You know about Vitamin A, Vitamin B,
Vitamin C, and Vitamin D. I’m sure you do your best to eat a balanced diet of
all nutrients. But have you taken your daily dose of Vitamin J and Vitamin P?
“What?” you
may say. “Vitamin J and Vitamin P aren’t in my multivitamin, and my doctor
never told me about them!”
The reason that you haven’t heard of
them is because I made them up. Vitamin J stands for Joy, and Vitamin P stands
for Peace.
In my work with older adults, I’ve
noticed that these two key “vitamins” tip the balance for wellness in mind and
body. Here’s what you need to know, and how to get your daily dose.
The Daily DOSE
I first learned about “The Daily DOSE” from Chris and Dudley Tower of Dynamic Living Institute. They taught me that to age well we must continually replenish our supply of four key hormones and neurotransmitters.
These are:
D = Dopamine
O = Oxytocin
S = Serotonin
E = Endorphins
Dopamine and serotonin naturally
decline with age. First, we’ll go over what these brain chemicals and hormones
do for you, and how we can boost our production. Then I’ll show you how to make
it really simple to get Vitamin J and Vitamin P every day.
Dopamine
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is
triggered by pleasure and reward. When our dopamine levels are optimal, we feel
mentally alert and motivated.
Positive ways to release dopamine
include setting and achieving goals, exercise, choosing a balanced diet, and
meditation. We release dopamine when we check off a task on our to-do list.
Negative ways to release dopamine include excessive eating, drinking, shopping,
and gambling.
The best way to produce and release
dopamine is to create a sense of meaningful purpose. At earlier stages of life,
our daily activities provided plenty of opportunities to set and achieve goals –
at work, raising a family, and making a home.
Our goals and purpose were often
external. They were handed to us by the need to make a living and do what was
necessary.
In later stages of life, we must
identify our inner purpose. For many of us, it’s the first time we’ve had the
freedom to do so, and it can feel overwhelming.
It can be challenging to feel
motivated if we don’t need to work anymore and aren’t connected to volunteering
or family activities where we feel needed. Dopamine is what gets us out of bed
and into the world each day.
To develop your sense of purpose,
build on success. Find what you’re good at and do more of it! If you know that
you’re good with kids, arrange your schedule to spend time helping them. If you
know you’re great at taking care of animals, volunteer with a shelter or serve
as a foster home.
Celebrate what you do well. Celebrate
your small wins. Set a small goal that you know you can achieve and do it. Then
set a slightly bigger one – and do that.
Here’s a list of 10 more
natural ways to increase dopamine.
Oxytocin
Oxytocin is sometimes called the “love
drug” or “love hormone.” And yes, it is released through touch. We make
oxytocin when we snuggle with a human or animal, or even when we touch
ourselves.
It doesn’t need to be sexual or
sensual touch. You can take a little extra time putting lotion on your body or
massage your own feet!
As you age, you may notice fewer
opportunities for touch. You may live alone or far away from family. The good
news is that oxytocin is also released when we look into someone’s eyes, and
when we feel compassion and empathy for others. We can feel compassion anytime,
even in our minds, by simply thinking of loved ones.
To increase your daily dose of
oxytocin, give more hugs to others, yourself, and animals. Love and nurture
your body. Even if you are not a “touchy” person, take a few extra seconds to
make eye contact and smile at others.
Serotonin
Serotonin is powerful and complex. It
regulates mood, appetite, metabolism, and bone formation. If you have gone
through a crisis or depression, you may have been prescribed a medicine to
regulate how your body uses serotonin.
One of the best ways to help your body
regulate serotonin is to “go with your gut.” I mean this literally and
figuratively.
90% of the body’s serotonin is produced in your intestines. Ensuring that you have healthy digestion involves choosing whole foods, consuming probiotics, and reducing stress. Check out this video about serotonin, probiotics, and gut health.
Endorphins
Endorphins are released when we
exercise or feel physically invigorated. The phrase “runner’s high” refers to
the feel-good sensations of endorphins. They provide natural pain relief.
I have a colleague who went through an
excruciating injury that still causes him a lot of pain. His daily exercise
allows him to manage the pain without drugs.
Aging does have its share of aches and
pains. It may be harder to get the same intense exercise of the past, as we
must exercise around injuries or arthritis. As Margaret always encourages on Sixty and Me, find what you CAN do, such
as yoga or water aerobics, to get those endorphins.
Get Your DOSE of Vitamin J and
Vitamin P
Now that you know the basics of DOSE,
let’s make it really simple.
First, good food, sleep, and exercise
go a long way to healthy balances of these neurotransmitters and hormones. If
you like choosing whole foods and healthy lifestyle habits, it makes it easier
to get your DOSE and age well.
Second, there are some things that are
proven to help you balance your daily DOSE. These are:
- Meditation
- Music
- Laughter
- Snuggling
- Giving
to others through service, gifts, or time - Feeling
love and empathy - Celebrating
small wins - Aromatherapy
(or just enjoying good smells!) - Flowers
- Being
in nature
Here are 10 More Ways to Boost
Good Feelings
from Psychology Today.
Finally, and most importantly, do what brings you joy and peace! It doesn’t matter what other people do. I love to hike in the woods, but not everyone loves being in the woods with bugs and dirt.
I don’t like gardening, but other
people love it. I feel peaceful being by myself at home for long stretches of
time, but I have friends that need to socialize often to feel good.
You get
your daily DOSE of Vitamin J and Vitamin P when you do what makes you feel
joyful and peaceful.
It’s important to cultivate activities
that are physical and non-physical. I love walking outside. It gives me joy.
Recently I had a foot injury, and on some days I could not walk at all. I
missed it, and I missed my dose of Vitamin J.
Even if we do everything possible to
stay physically healthy as we age, we will have some inevitable obstacles to
physical activity. So, cultivate non-physical activities as well, such as
reading, movies, meditation, singing, or listening to music.
Take Action
- Make a list of 10 things that bring you
joy and peace. Include both physical and non-physical activities. - Post the list somewhere visible.
- Do 1 thing every day!
Let’s Have a Conversation:
What brings you joy and peace? How do you get your daily DOSE of Vitamin J and Vitamin P? What favorite activities could you do more of? Please share in the comments below.
