You CAN find happiness at the bottom of a bottle! ACTUAL PROOF!

best mood enhancing beverages
best mood enhancing beverages

I was told that you cannot “drink” you sorrows away.
I heard it was a bad idea to look for comfort at the bottom of a bottle.
Turns out I was, in fact, looking for love in all the RIGHT places . . . . so to speak.
Where can I find such elixers you ask?
Good question!
Whether you are looking for something to pick you up first thing in the morning or recharge your midday work batteries, Men’s Health UK has got you covered
 

Best Daily Mood Boosting Drinks

 

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8am: Early mood riser

Cranberry smoothie

“Low glucose slows brain function,” says nutritionist Angela Walker. Cranberries are packed with glucose and contain manganese to stabilise blood sugar. Blend a cranberry juice with yoghurt and pumpkin seeds.
Cost Ingredients approx £2.50

10am: Mid-morning energiser

Beetroot juice

Commuting might take the edge off your cheer. Move to the beet to revive it. “Nitrate in beetroot widens blood vessels, boosting oxygen uptake and giving you more energy,” says Walker.
Cost Beet It, £1.65 for 250ml

1pm: Lunchtime booster

Supergreens

“Poor food digestion allows toxins to reach your brain, affecting mood,” says Walker. The probiotics in supergreens counter these toxins. Mix them with tomato juice – which is rich in folic acid and aids mental wellbeing for a double boost.
Cost ProGreens, £22 for 15 sachets

3pm: Afternoon kickstart

Energy powder

The mid-afternoon energy slump can dampen your outlook. So quaff a sachet of Nature’s Plus Potent-C mixed with water. It contains B vitamins and the chemical CoQ10 – both of which bolster energy levels. Add an iron-rich snack like dried apricots to aid absorption.
Cost Potent-C, 65p per sachet

7pm: Mental massage

Coconut water

Post-gym dehydration can wreak havoc on your mental state, undoing the effects of your Potent-C pick up. “Coconut water hydrates you fast because its electrolyte balance is similar to body fluid, so is highly absorbable,” says Walker. Down a cup now for an evening of high spirits.
Cost Vita Coco, £4.18 fro 1 ltr

11pm: Happy night cap

Blackcurrant cordial

“Blackcurrants are rich in zinc, which boosts dopamine levels and regulate your mood,” says Hill. They also contain sleep-inducing magnesium. Drink it hot: research has found warm drinks improve outlook by 11%.
Cost Cordial, £4.30 for 50cl

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Have I missed any???

What are some of you favorite mood boosting drinks that ACTUALLY WORK?

Leave your favorites in the comments.

 
 

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You're NOT Just Having A Bad Day: Warning signs that you may be depressed

You keep telling yourself that you are just in a slump…
Signs for women that they are depressedBut those slumps seem to be lasting longer and coming on more frequently.
Do you just continue and  tell yourself all is well?
Do you think you will eventually just bounce back on your own?
Or is something greater going on that should warrant a more in depth look inside of you?
Many people can go through mild depression without ever even knowing about it.  But this is something I hope you will not take to lightly.
I hope you do not have any of these symptoms as described by HELP GUIDE.  In a perfect world this would just be another short “down period” and you will be back to normal in no time.
But only you can make this very distinction!
Please take the time to really think about these symptoms and causes and consider seeking out another (possibly professional) opinion.

Warning Signs Of Depression

[quote style=”boxed”]Are you depressed?[/quote]

[quote style=”boxed”]If you identify with several of the following signs and symptoms, and they just won’t go away, you may be suffering from clinical depression.

  • you can’t sleep or you sleep too much
  • you can’t concentrate or find that previously easy tasks are now difficult
  • you feel hopeless and helpless
  • you can’t control your negative thoughts, no matter how much you try
  • you have lost your appetite or you can’t stop eating
  • you are much more irritable, short-tempered, or aggressive than usual
  • you’re consuming more alcohol than normal or engaging in other reckless behavior
  • you have thoughts that life is not worth living (Seek help immediately if this is the case)

Signs and symptoms of depression

Depression varies from person to person, but there are some common signs and symptoms. It’s important to remember that these symptoms can be part of life’s normal lows. But the more symptoms you have, the stronger they are, and the longer they’ve lasted—the more likely it is that you’re dealing with depression. When these symptoms are overwhelming and disabling, that’s when it’s time to seek help.

Common signs and symptoms of depression

  • Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. A bleak outlook—nothing will ever get better and there’s nothing you can do to improve your situation.
  • Loss of interest in daily activities. No interest in former hobbies, pastimes, social activities, or sex. You’ve lost your ability to feel joy and pleasure.
  • Appetite or weight changes. Significant weight loss or weight gain—a change of more than 5% of body weight in a month.
  • Sleep changes. Either insomnia, especially waking in the early hours of the morning, or oversleeping (also known as hypersomnia).
  • Anger or irritability. Feeling agitated, restless, or even violent. Your tolerance level is low, your temper short, and everything and everyone gets on your nerves.
  • Loss of energy. Feeling fatigued, sluggish, and physically drained. Your whole body may feel heavy, and even small tasks are exhausting or take longer to complete.
  • Self-loathing. Strong feelings of worthlessness or guilt. You harshly criticize yourself for perceived faults and mistakes.
  • Reckless behavior. You engage in escapist behavior such as substance abuse, compulsive gambling, reckless driving, or dangerous sports.
  • Concentration problems. Trouble focusing, making decisions, or remembering things.
  • Unexplained aches and pains. An increase in physical complaints such as headaches, back pain, aching muscles, and stomach pain.[/quote]

 
If you feel like you fall into ANY of these categories or you have maybe even the slightest doubt – You NEED to watch this video to start your process of recovering from what could be depression.
 

The 3 Simple Truths About Depression

[jwplayer file=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJsXEFY17Mc&feature=youtube_gdata_player’]

Whatever it is you may be going through, please understand that you do not have to go through it alone.

If you think you have no one… YOU HAVE ME!

If at anytime you just want to talk you can contact me at anytime through the form below.

I answer all of my emails and all comments personally.  Just specify you would like to chat privately and I will PERSONALLY CONTACT YOU!

[box type=”tick” size=”large” style=”rounded”]MY PROMISE:You will never have to go through anything alone again.[/box]

Recommended reading

Walk in the Park Helps Cure Depression
A research conducted in USA and Canada concludes that people suffering from depression should take regular walks in the park. It makes them feel better and works wonders in curing depression. “Our study showed that participants with clinical depression …
www.counselheal.com

The healing power of music
Clinical studies now show that music can be used as a therapy in treating depression, schizophrenia, autism, dementia, and as well, substance abuse. Creating or listening to music can alleviate some negative symptoms of mental illness and ease pain.
blog.chron.com

Depression Symptoms Checklist For Those Who Suspect They Have …
While taking anti depressants like Zoloft may suppress the symptoms of depression (while creating all kinds of side effects like weight gain, anxiety, loss of sleep, etc.), it does not heal the cause of depression. After all, you’re …
http://www.nbtowin.com/

Fast Solutions Of Depression Recovery | what is crm
If you can recognize the symptoms of depression and admit to yourself that you.
http://www.whatiscrm.us/

Quote of the Day – Strength

motivational quotes by Oprah Winfrey on strength
 
 
[quote]Where there is no struggle,  there is no strength” ~ Oprah Winfrey[/quote]
 
Much like going to the gym.
You understand that a certain amount of struggle is necessary if you want to see growth.
This can be applied to anything in your life.
If you want a better job you may have to struggle through more schooling.
If you want a baby you will DEFINITELY have to struggle through childbirth!
If you want to start your own business you will have many many struggles along to way that just go with doing something BOLD
If you want to climb MT. Everest….. well your just freakin nuts!
Anything you can get easily … may not be worth getting!

How To Be Unstopable: Hard Knocks Guide To Overcoming Failure

Wouldn’t it be nice if you never failed at ANYHING?
What if it seemed like you had “The Midas Touch”  ALL THE TIME?how to be unstoppable and overcome failures
You ever known someone that seemed like everything they touched turned to gold?
Did you stop and ask yourself  “How are they doing this?”
What it is that these people posses that seems to keep them on top while the rest of the world is on a constant down-slide?
There really are not that much different from you.
The only difference is they learned how to become the master at overcoming all failures.
Once you learn how to achieve this with a few simple steps, you will find that these so called “failures” seem to happen less and less.
You will start to discover that what you used to refer to as a major setback now becomes the stepping stone to your new found success.
You can start to easily turn your disappointments into life changing pivotal moments that you look back on and praise the moment they happened to you just like Jennifer Gresham.

How To Be Unstoppable and Overcome Failure

[quote]So here’s everything I’ve learned, from my own experiences and others, about overcoming the emotional toll of defeat, and more importantly, how to keep on living well in spite of it.

1. Take time for reflection

Once the sting of a traumatic event begins to lessen, it’s a great time to take stock of your motivations.  After our second loss, when I wasn’t sure if I could continue with the intensity and madness that comes with fertility treatment, we asked ourselves why we wanted another child.
Was it because we worried our daughter would be damaged in some way without a sibling?  Were we trying to please our families?  Or was it simply that we thought another child would fill our lives with more joy?
The answer is important but it wasn’t obvious.  We spent a lot of time talking and imagining how our lives would change whether we had another child or didn’t.
How this applies to you: Sometimes our disappointment is driven by a fear of change that isn’t real.  We wrap our self-worth around awards and promotions that aren’t meaningful (or if they are, it makes that self reflection even more valuable).  Whether it’s therapy or just discussing things with a friend, get clear on why you wanted what you did.  You might find that your disappointment is an opportunity to change course towards a more positive direction.

2. Don’t give up too soon

Once you know why you’re fighting for a dream, it’s a lot easier to keep going.    I don’t care to admit how many times I confided to friends, ”this is our last try,”  and then changed my mind after finding it impossible to put our daughter’s crib up on Craigslist.
Brooke Shields attempted in vitro fertilization seven times before she finally had her baby Rowan.  John Grisham’s story A Time to Kill was rejected 28 times before it found a publisher.
How this applies to you: There’s no magic number of times you try something before it either works or you concede to quit with honor.  There are no guarantees your persistence will pay.  You just have to be able to look at yourself in the mirror and believe, “I gave it everything I had.”

3.  Find a way to laugh

Most people won’t do this.  They’ll blow it off as silly, but it’s really powerful.  Laughter releases “feel good” chemicals such as serotonin into the body, relieving tension and providing a momentary escape from the emotions that plague you.
It’s also a heck of a lot more fun than crying.
When I am feeling really depressed by my inability to conceive, I watch these hilariously poignant videos called “Birds and Bees Can’t Always Make Babies.”  (Warning: there are a ton of inside jokes in those videos. It’s not my fault if you don’t find them funny too, but hey, good for you.  That means you’re not infertile.)
How this applies to you: I’m convinced you can find a funny video on almost any topic on You Tube.  If that doesn’t work, nothing cures the job blues better than your favorite comedy, a bowl of ice cream, and a great big belly laugh.  Just do it.

4. Don’t dwell in your disasters

Infertility treatment can be all consuming.  You can’t use exercise or travel as a distraction.  You look like a junkie from all the blood draws, injections, and acupuncture sticks.  And then you have to make up excuses as to why you  have a doctor’s appointment every other day for weeks.  For a whole year, many of my co-workers thought I was battling cancer.
After all that, I have to tell you, a negative result (or worse, a loss) was devastating.  And each successive failure was worse than the last.
Some days, it is hard to get up in the morning and care about much of anything outside my uterus.
Then I remind myself that I won the lottery once.  Who am I to complain I can’t win a second time?
How this applies to you: During times like these, gratitude only comes with practice.   Focus on what’s going right in your life; make a list of all the “lucky breaks” you’re probably taking for granted.  Then allow yourself to enjoy them.  You don’t have to pay homage to what could have been by being miserable.  Pay your respects by acknowledging that what you have is enough.

5. Grieve

A dream has died.
One of the big myths about grief is that it’s something you just “get over.”   In fact, though you never stop grieving, you do learn to live with it.  The problem is, you can’t get there logically.  You have to follow the soggy breadcrumbs of your emotions and hope they take you home.
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Try just taking one step at a time.  When you want to get over a failure see if you can pick just one step that may apply the most to you at the time and begin to take immediate action.
It IS this easy!
[box type=”tick” size=”large” style=”rounded”]Share how your failures have become your biggest success story in the comments below.  Best COMEBACK story will get a free copy of my book “The Power Of Habit – Charles Duhigg Essentials”[/box]

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