During the height of the pandemic, the loneliness of people all around the world increased. As such, mental health problems increased as well. 

We saw many contributory factors, from the lockdowns to the effects of physically distancing ourselves from loved ones, social isolation, personal and financial loss, loss of loved ones, constant fear of catching the illness and much more. I got to thinking about this since May is Mental Health Awareness Month.

Exercise: Let’s first talk about exercising. This provides a boost of dopamine and other feel-good endorphins that reduce the sensation of pain, and makes you feel content and happy. Even though going to the gym can be physically stressful, research is clear that it helps reduce cortisol and epinephrine while invoking a lovely rush of endorphins. So, if you’re feeling stressed, do some exercise — even from home. There are many live streams today.

Meals: Your meals are critical. If you fill your body with foods that have very little nutritional density, you will not feel content. The use of artificial ingredients is rampant, making certain meals difficult to digest and hard on your liver, pancreas and entire colon. I’m not going to give you a specific meal plan or food list because I know you know what to eat and what not to eat. 

Serotonin: Serotonin is a feel-good neurotransmitter that people associate as an antidepressant made in the brain. But 90% is actually made in the intestinal tract, hence certain foods can make you feel good! A natural precursor to this hormone is 5-HTP. You probably know that, when serotonin breaks down, it makes you feel sleepy because it creates melatonin, the sleep hormone!

High homocysteine: If you have hyperhomocysteinemia, you’re more likely to have depression and anxiety. This is a compound that is measured via a blood sample. It is reduced by folate (5-MTHF) and B12, and sometimes some riboflavin. In other words, a good B Complex.

High Interleukin 8 (IL-8): The body sometimes makes too much of this cytokine, and it is often elevated in psychiatric illnesses such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder, dementia, anxiety and others. In addition to mental health disorders, IL-8 is associated with thyroid cancer, colitis, gingivitis, myeloma, breast/prostate cancer, migraines, rheumatoid arthritis, vitiligo and asthma. Some top ways to reduce IL-8 include black cumin seed oil, andrographis, grape seed extract, bromelain, resveratrol, cinnamon and vitamin E. 

In closing, I want to give honorable mention to magnesium. It’s in Epsom salts in case you like to take baths. This is an all-around good mineral that people recognize as calming. Leafy greens contain a lot of magnesium and, of course, you can supplement if you prefer. It helps with relaxation, tranquility and attention span. I have a longer version of this article posted at my website, suzycohen.com, in case you’d like to read it.