Stressful environments can easily lead to depression. Human emotions include joy, elation, happiness, pleasure, sadness, disappointment, fear, anxiety, and anger. The more negative emotions, such as sadness and anxiety, that are present, the more likely one is to develop depression. On the other hand, releasing these negative emotions in moderation can help maintain a better state of mind. One way to do this is through exercise, such as walking. Patients with depression have reduced levels of neurotransmitters known as “happiness hormones,” such as oxytocin, serotonin, and dopamine. Therefore, we can devise mechanisms to stimulate the secretion of these neurotransmitters.
One substance that is attracting attention in this regard is vitamin D. Vitamin D, known as a “type of hormone,” has attracted the attention of anti-aging researchers worldwide. Evidence has emerged that vitamin D intake is effective in preventing and improving mental illnesses, including depression. The primary cause of depression is the inactivation of neurotransmitters in the brain. Accumulating evidence suggests that vitamin D receptors activate areas of the brain, such as the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and thalamus. Vitamin D improves the activity of the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine. As a result, vitamin D protects the brain from oxidative stress. Vitamin D can be obtained through diet, particularly in abundance in salmon and other blue-green fish. Vitamin D is also produced in the skin through exposure to sunlight. Eating more fish and increasing exposure to morning sunlight will help resolve this problem.
The three “happiness hormones”—oxytocin, serotonin, and dopamine—each bring about different feelings of happiness and interact with each other to support physical and mental health. Serotonin forms the foundation for emotional stability and health, oxytocin brings about feelings of happiness through human connection and love, and dopamine enhances the joy and motivation to achieve goals. The “three-tiered theory of happiness” has been proposed, which states that these three factors stack up in the following order: “serotonin happiness,” “oxytocin happiness,” and “dopamine happiness.” Recent findings have shown that the raw material for serotonin is the essential amino acid “tryptophan.” Foods that contain a lot of tryptophan include meat, fish, and beans. One wise approach may be to continue to take in tryptophan by cooking in a way that suits each individual.
