The Happiness Factor

Excerpt from Think Eat Move Thrive

by DR. JAMES ROUSE & DR. DEBRA ROUSE

We have been studying happiness and what makes people happy for many years now, through research and our work with clients and patients. Personal health is one of the greatest determinants to happiness, and we believe authentic happiness serves to create a beautiful life. Happy people aren’t just healthier, they live longer.

If you were to ask the majority of people—from any culture, age, and socioeconomic background—what they want most in this lifetime, chances are they would say true happiness. But what does this really mean? What is true happiness? Is happiness the mere absence of sadness? Is it inner peace? Is it wealth? Health? Balance? Attaining a certain goal?

The truth is, happiness is difficult to quantify and define in a strict sense. In psychology, happiness is attributed to positive emotions such as optimism, contentment, self-esteem, and serenity. Happiness connotes a state of pleasure and satisfaction. It is a state that many Americans are struggling to attain and willing to pay big bucks and go to extreme lengths to achieve.

In 2010, Americans spent more than $16 billion on antipsychotic medication, $11 billion on antidepressants, and $7 billion on drugs to treat ADHD. While medication is truly a lifesaver for many, too many of us turn to medication as the answer to our happiness or lack thereof; we believe we’ll find happiness in a bottle rather than by looking within and changing our lifestyle. We may compare ourselves to people who are happy and think that medication will give us that same level of happiness. We attach conditions to our happiness. For example, we’re happy on Fridays since it’s the end of our workweek, or we’re happy when a certain person does something just the way we expected, or we’re happy after a certain situation goes right. When things happen just the way we want them to, we assume we will finally be happy. But come Monday, forget it; it’s Monday after all, the beginning of the workweek, of school, of being home alone. What if, instead of the Monday blues, we put on our Monday shoes and went for a run? That action alone would boost your spirits more than you may expect.

In Bhutan, a nation landlocked between India and China in the Himalayas, happiness is more important than the Gross National Product (GNP)—so much so that in 1972, the fourth King of Bhutan, His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck, declared Gross National Happiness (GNH) to be more important than GNP. From that time forward, the national policy and development of Bhutan were oriented around GNH. This philosophy, combined with knowing that the entire country is cheering you on, could certainly help bring a person out of a funk, wouldn’t you agree?

For individuals with severe depression, medication may provide the necessary relief. For some, a daily exercise routine can help them emerge from a rut. Removing junk food from our diet and replacing it with whole foods, fresh fruits and vegetables, and clean proteins can help us all feel better in general.

We’ve thrown around terms like authentic happiness and true happiness, but we’d like to introduce another: irrevocable happiness—happiness that is unconditional; happiness that does not depend on anything going on outside of us. It is the kind of happiness that is always within us and cannot be taken away. When we clearly define what brings us joy no matter what the outside circumstances, we can always find a reason to smile. And this may serve as a jump start to taking the steps for change.

As naturopathic doctors, we have counseled many patients who have come in seeking alternatives to antidepressant medications. In addition to talking through therapy options, an exercise program, and healthy eating guidelines (similar to those outlined in our TEMT Program), there are natural therapeutic agents that support a more positive chemistry and greater overall happiness.

Here are some other happiness boosters: Get outdoors and into the natural sunlight. Sunlight stimulates the pineal gland, a small endocrine gland in the brain that produces certain neurotransmitters and the hormone melatonin, both of which greatly impact our mood. Sit by open windows and replace your light bulbs with full spectrum bulbs. Sunlight also stimulates the production of vitamin D, which many people need more of. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to mood disorders and declining cognitive function, so consider having your primary care doctor measure the vitamin D levels in your blood.

Maintaining a journal of emotions (and circumstances surrounding them) and progress along your TEMT journey can help to identify areas in need of attention. We recommend keeping a gratitude journal as well, where you record at least one thing that you are grateful for each day. This is a great way to keep looking at the bright side of things.