Written by Dr. Nat Kringoudis, a TCM expert;

“Levelling those moods…

We’ve all experienced mood swings at some time or another, and it’s fair to say in the moments when our moods have spiraled out of control, we’ve found ourselves falling deeper and deeper into the ‘grumpy’ vortex, all the while knowing something wasn’t right but equally not really knowing what to do to pull ourselves out. Our moods are fueled by our hormones, so understanding the in’s and out’s of mood swings begins with understanding your body better.

There are two main groups of hormones I’m most concerned about when it comes to our health. They are our sex hormones (responsible for much more than just our libido, they look after our general wellbeing) and our stress hormones. Rather than a physiology lecture, let’s remember this; our stress hormones are bossy. In times of high stress, they become overbearing and will shut down our sex hormones. The effects of this often show up as being grumpy or moody as the intrinsic events play out between feeling well or otherwise.

Stress is far more than being under pressure. Stress is eating poor quality food, a sluggish digestive system, thinking unkind thoughts about ourselves (and others for that matter) and not having enough time for yourself and your needs. You see, when we can’t nourish our bodies with good nutrients or our digestive system struggles to draw on the goodness of our food, our bodies suffer. Very often, this will show up in our emotional wellbeing. If you’re having trouble managing stress, it’s important to start with the basics.

Mood swings are very common around the period time (for women). This is because of the changes in hormones that occur during the pre-menstrual phase. We’ve accepted ‘pre menstrual tension’ to be something that is normal. Whilst it isn’t anything to be concerned about, it certainly doesn’t have to be a way of life. It all boils down to happy hormones.

Perhaps you’ve noticed when you’re hungry, you get grumpy? It’s yet another way your body may be communicating to you; quite simply you need to eat. And of course if you aren’t eating adequate fats and protein to fuel your body, you can’t go on to make quality hormones. If we fuel our body on average food, we can only expect an average outcome.

No matter which blend you are enjoying, know that here at Your Tea, we have so many bases covered, not limited to one area of your life, but making your whole life a little sweeter. It’s the little things we can implement into our days to make us happier humans. Simple pleasures can bring great delight!”.

Photo via @christinamacpherson