Autumn depression we treat chocolate!

Fall … Days become shorter, the sky is even more often tightened by heavy gray clouds, the gold foliage which was so pleasing a look and heart in an early autumn already flew and it seems that there is no bright paint left, neither in the nature, nor in life …

If you are not abandoned by feeling of unclear melancholy, the mood often changes, insomnia, and in the morning on the contrary drowsiness torments at night, there is not enough energy and desire to do even favorite thing, at heart slyakotno, is sad and sad - most likely, you are overcome by an autumn depression.

The depression has certain reasons in the fall:

- There is in the fall a decrease in production of hormone of serotonin which is responsible for regulation of mood and cycles a dream wakefulness. High level of serotonin provides good high spirits, causes feeling of satisfaction and happiness.

- One more hormone which amount decreases with decrease in intensity of sunlight - a dopamine and this decrease can become the reason of decrease in concentration of attention or loss of interest in life.

- And still the banal lack of vitamins and minerals of an organism and an inactive way of life can be the cause of melancholy, in bad weather it is much more difficult to force itself to get out to walk or a training.

Well, to affect day length and to force the sun remain longer in a sky we cannot in any way, but make corrections to the way of life and a food allowance quite in our forces. And as here, along with other actions not to remember such popular and favourite natural antidepressant as bitter chocolate.

As ancient Aztecs treated a depression
It is unknown whether ancient Aztecs suffered from a depression, but for a mood raising Indian tribes here began to use the tart and spicy drink made from fruits of a chocolate tree which they called cocoa. At first it were Olmecs, they were succeeded by the Maya Indians, in a pantheon of their gods there was even god of cocoa, they also began first to cultivate cocoa trees, broke the first plantations of cocoa. Then there were Aztecs, in the empire which they founded, cocoa beans were used as money, and from them also mystical properties were attributed to the invigorating drink not only useful, but sometimes.

The beautiful legend tells that god Ketsalkoatl from compassion presented cocoa seeds to the people expelled from a paradise garden. From fruits of the surprising trees which grew from these seeds, people began to cook the drink giving wisdom, force and energy.

Europe opened for itself a cocoa tree in the first half of the 16th century when Hernando Cortés who plundered the palace of the emperor of Aztecs Montezuma and found in it huge stocks of cocoa beans brought to the Spanish king both cocoa beans, and recipes of preparation of chokoatlya drink (bitter water). By the way, to all the known and favourite tiled chocolate was learned to be done only in 1847, and before chocolate remained only drink. It was used cold – the fried cocoa beans which in itself have bitter taste, mixed up with water, and then various ingredients - cinnamon, medical, and then sugar, vanilla were added to this mix. Drink was quite expensive, and aristocrats could enjoy its taste only. Not without reason the official botanical name which the chocolate tree was given in 1737 - Theobroma cacao, literal translation with Latin – "cocoa food of the gods".

Fruits of a tree of cocoa look very elegantly and attractively. Bright – from gentle chartreuse till red-lilac and dark orange color – they are similar to a melon with the pointed ends, or to ridge cucumbers. In a fruit – there are grains of violet color without the slightest chocolate smell, it also is cocoa beans. The delightful aroma and divine taste of favourite delicacy arises after difficult and long processing, - fermentations, drying, frying, crushing, pressing, mixing, etc.

Both the grief will recede, and the melancholy will pass …
Of course, first of all chocolate is attractive for many the pleasant sweet taste, ability to melt in the mouth, a smell and great compatibility with many products and drinks. But why we allocate chocolate from among other, also very pleasant sweets? At the expense of what ingredients does chocolate possess noticeable psychoactive action why at consumption even of rather small amount of this product at us (in any case, at the majority) the mood is considerably lightened?

Perhaps, it occurs due to quite high content of magnesium in cocoa beans of which do chocolate. It reduces stress, saves from feeling of alarm and helps to overcome a depression, improves memory, strengthens immunity.

Researches showed that dark chocolate stimulates in an organism emission of endorphins — hormones of happiness and thus lightens the mood, gives us feeling of pleasure and pleasure. There is in dark chocolate a remarkable amino acid tryptophane of which one more "hormone of happiness", serotonin — substance which lack during the autumn period leads to depressions and decrease in vitality is formed.

Besides, in chocolate there are small doses of caffeine and theobromine which also belong to the psychostimulators which are well affecting working capacity and creative activity of the person. However, maintenance of these components quite insignificant. So, one chocolate bar of caffeine contains only 30 mg that is equal to a half of a cup of tea.

Whether there is a chocolate dependence?
About chocolate as far as it is useful and whether there is no harm from it, always argued much, and discussions on this subject continue. It is quite often possible to hear fears about emergence of chocolate dependence.

Yes, some substances which are a part of chocolate could cause the dependence similar narcotic if we used chocolate in kilograms. The content of caffeine, theobromine, a feniletilamin, and all this the substances falling under suspicion – them in chocolate is not enough. For example, the feniletilamin (amfetaminopodobny substance) in chocolate is 10 times less, than in some grades of cheese. There is in chocolate and a quantity of kannabinoid – active agents of the same family, as marijuana components. But concentration of these means also small, and for achievement of a little noticeable narcotic effect it is necessary to eat not less than 13 kilograms of chocolate. Agree, it is difficult to present such day portion of favourite delicacy!

But the fact that chocolate cannot cause drug addiction does not exclude dependence at all psychological when the love to chocolate gets some pathological forms. In 98% of cases psychotherapists explain excess consumption of chocolate with plentifully collected psychological problems which after all need to be solved, but not to jam chocolate.

Eating about a gram of the 40th chocolate a day (the recommended dose), we will not be able neither to become dependent on chocolate in any way, nor to do harm to the health, and even opposite. The advantage of chocolate is not exhausted by a mood raising!

Look at its chemical composition, and everything will become clear to you: potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, sulfur - and all these elements in rather large number. But also, minerals – iron, zinc, copper, manganese, molybdenum, cobalt, plus vitamins (B1, B2, PP, F). Chocolate and antioxidants – flavonoids which improve work of a blood system is rich and interfere with formation of blood clots in vessels of heart and brain, it even successfully competes in this regard with red wine.

By results of a research of the German institute of dietology (DlfE) in Potsdam, only 6 grams of chocolate a day presumably are associated with reduction of risk of a stroke and myocardial infarction for 39 percent. And on researches of the Japanese scientists, the use up to 50 grams of chocolate every day substantially interfere with development of cancer and stomach ulcer.

Also fears of stomatologists were not confirmed that from chocolate caries develops. In total with an accuracy on the contrary, chocolate does not destroy enamel of teeth and is even useful to teeth and gums. However, belongs above and above told only to dark chocolate in which there is not enough sugar, there are no dairy components, and the amount of cocoa products is 60-80 percent. By the way, such chocolate does not harm a waist and is useful to skin, polyphenols (flavonoids) which are contained in it promote its normal functioning and by that skin keeps youth and healthy appearance.

So, if a minute of grief and grief when the sad autumn rain outside the window drizzles, pulls you to eat a piece - another of chocolate, do not refuse to yourself this pleasure, harm will definitely not be, and you look, both the mood will be lightened, and gray day will seem is lighter!