What Makes A Healthy Neurochemical Soup

Our brains and bodies are always bathed in neurochemicals and neuromodulators.

Our cells are swimming in neurochemicals whether we are aware of it or not.

So we might as well bathe ourselves in healthier ones when possible.

We can bathe ourselves in cortisol and norepinephrine…

or we can bathe ourselves in dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin.

We can intentionally create a healthier “neurochemical soup.”

You influence the soup more than you think

Yoga, mindfulness, hand-to-heart, self-compassion, gratitude, awe, wonder, nature, wildflowers, the ocean, and coaching all influence the release of neurochemicals and neuromodulators in a positive way.

We can choose to practice more of these and set ourselves up for success.

We can also opt out of unnecessary stress inputs:

chronic rumination
blame and shame spirals
guilt as a lifestyle
trying to control what isn’t controllable

That also improves the flavor—and the health—of the soup.

Full-spectrum emotions belong in the soup too

Soup recipes include lots of ingredients and lots of flavors. That’s what makes soups interesting and delicious.

In the same way, humans need the full spectrum of emotions. Even the ones we label as negative.

A healthier nervous system isn’t the absence of “hard” emotions. It’s the ability to allow them.

When we stop resisting negative emotions and allow them to be present in the soup, they integrate.

They move. They change. They add contrast.

And in a surprising way, that makes the soup more real—and often more nourishing.