illness like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and types of depression. There is a red alert to this though too much of it is not healthy.
So how does this endorphin get triggered in the body to be released by our brain? And how long does its effect last?

Endorphin release can be stimulated by various factors such as adequate exercise, eating foods that release endorphin in restricted quantity like chocolate, walnuts, cocoa products, herbs. The safest way is to get your workout shoes on and get going for anywhere between 20 – 45 min daily for not more than 6 days a week. Remember your body is not a robot that’s on autopilot it needs rest for a good 24 hour break from exercise. The effect of endorphin released by exercise can last for at least 18 hours post workout if done regularly in a periodic manner. What our body and brain requires is the effect of exercise not to be confused with the daily routine exertion that we put ourselves through. I have been asked this question almost every time I recommend or prescribe a fitness regime ‘ I HAVE A VERY ACTIVE LIFE AS I MY WORK INCLUDES A LOT OF PHYSICAL RUNNING AROUND SO WHY DON’T I LOOSE EXTRA POUNDS OR FEEL ENERGISED AT THE END OF THE DAY?’. Let me put this as simply as possible, energy and endorphin release to effect our mood regulation and body functions around almost 18 hours a day need a trigger of 45 minute workout. Anything beyond that mark will be addressed by the body as exertion and not effective utilization of the built up energy. Exertion leaves our body in a state of fatigue and there’s no ‘feel good factor’ about that. I will be addressing the topic of fatigue later on.
Endorphin has also been seen to affect the sexual drive, memory, learning and body temperature. So now that we know we can last our manually triggered mood regulator for at least 18 hours what do we eat to trigger it?

A little piece of dark chocolate a day has also the effect on endorphin release, similarly resvetrol in red wine after consuming 60 ml or 2 fl oz a day can benefit in endorphin release, aromas in food with infused herbs like rosemary, oregano, sage, thyme etc and spices have also shown some effect in release of the neurotransmitter. I always go for something that’s natural and controllable and that for sure is exercise regime. That’s my endorphin boost for the day.

Wish you wellness.

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