In one of our Sunday afternoon chats – he is living in London – my 29-year son shared with me how he is changing his habits because he has come across what is known as the dopamine reset. It is when you start looking at and changing the auto-pilot habits such as devices, scrolling, junk food, alcohol consumption, Netflixing, etc.
In response to Louise’s post on Time Confetti: How our attention gets shredded, I would like to share that the responses she has given are what my son is busy exploring. It has also opened my eyes to some of my auto-pilot habits and there is gold in the suggestions she offers.
My passion is creating a wholesome lifestyle through food and healthy habits and so I am adding these aspects to the conversation:
- Eat foods which contain tyrosine as this amino acid is necessary for dopamine production. Examples are meat, cheese, and fish for the carnivores and soybeans, nuts, and sesame seeds for the plantivores. Also include antioxidant-rich foods such as fruits and vegetables as they protect dopamine producing neurons from damage.
- Go for a 20 minute walk and be out in the sunshine and fresh air. It boosts the mood and gives the mind a healthy distraction. Its also a great way to increase energy levels in addition to breaking the sedentary habit of being constantly online.
- Create a relaxing bedtime routine as this prepares the body and mind for ‘now it’s time for sleep’ part of the day.
Become a happier you by busting through the old, outdated habits and become clear and present to the gift of the precious life you have in each breath.
There is absolutely nothing better than being on a natural high 🙂
Thanks for continuing the conversation and for the healthy eating tips, since I love all the foods you mention, it shouldn’t be difficult to add a few more each day.
Yiayy!
Another foodie 🙂