FEBRUARY 2, 2011 WHO IS HAPPIER? YOU OR THE GROUNDHOG?

“Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections.”

“I don't pretend to know what love is for everyone, but I can tell you what it is for me; love is knowing all about someone, and still wanting to be with them more than any other person, love is trusting them enough to tell them everything about yourself, including the things you might be ashamed of, love is feeling comfortable and safe with someone, but still getting weak knees when they walk into a room and smile at you.”

I was going to save these quotes for Valentine's Day, but I couldn't resist. As I always say there is no perfection in life, only progress. To be happy, you must look beyond any imperfections. Everyone, including myself has imperfections.

We all want to be loved. Being loved is a two way street- you must love in order to be loved. It takes work to love someone. It takes trust and honesty. Beyond my wildest dreams, I 'live in' the second quote. When I hear, "...feeling comfortable and safe...." with the person I share my life with and not being ashamed, I giggle. Do you remember when you first shared an apartment with a lover? There was always an oddness about going to the bathroom in front of them. It was a bit uncomfortable. You wanted to be quiet. I was thinking, why --this is a normal, hopefully daily occurrence that every human being must do. Do you remember your first date with your partner? As you approached the restaurant dining table, he/she smiled at you. I still get that smile from my partner when I walk in a room. I still get weak in the knees. I just have to distinguish if the weakness is arthritis and/or inflammation or is it that same old 'love'. As I get older it will be a combination of all three. I no longer judge other people's relationships. It is none of my business. I have been told many times there is a lid for every pot. Love is individualized and unique. There is no love without honesty.

Groundhogs are supposed to come out of their burrows today and look for their shadows. If they see them, it means there will be six more weeks of winter. Oh, not more snow. No shadows means spring is near. The real truth is that most groundhogs are asleep on February 2nd. Wild groundhogs may not wake up for six more weeks. So we actually tugged at the groundhog on the television today, just to see about the weather forecast. How horrible! When the groundhog does come out, he is not looking at his shadow but for mates and food. So, we disturbed his natural routine and he is NOT HAPPY.

ARE YOU HAPPY?

There are foods that promote happiness. A few spoonfuls of the right vegetable can turn your 'blue' or melancholy into 'yellow' sunshine. We do know that whole foods contain nutrients that provide physical and psychological benefits.

Everyone should eat more Folate containing foods. Folate or Folic acid is essential to decrease homocysteine, a cardiac risk factor. It also promotes a healthy brain. The foods that contain folate are leafy greens, sunflower seeds, beets and fortified whole grains. I prescribe more than the suggest RDA amounts for folic acid. All my patients take a minimum of 1 mg ( 1000 micrograms) per day.

Another B vitamin which I suggest is B6. This vitamin is essential for the 'hormones' of the brain called neurotransmitters (NT). Some of the neurotransmitters you are familiar with are serotonin (the happy NT), norepinpehrine (the stress NT) and dopamine (NT associated with Parkinson's Disease). You do not have to take extra B6 if you consume collard greens, broccoli, avocados, bell peppers and sunflower seeds. One herb, Allium contains B6. Allium is the Latin name for garlic.

Despite the mercury scare, everyone must consume omega 3 rich foods. Consume more salmon and sardines as well as flax seeds and walnuts. I am health conscious about where my fish comes from. I am hooked on http://www.vitalchoice.com/ for buying fish. You will taste a difference. If you want to feel happier- consume more omega 3 rich foods. There are studies linking depression to a deficiency in omega 3. Vegetarian sources for omega 3 are walnuts, flax and algae. Due to recent studies on the benefits of omega 3 on heart disease , I recommend 3-4 grams (3000-4000 mg) per day. Those who do not like large fish oil capsules or the repetitive 'burp' may want to consume more salmon. A 3 oz serving of salmon provides up to 1.9 grams of omega 3. So have two servings and you have met my recommended daily amount.

Until tomorrow...