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Cognition
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Attention
On the other hand, when dopamine levels are abnormal, problems can result, ranging from Parkinson’s disease (when brain cells cannot effectively produce dopamine) to drug addiction and beyond. Dopamine is most popular for being associated with reward and pleasure, since it gets released during situations that invoke this response. This can include anything like a favourite hobby, exercise, shopping, drugs and sex. Often referred to as the “motivation molecule,” dopamine provides the drive and focus we need to be productive. It is heavily involved with attention span, focus, follow-through, motivation, and the ability to experience pleasure. Dopamine-dominant people are usually focused go-getters and a little intense. However, a lack of dopamine is associated with: •
Fatigue
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Apathy
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Lack of focus
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Forgetfulness
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Moodiness
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Difficulty concentrating
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Insomnia
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Sugar cravings
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Lower motivation
HOW TO BOOST DOPAMINE Unfortunately, many of the things that people do to boost their focus and energy end up backfiring. Nicotine, caffeine, and sugar-laden, fat-filled treats are all very effective at increasing dopamine levels. However, these things that provide a quick boost end up disrupting the natural dopamine production process resulting in decreased dopamine production in the long-term. So, what are safe, healthy, natural ways to boost your dopamine levels?
So, here are some more healthy ways to help boost dopamine levels in our body: Eat foods rich in tyrosine There are certain foods that will support and help your body release dopamine and these are tyrosine-rich food. This is why dopamine is made in the body from an amino acid known as tyrosine. Tyrosine gets converted into dopamine in the body by enzymes, and without enough tyrosine, dopamine levels will suffer. This amino acid is found in abundance in protein-rich foods, specifically: Turkey, chicken, beef, eggs, lamb, pork, seafood, pumpkin seeds, almonds, bananas and avocados. Research shows that boosting dietary intake of tyrosinerich foods can increase and normalise dopamine levels in the brain. When tyrosine sources are low, dopamine levels can plummet and even become depleted. Your body needs tyrosine. Exercise regularly As we know movement is so important for health and mood improvement and one of the reasons is that physical exercise plays a key role in brain health. It increases the production of new brain cells, slows down brain cell ageing and can also increase your levels of dopamine. Meditation The overall health benefits of meditation have been demonstrated through hundreds of research studies. Many of those have shown that meditation, quietening one’s soul can also increase dopamine leading to improved focus and concentration. Get a massage Now we are moving closer to our work. It has long been suggested that one way to keep dopamine levels high is to avoid stress, which is nearly impossible in this day and age. To counter the effects of stress, research has demonstrated that massage therapy increases dopamine levels by nearly 30% while decreasing cortisol (a stress hormone) levels. I know this to be true because when I have a massage, I experience a real decrease in my cortisol levels and actually my blood tests also show that my low haemoglobin count also improves by about 20% which is amazing. However, this only happens
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