Feeling down on yourself or in the doldrums? Mood changes* can take many different forms: feeling sad or anxious; fatigue; irritability; withdrawal, changes in self esteem or poor concentration to name a few. For some, the winter season can bring on a low mood, for others changes in mood can be caused by major life changes, such as a job changes, moving house, relationship breakups or financial stress. Health problem can also give rise to 'the blues'  leading to stress or anxiety.

Fortunately, there are ways to help manage emotional stresses and maintain a positive outlook on life.

Here are some practical everyday tips to perk you up and help you stay in control of your emotions.

*We recommend you seek medical advice and consult your Doctor or healthcare professional if you suspect you have depression.

1. Laugh Your Heart Out: An Irish proverb states that ‘a good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book.’ This may be true as laughter floods the body with feel-good hormones called endorphins, helping to rid the body tension, pain, stress, anxiety, irritation, anger, grief and depression. It also helps to reduce feelings of alienation. Researchers from the Loma Linda School of Medicine, in California claim laughter boosts the armies of our immune system and helps to activate T lymphocytes and natural killer cells, both of which help destroy invading microorganisms. Laughter also speeds up the production of new immune cells and it reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which can weaken the immune response.
2. Exercise Everyday: Exercise acts like an antidepressant in our brain by increasing the activity of serotonin in your brain and releasing feel-good endorphins and other hormones that reduce pain, induce euphoria, have a calming effect and combat stress.
3. Eat Wisely: Your diet plays an important role in regulating mood and emotions. Avoid nicotine, caffeine, alcohol, and heavily processed foods containing white flour and sugar such as junk food. Foods that boost brain chemicals and mood include protein (eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt, meat, fish, chicken, seeds, nuts); complex unrefined carbohydrates (whole grains, beans, legumes); antioxidant-rich vegetables (broccoli, spinach); vitamins (vitamin B-complex and C, plus fat-soluble vitamins A, D and E); minerals (magnesium, calcium and zinc); and omega-3 essential fatty acids found in oily fish (sardines and salmon).
4. Sleep Wise: Normal sleep is a restorative state. However, when sleep is disrupted or inadequate, it can lead to increased tension, vigilance, and irritability. Physical or emotional trauma and metabolic or other medical problems can trigger sleep disturbances. Poor sleep can lead to fatigue. With fatigue, you exercise less and that leads to a decline in your fitness level. Eventually, you find yourself in a vicious cycle of inactivity and disturbed sleep, which causes both physical and mood-related symptoms. According to one recent study, sleep deprivation can cause a decline in cognitive performance similar to the intoxicated brain. Sleep repairs your body from the daily wear and tear and improves your immunity. Scientists have found that those who sleep less than seven hours a night (on average) are three times as likely to get sick as those who averaged at least eight hours.
5. Sweet Sunshine : Changes in the amounts of daylight a person gets alters circadian rhythms, the internal biological clock which governs fluctuation in body temperature and the secretion of several hormones. Changes in the amount of daylight a person gets can affect the body’s circadian rhythm. Sunlight affects the melatonin-serotonin system that it works so well to alleviate the symptoms of the winter blues and elevates mood and cognition. Vitamin D is also linked to higher levels of serotonin, and it has been suggested that getting a sensible amount of sunlight over the summer helps your body to maintain higher vitamin D levels in the winter, and therefore higher levels of serotonin as well.

6. Healthy Virtues - Gratitude and Compassion: Based on her research findings, University of California psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky believes that keeping a gratitude journal is one of the most effective happiness boosters and psychologist Robert Emmons at the University of California at Davis, states that gratitude exercises improve physical health, as well raising energy levels and relieving pain. Ancient Tibetan Buddhist practices include meditation, mindfulness, empathy and compassion - and by feeling compassion for others - seeing even our enemies in a new light - we can ease our own stress and anxiety, the Dalai Lama told a crowd of thousands, gathered for his visit to Atlanta in October 2007. Psychiatry professor Charles L. Raison, MD claims that regularly meditating on compassion can also help protect against mood imbalances by reducing a person's emotional and physical reaction to stress in his or her daily life.

Source: beliefnet.com

If your joints aren’t quite as mobile as they once were, you might not be feeding them properly. As daily life wears away at the cartilage between your bones, your body needs to constantly replace it.  Cartilage – the protective shock absorber between the joints – acts as a smooth, weight-bearing surface. It cushions the joint, allowing bones to slip freely over each other; which provides the easy mobility that many people take for granted (at least until they no longer have it).

Three substances are critical for maintaining healthy cartilage: Glucosamine, Chondroitin and MSM.  These all occur naturally in your body, but if your levels are low,  the cartilage can thin, which can lead to joint discomfort and mobility issues.

Glucosamine and Chondroitin and Sulfur act as nutritional “building blocks” for healthy joints, cartilage and tendons.  Unfortunately, with age or significant wear and tear, the body’s ability to produce these compounds can decline.

Dimethyl Sulfone, commonly known as MSM, is a bioavailable source of organic sulfur. Sulfur is an essential mineral that is naturally found in nerves, muscles, skin and hair; and is a key component of healthy joints.  It also helps to support the structure of connective tissues, including cartilage, bone, tendons and ligaments.

Supplementing these nutrient stores can help to “restock” the store levels, which can then support the body as it rebuilds the damaged, worn cartilage, and thus benefit those experiencing joint problems.

These nutrients are also very helpful for sprains, strains and sports injuries.