What are Ear Seeds?

The Things Nutritionists Forget to Tell You…

Like Cannabis, there’s NO Sleep That Fits All. Learn From a Nutritionist How Mood, Food, And Sleep Are ALL Connected and How You Can Improve in All Areas.

If you’re working with a sleep expert, you’ll learn about the importance of quality and consistent sleep, but why stop there? Take your health to the next level through being an activist of your sleep and nutrition. We’ll share the importance of nutrition to your sleep, moods and your overall health, and initial steps you can take to get there.

So, let’s begin with a little pop quiz – what part of your body is often referred to as your second brain? That’s right, your gut! Let’s explore your gut and brain connection and what mood, food, and sleep have to do with it.

Neurotransmitters are essentially the happy chemicals in our brain and they each serve a different purpose. Some of our neurotransmitters included dopamine, norepinephrine, GABA, and serotonin. Amino acids aka the building blocks of proteins are then the building blocks of our neurotransmitters.

Did you know that 90% of serotonin is manufactured in the gut and it’s responsible for mood, sleep, appetite, and gastrointestinal activity? This means it’s directly correlated with your mental health and well-being and food cravings. If we are consistently stressed out which impacts our beneficial bacteria or have prior inflammation due to wear and tear over time like skin issues, headaches, IBS, gas, bloating and indigestion it will have a serious impact on how our body manufactures neurotransmitters as well as how easily it crosses the blood-brain barrier to connect to the receptor sites in our brain. So, as you can see food impacts mood and mood impacts food.

As a business owner, nutritionist, a mother, wife, and New Yorker with a 700 square foot apartment, like many others, March of 2020 hit me hard. Don’t get me wrong I’m a fighter, but the stress and exhaustion had me drinking coffee around the clock and overeating at night so inevitably it impacted my sleep and my anxiety. This led to waking up every morning feeling doom and gloom.

I had so much GI discomfort and was severely anxious daily. After a week of non-stop worry and panic, I decided it was time to take back control of my health. Being a Nutritionist for 12 years, I know how much food directly impacts mood so the first thing I did was to shift focus on my food. Just after one day of clean eating, I noticed feelings of clarity, hope, and strength return, and my health patterns, including my sleep, fell back into place.

Whatever it might start with, that being food and sleep, taking that time for yourself and showing up for yourself allows you to show for others. Let your health guide you to your best self.

Here is a list of ‘Good Mood Foods’ that not only supports your mental and physical health but also aids in mood as well as with a good night’s sleep:

Omega-3’s can be found in foods such as salmon, tuna, sardines, hemp, chia, flax seeds, and walnuts. Omega-3’s can boost brain function, memory, aid weight loss, and can help with the treatment of Alzheimer’s, dementia, and heart disease prevention.
Dark Chocolate or mood-boosting cacao is an antioxidant superfood filled with essential minerals like calming magnesium to set your day up to be calm and collected. Look for 75% dark chocolate and above.
Eggs are a great source of vitamin B including vitamin B-6, B-12, and folic acid and choline which is a superstar’s brain.
Choline is a key nutrient to help brain cells in the production of acetylcholine, a key neurotransmitter for mental focus and learning. All of these vitamins help prevent brain shrinkage and delay cognitive decline.
Nuts and seeds such as sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, and almonds are rich in vitamin E. This contributes to fueling the brain and reduces your chance of developing mood disorders.
Whole grains such as brown rice and oatmeal are also a good source of vitamin E.
Avocados are a great source of unsaturated fat which has been shown to support the brain and reduce high blood pressure. Other sources of unsaturated fats are cashews, peanuts, chia seeds, and fish.
Broccoli which is rich in dietary fiber is good for the brain as it produces a compound that reduces the risk of neuro-degenerative diseases. It also contains Vitamin C and flavonoids which boost brain health. Some other veggies that help with this are brussel sprouts, bok choy, cabbage, cauliflower, and turnips
Turmeric is a spice that has been used in Ayurveda for quite some time. It is rich in antioxidants and has an anti-inflammatory effect both of which benefit brain health and overall health.
Lavender tea is a mellow tea that when you drink before sleep can help ease the mind and allow one to have a great night of rest. It can help reduce anxiety, stress, and muscle tension. Pro tip: combine with chamomile for an even more relaxing experience.

While there is no one-sleep-fits-all, it’s important to remember that’s the same with nutrition. What works well for others, might not work well for us.

Besides the importance of nutrition in helping bring the body back to balance, I created a NAO Ear Seeds kit for myself and my clients.

Ear seeds are seeds placed on your ear to serve as tiny acupressure device. They’re a type of auriculotherapy, a traditional Chinese medicine technique that focuses on areas in your ear’s pressure points. They’re thought to promote sleep, comfort and relaxation, weight loss, and very easy to use and apply by yourself.

This question comes up daily, “What are Ear Seeds?”

Here’s some information on what ear seeds are and it’s benefits.

Auriculotherapy with ear seeds incorporates acupressure to stimulate specific points on the ear to treat symptoms such as anxiety, insomnia, back pain, sciatica, restlessness, headaches, libido, fertility, depression and compulsive behaviors, and simultaneously promotes relaxation and sense of balance.

Ear seeds are safe, non-invasive, needle-less, and can be integrated with other treatments. Feel free to shower with them on. After 5 – 7 days of treatment, they’re ready to be removed.

Auriculotherapy can be helpful for: