Hello,

​Hope you are having a great week! ​I have important move updates for you:

1. I will begin seeing clients at the new location (Plaza Towers, Suite #408) on Monday, October 28th. This is on the 4th floor. 

​2. The week of October 21st is my final week in Chesterfield Village (Dearborn Office Building, Suite #E202).

3. The phone may be down during parts of the day on Thursday, October 24th due to the installation/transfer of the phone line. I apologize for any inconvenience this causes. If you are trying to reach me and are having difficulty, please email me (holly@moxiepsychologylegacy.com). 

Here's the Full New Address:
MoxiePsychology Legacy
1736 E Sunshine St, Suite 408
Springfield, MO 65804

I know there have been a lot of move updates lately on the blog and not as much psychological content. So, for you Lega-Leaders (Relationship Legacy Leaders) out there who closely follow the blog, I listened to a fascinating podcast recently that I want to share with you (1). This one is a little "off the beaten path" you could say of strict psychological knowledge; it covers the intersection of the mind and body.

One of my beliefs as a therapist is that the mind and body are deeply connected. I believe that what we eat affects our mental health (and our relationship health too). For example, how is a child who didn't eat breakfast supposed to be able to concentrate, be in a good mood, socialize with others, and be ready to learn? How might a child's intellectual and social functioning be different if he or she doesn't eat breakfast every single day in comparison to a child who does? How might a child's mood and functioning be if he or she consumes healthy protein and healthy fat for breakfast in the morning in comparison to a child who only eats something highly sugary? You could even substitute "child" here for "adult!"

Besides... For me personally, I know I get cranky if I don't eat... Raise your hand if you can relate! My concentration and patience is much less when my blood sugar is low. I can definitely tell how my mood and functioning changes throughout the day when my blood sugar is level versus dropping (or very low). That is why I make it a habit to eat when I'm slightly to somewhat hungry instead of ravenous and hangry. This way I'm not having to bounce back mentally and physically from such an extreme low, and my mood isn't on a roller coaster ride. You will just need to experiment for yourself to see what strategy gives you mental peak performance and the most mood stability. 

​So, today I want to share with you a podcast that explores the current research (that is being done as we speak), on the topic of preventing Alzheimer's (2). If you are a Lega-Leader who thinks about the physical, mental, and relationship health of the people you lead, then you are going to love this episode of Gastropod:

Hope you enjoyed the podcast! I know I definitely came away with some helpful ideas about which foods protect and which foods hurt the brain (you know me and how I love concrete ideas on things we can do right now). With that in mind, I have been planning how I can reduce my sugar intake, increase my omega-3 fatty acids, increase my consumption of fish, and increase my greens.

My sweet tooth is off the charts sometimes, so some of the changes will be hard for me, but I'm going to see where I can here and there cut down on sugar. Today I bought a coffee creamer that has 1 gram of sugar per tablespoon, instead of 4 grams per tablespoon that is in the creamer I usually get (no wonder I liked it so much). Added sugar adds up fast, but I do believe that taking it out in little ways can really add up over the months and years. I drink coffee on most days, so I think that changing my creamer could really help over the long run. 

​The researchers in the podcast mentioned that if you have a genetic risk for Alzheimer's you may not be able to prevent it entirely, but if you can prevent it's onset for a few years (or more), that would make a pretty tremendous difference. I think so too. Additionally, setting a good example for the kids in your life and helping them form good health habits provides protective benefits beyond just yourself.  

​Thanks for joining me today! Have a great weekend!

All the best,
​Holly 
​
PS Can I send you an email about once a week? The email will have a link to my latest blog post in case there is a topic you are interested in. As the business grows and I add more products and services, I will mention in the email what has been added.

References and Links
(1)https://moxiepsychologylegacy.com/blog/5-easy-ways-to-start-being-a-relationship-legacy-leader-right-now
​(2)https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/gastropod/e/59353191

Found this blog helpful? Other posts you might enjoy:

• Great Resource Alert! Ever Wanted To Understand Your Brain's Happy Chemicals Better?
• Say it Second
• Forever Homework For Couples
• Great Podcast Resource For Relationship Legacy Leaders In The Workplace
• The Deeper Meaning Behind The Name MoxiePsychology Legacy

Photo by jesse orrico on Unsplash

Hello Lega-Leaders (Relationship Legacy Leaders)! I have a great resource to share with you today that I think you will love.

As I was working out at my house yesterday morning doing some weight training and yoga stretches, I was listening to the Happy Brain Podcast (1) on my Stitcher app and I realized I really need to pass on this excellent resource to the Lega-Leaders out there. I've been listening to this podcast for a while now and I have found it immensely insightful.

But first... Do you ever wonder why you emotionally feel so low sometimes and why happy emotions don't seem to last long enough? Are you curious about some of the neural superhighways in your own brain that lead you to unhealthy ways of relieving stress and cortisol (such as food, drugs, alcohol, video games, spending money, etc.)? Do you wonder how you can change your habits using research on the brain? Is understanding what causes mood changes intriguing to you? I think that Dr. Loretta Graziano Breuning's work with the Inner Mammal Institute provides some helpful insights to these questions and greatly deepens our understanding of our "happy chemicals" as she calls them (2). 

Dr. Loretta Graziano Breuning describes the brain and brain chemicals in easy to understand language. She also has videos to help you visualize what she is talking about. Not a brain research scientist? No problem. She strives to explain the brain in easy to understand ways that help you apply the knowledge to your every day life.

So... I nerd out and always get excited about real life psychological application because  this is the stuff that really helps people and changes lives. That is part of the reason why I'm so excited to share this resource with you!

Below are some helpful videos Dr. Graziano Breuning has done so you can start to get an idea of her work if you are not already familiar with it. To access her whole video series on her website, click here (3). 

Video explaining the different happy chemicals (dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins (4):

Feel worried or stressed? That is cortisol. Learn more about it here (5):

Notice how your mood changes? A video on that topic (6):

How Lega-Leaders can use this resource (Holly's application thoughts and ideas here):

1. Apply this this work to yourself. This is a wonderful place to begin! When you understand your own brain, you can experience compassion for your personal mood changes and also a deeper sense of empathy for the mood changes of others. 

2. Use this resource as one guide to help yourself develop healthier habits. Dr. Graziano Breuning says it takes 45 days of consistent daily practice to put a new healthy habit in place since you are strengthening a weak (or maybe non-existent) trail of synapses in your brain. 

3. Teach your kids about different brain chemicals, and give them ideas for healthy ways of coping. If your kids are old enough, you might even show them the above videos! Explain that it's normal that we all have fluctuations in our brain chemicals and that life can feel stressful and quite painful sometimes. It's a normal part of everyone's life (there is no need to feel bad, inadequate, or lacking). It's all about developing lifelong healthy habits and healthy relationships that is important here (and what is in our control).

4. Realize that as a leader of kids in whatever environment that might be (as a parent, school teacher, child care worker, administrator, family member, political leader, community leader, church leader, etc.), you are helping to lay down their understanding of the world and specifically, their neural pathways. You might think about the messages you are teaching kids about how to interpret the world. Do the messages promote mental health, strong relationships, and emotional maturity?

We all have room for improvement (I'm including myself here), and we never stop growing and changing. Where do you think you might shift your messaging a little bit? Or, maybe you have some healthy ways of viewing the world, but just have not shared it with others. Share it! 

5. Talk with other Lega-Leaders like you who might be up for an engaging discussion on the topic. Share these resources with other people (if appropriate and it's wanted).

6. Have fun! Enjoy learning and growing and be proud of yourself for taking steps to take care of your mental health. I am proud of you Lega-Leaders. It takes guts to be brave and to be open to growing.
​
And finally, thank you Dr. Loretta Graziano Breuning for your contribution to the well-being of society! If you liked this post, please visit her website here (7), check out her podcast (8), or read one of her many books (9). I have started to read Habits of a Happy Brain and I have really been enjoying it (10). 

Thank you for being here with me today, and I hope you have a great Labor Day weekend! If this post was helpful, please hit the Facebook Like button below or share the blog on Twitter or Facebook. Talk to you next week!

All the best,
​Holly 
​
PS Can I send you an email about once a week? The email will have a link to my latest blog post in case there is a topic you are interested in. As the business grows and I add more products and services, I will mention in the email what has been added.

References and Links
(1) ​https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/happy-brain-podcast
(2) ​https://innermammalinstitute.org/
(3) ​https://innermammalinstitute.org/happypower/
​(4) ​https://youtu.be/z-79WwFMiO0
(5) ​https://youtu.be/pnB9L1wGp1M
(6) ​https://youtu.be/yCgCwe_A4pc
(7) https://innermammalinstitute.org/
(8) ​https://innermammalinstitute.org/podcast/
(9) https://innermammalinstitute.org/books/
​(10)https://innermammalinstitute.org/books/habits-of-a-happy-brain-serotonin-dopamine-oxytocin-endorphin/