What A Rush!

Runner's high, chocolate coma, afterglow...it's called so many different things. But what is it? What causes that delicious sensation after sex or eating chocolate? What makes you run that extra mile just when you thought you couldn't take another step? Is it something that comes from deep, down inside you? In a way, yes!

What it is is an endorphin rush and there is a physiological cause for it. Endorphins are small chains of amino acids that are produced in the pituitary gland and hypothalamus. They resemble opiates when they attach to the sedative receptors in our brains. Endorphins can do many things. They can help block out severe pain when there is too much stressing the system, they can help control cravings for addictive substances, and they can help control stress and frustration. Endorphins are the "rush" you feel when you skydive or race cars, they are with you on every roller coaster ride and in that scary movie that you love so much. They are the driving force behind bungee jumping.

So why am I telling you this? Because...certain foods can induce endorphins! So can exercise! See where I am going with this?? Being healthy isn't just good for you, it can be a RUSH! Do you know of someone who just can't go a day without running or going to the gym? How about a friend who is "addicted" to chocolate or spicy foods? There is a good reason behind this. You guessed it! Endorphins! There are at least 20 different endorphins made in the human body. The one that seems to be brought on by exercise is called Beta-Endorphin; that's the one we're going for here!

So, how do you get your body to increase the production of this wonderful polypeptide? Endorphins can be produced by:

*Meditation

*Sex

*Deep breathing

*Spicy food (hot peppers - the hotter they are, the more endorphins are produced)

*Acupuncture

*Chiropractic adjustment

*Chocolate (Dark chocolate...one of the many wonderful health benefits!)

*Laughter

*Massage

I could go on, but I think I would rather go for a run and then get some spicy food and dark chocolate!

Seriously, though...this is why when we are down in the dumps we tend to look for something chocolate, ladies! And yes, I have an ulterior motive here, too. If we want chocolate because of the endorphin rush...what else can we do to get that rush without going and eating a pound of chocolate? C'mon now, you know this...look at the list! We can meditate...we can laugh...we can get a massage...we can have sex! (yes, I left that one for last for the effect) So, when you are in need of an endorphin rush, you can exercise those blues away. You may not feel like doing it when you start out, but when you are done...what a RUSH! You will feel so much better about yourself than you will if you eat a whole chocolate bunny. Seriously...how many of us binge then beat ourselves up for it? There is a reason you are binging...it's a need for endorphins. The cure for that is to find those peppy polypeptides somewhere else. Now, I'm not saying you need to go out and bungee jump, but try taking a walk, going for a run, joining a yoga class...and if you still find after that that you need a little more of that euphoric feeling --THEN go have that piece of dark chocolate you wanted. All you will need by then is ONE!