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In a Good Mood? So is Your Metabolism!

These two seemingly disparate things are connected in surprising ways.

Good Mood, Better Metabolism

A fast metabolism, a happy outlook-these are two things we can all agree are worth chasing. And now, scientists are realizing that going after one may naturally deliver both.

What we know for sure: The key to this connection is the hunger hormone leptin, which tells your brain that you feel full. Leptin impacts not only your food intake but your mood as well. This is partly because of the hormone’s relationship with dopamine, a neurotransmitter that controls happiness and motivation. Generally, when leptin levels dip, that’s when the release of dopamine increases. That’s when mood starts to rise.

Exercise early! Working out, especially running and cycling, causes your leptin levels to fall, triggering a surge of dopamine. When leptin declines, it sends a signal to your body that you need to eat. That stimulates dopamine production, which in turn increases your motivation to exercise longer. To take full advantage of this effect, hit the road or the gym in the morning, before breakfast. Since you haven’t eaten for hours, your leptin levels will already be low, and you’ll be able to go longer, which may rev your metabolism even more.

Check your iron levels. If you’re deficient in this mineral, you’ll be less likely to score the perks of the leptin-dopamine response. People with the lowest amounts of iron had 3.2 times higher leptin levels than others. This could even lead to leptin resistance, which occurs when leptin levels remain too high for too long; the hormone stops affecting your brain, contributing to weight gain and moodiness. Aim for about 18 mg of iron a day.

Find your funny. Your body responds to laughter the same way it does to a short bout of moderate exercise. Research has found that peoples leptin levels decreased after watching a comedy film. Genuine laughter increases your metabolism by up to 20 percent, and there’s plenty of evidence that it makes you happier. The trick is to laugh every day. (Did you know there’s such a thing as laugh yoga!?)

Sleep deeper. It’s no secret that a lack of sleep makes you cranky, but losing just two hours of sleep for three days can also cause your metabolism to grind to a halt. Sleep deprivation increases your cravings for junk food. It’s a cycle, you don’t sleep well, so you’re more stressed and crave comfort food that’s high in saturated fats. This increases inflammation, worsening your mood.

Eat better fats. Replacing saturated fat from meat and dairy with polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats in salmon, avocados, and nuts may benefit your metabolism and your mood. Saturated fats make you accumulate visceral fat, which slows the metabolism and produces inflammatory molecules that are linked to depression. Visceral fat also cranks out leptin and may increase your odds of leptin resistance.

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Health Benefits of Nuts!

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Peanuts are a good source of good fat, minerals and vitamins. The polyunsaturated fats found in peanuts increase testosterone levels. Other benefits of eating nuts include reducing risk of heart disease, improved brain capacity and better digestion since edible nuts have a lot of fiber.

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Indie Game Spotlight: Waking (@wakinggame)

This week's Indie Game Spotlight will take you through a guided meditation. In Waking, you play as yourself in a coma. Your only weapons against the forces of darkness are the people you love and your most cherished memories.

We chatted with Jason Oda, the game’s sole developer, about personal experiences, meditation, and more. Read on!

How does the game incorporate memories? 

The levels and gameplay are combat and action-oriented, but the really unique part of the game comes at the end of each level: you meet this angel who asks you to literally close your eyes, and she recites this guided meditation that takes you back into your memories from the past. The idea is that the cut scene takes place in your mind’s eye. When it’s finished, you open your eyes and answer questions based on that memory. The way that you answer the questions shapes the weapons that you have in the game.

Did any personal experiences shape aspects of the game? 

With games that are really personal, it’s usually a story about the dev. But with Waking, I wanted to make a game about you, the player. Essentially, the goal was to make the most personal game ever. I’ve never been in a coma, but I have had some trying things happen to some of the people I love. I have spent time in hospital rooms. In these times, I find myself effectively doing the same things that happen to you in the game. I find myself searching for beautiful memories, pictures, and feelings from my past.

The game has beautiful visuals. How long did it take you to land on an “a-ha” moment when designing the game’s art style?

It’s a gradual process of slowly making it more and more beautiful through the entire development process. I have a background in painting and did my best to use those visual skills to really make things pop.

Meditation is a huge component of the game. Were there any particular spiritual traditions that inspired the meditation system?

The meditations don’t follow any spiritual traditions, they’re just these really soft, beautifully voiced parts set to music that guide you through all sorts of memories from your past. The first memory is a pet from childhood or now—a dog or a cat that you can summon, that takes on that pet’s general appearance and name. Another would be a hand full of dirt from your hometown that acts as a projectile, or a stuffed animal you had when you were a kid.

What do you hope people take away from the game?

I want Waking to be a celebration of the player’s life and story. It’s a revisiting of the things you cherish in your heart, the people you love, where you came from, and who you became. I hope players explore their fears, their pain, and the dreams that push them forward. I really just want people to take a second to contemplate this life that we’re all living.

Waking is available now on Steam, GOG, and Xbox One. You can also keep up with all things Waking on their Tumblr here.