Earlier this year a six-year-old named Gus was diagnosed with cancer and had to have his leg removed.  It’s a tragic beginning to a heartwarming story.  Gus was a very active six-year-old until one day while being attended to it was discovered that he had a tumor on his leg and the only option was to have it amputated.  After the surgery Gus defied the odds essentially living the life like any six-year-old Goldendoodle.  But what makes this story extraordinary is what Gus did just a few months after surgery.  Gus lives in Minnesota and was walking along the riverbanks of the St. Croix River with his owners when he noticed something in the water that seemed to be in distress.  He jumped into the water to save whatever it was.  It turns out it was a baby otter, probably only a few days old.  Gus didn’t hesitate despite being down a leg when he jumped in and swam to the rescue.  After rescuing the baby otter Gus’ family got the otter to a wildlife rehabilitation center where they tended to the otter, and he survived the harrowing event. 

Thanks to the three-legged dog Gus.

Chemicals That Make You Happy and How to Harness Them

Most of us have probably heard of chemicals like dopamine and endorphins. But, did you know there are a few more that most have not heard of?  Did you also know that there are ways you can increase more of them?  Naturally? Sometimes without any consumption of anything?   Well, the answer is yes.  We aren’t going to bore you with the science, but we want to give you some of the chemicals that we produce as humans and how to increase them on a daily basis.

1. Dopamine.  We all have a “reward system” in our bodies and Dopamine plays a big role. Dopamine is known as the “feel-good” hormone. It gives you a sense of pleasure. It also gives you the motivation to do something when you're feeling pleasure. Dopamine is released in many ways.  But the simplest things trigger dopamine.  Not necessarily a dopamine “rush” that you may have heard of but a steady release.  Here is a short list of things that you can do to get a little extra dopamine.  A) Smile even when you don't feel like it.  Science has shown that just smiling releases chemicals like dopamine.  B) Get outside even in the hot or cold weather.  Science also proves that just breathing fresh air and getting outside releases dopamine.  C) Exercise regularly.  When you exercise your body releases dopamine.  Rigorous exercise can cause the dopamine rush that you may have heard of, but we recommend staying consistent rather than pushing it too hard.  
2. Anandamide.  Known as the bliss molecule, anandamide is a neurotransmitter that binds to cannabinoid receptors in the brain and body, stimulating a sense of happiness and mental wellness. Anandamide is known as the “bliss molecule” for the role it plays in producing feelings of happiness. It hasn’t been studied as much due to the fact that the endocannabinoid system wasn’t discovered until the early eighties.  There are many ways to increase this bliss molecule, but the one that is getting the most attention is through the consumption of CBD or THC.  We suggest trying CBD first.  It doesn't have the psychoactive effects of THC but will still upregulate anandamide.  
3. Oxytocin. Often called the “love hormone” it plays a key role at early stages in life.  When a mother nurtures her child science shows an increase in oxytocin in the child.  Produced in the hypothalamus gland, Oxytocin can be released by simple things such as affectionate touching.  Things as simple as hugging, cuddling and making love all increase oxytocin.
4. Serotonin.  Serotonin is probably the most studied chemical in the body as it relates to happiness.  There are many serotonin prescription drugs designed to cause the body to upregulate serotonin.  We aren’t a fan of these drugs due to the side effects, but many of them are effective.  There are voluminous studies about one's diet and release of serotonin.  There isn’t one diet that fits all.  But, to make it simpler there are things you should not consume.  Try to reduce your sugar intake.  Science shows that what may seem like happiness when consuming sugar, it's actually the opposite.  You crash and you feel worse than you did before.  Reduce or eliminate alcohol altogether.  Many people feel “happy” when consuming alcohol but similar to sugar, you crash.  Alcohol is actually a depressant and exacerbates anxiety and depression.  

While this is certainly not exhaustive, we hope that this information helps you with your Wicked Happiness.