Puzzles Can Improve Your Mood!

One of the brain benefits of puzzles is that they increase the production of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that regulates mood, memory, and concentration. Dopamine is released with every success as we solve the puzzle. No wonder puzzles are so much fun! Experts say: “If you’re doing a puzzle, you are, by definition, disconnected and engaged in a task that’s immersive, away from the interruptions and stresses of day-to-day life. And that, of course, is good for your brain.” Puzzles are a sort of meditation because you are focused on only that thing. They help you stay in the moment, which relieves stress.

In fact, during the pandemic many people are turning to puzzles to help cope. People now have more free time at home, and engaging in low key and grounding activities is perfect for maintaining a good mood. Not only does it distract you when you are feeling down, but it is a healthy outlet for anger and frustration. Funneling pent up energy into a task like solving a puzzle is a great way to direct your feelings and turn them into a positive outcome.

Stress relief from puzzles is also fantastic for brain health. The stress hormone in your body, cortisol, creates inflammation. Inflammation is essentially the root cause of all disease, and inflammation in the brain is thought to contribute to cognitive decline. Also, when you are stressed it is harder to think more clearly, so destressing from puzzles helps your brain in the moment as well, not just in the long term!

National Peanut Butter Day

Yesterday was National Peanut Butter Day! Peanut butter is an American favorite, and on average each person eats 3 pounds of peanut butter per year.

A serving of peanut butter (2 tablespoons) has 8 grams of protein, making it an excellent plant-based protein source. Peanut butter is low in carbs and high in fiber, meaning that it causes low rise in blood sugar and is a perfect option for people with type 2 diabetes. It has been found to be beneficial to heart health, colon cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, gallstones, and diabetes. Peanut butter is rich in antioxidants, including p-coumarin and resveratrol. Lab studies have indicated that these compounds may reduce arthritis, and lower risk of heart disease.

Peanut butter is also a superfood! Peanuts are a great source of antioxidants like manganese, vitamin E, and B vitamins. These compounds act to prevent and repair cell damage in your body, and this effect can reduce your risk of chronic diseases like cancer.

A powerful antioxidant found in peanut butter is coumaric acid — and research found that its activity is boosted by 22% if you roast peanuts before whipping them into a butter. One of the main fats in peanut butter is oleic acid. When substituted for other fats in your diet, oleic acid is shown to help maintain good cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure. Managing these levels in your body can lower the risk of heart disease. The high amounts of phosphorus and copper found in peanuts can support bone health and may help prevent osteoporosis.

Depending on how people use peanut butter in their diet, it can help them lose weight, or put on pounds during weight training or bodybuilding. However, peanut butter is high in calories and fat, so people should enjoy it in moderation. A standard portion of peanut butter is about two tablespoons, which has 207 calories, 9 grams of protein, 18 grams of fat, and 3 grams of fiber.

Be mindful of ingredients – often food producers add sugar and oil to peanut butter, which reduces nutritional benefits to the point where it may no longer be considered a health food. Instead, look for peanut butter that is just plain pure roasted peanuts that have been ground into a paste, organic is even better.

At Private Home Health Care, we love peanut butter! Happy National Peanut Butter Day!

Your Brain on Compliments

To the brain, receiving a compliment is as much a social reward as being rewarded money. There is scientific proof that a person performs better when they receive a social reward such as a compliment after completing an exercise. Complimenting someone could become an easy and effective strategy to use in the classroom and during rehabilitation.

The researchers had previously discovered that the same area of the brain affected in this study, the striatum, is activated when a person is rewarded a compliment or cash. Researchers in Japan have found a scientific explanation. According to their study, compliments activate the same region of the brain, the striatum, as cash does, and both encourage people to perform better.

Health Benefits of Compliments

Giving and receiving a compliment is healthy. A well-chosen compliment has all kinds of health benefits. A compliment is an effective way to achieve two fundamental needs: self-esteem and connection with others.

A compliment enhances someone’s happiness and self-image and gives a compliment to the production of dopamine in the brain, which gives you a blissful, positive feeling. Compliments can be considered small gifts for your mental health. And not only that: from Japanese research it appears that a compliment also improves performance at work and social interaction.

The giver also benefits, provided the compliment comes across well. Doing something for someone else makes sure that more of the cuddle hormone oxytocin and the happiness hormone serotonin is released.

Compliments are a form of gratitude. A healthy compliment is therefore about the connection you make with yourself and with each other. You show what you find important in each other and that you accept each other, which is why a compliment is a form of gratitude.

Now during COVID is it even more important than ever to be socially connected. With social distancing, that can be difficult. A good start is to take small steps and make a goal of giving 2 compliments a day. And don’t forget to compliment yourself!

National Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day

It is National Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day!

In 1957, Two engineers, Marc Chavannes and Alfred Fielding, created the first bubble wrap, first trying to sell it as wallpaper and later marketing it as greenhouse insulation. The rest is history.

Though it is meant to be used as padding for shipping items, bubble wrap has a cult following for another reason. It is fun to pop! And, it has been proven to help with focus and be a great stress reliever. There is something irresistible about popping bubble wrap. Some experts believe it’s similar to the need to fidget. Do you click a pen or bounce your leg while you’re listening? While some people think fidgeting is distracting, it’s actually been shown to increase attention span. It also helps with the retention of information. Similarly, a study revealed that people report feeling more alert after popping bubble wrap.

On this Monday morning, Private Home Health Care encourages you to sharpen your focus and pop bubble wrap!

National Hot Sauce Day

Today is National Hot Sauce Day! It is a spicy and delicious condiment, but did you know that there are great health benefits for your gut and digestive health?

Your taste buds and your gut may be more connected than you think. When you bite into a pepper, the capsaicin attaches to a receptor that communicates with other cells. That communication causes a nerve on your tongue to immediately tell your brain that it’s hot.

That same receptor is found in your digestive tract. When capsaicin enters your digestive tract and attaches to the receptor, it creates a chemical called anandamide. Anandamide has been shown to lead to less inflammation in the gut, which can be caused by conditions such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.

Also, this very reaction that calms down your gastrointestinal tract may also help prevent cancer and keep it tumor-free. Private Home Health Care encourages you to add some hot sauce to your food today in honor of your health!