HOW FAMILIAR FLAVOURS HEAL?!
I born and brought up in an Indian household where nobody consume chai daily, maybe that's why I was not liking chai or coffee that much by the way according to the gut rules chartered by mummiji chai was not there instead there were only millet porridges ,and jaggery or brown sugar were prioritized upon white sugar.
Once I got into college, I used to observe people have a routine of having chai whenever they feel like nothing to do ,want to spend time, mood off time and when not?! Once one of my friend advised me to have a cup of tea when I was having headache and when I was having stomachache she told me to have a chocolate.
I didn't took it as a big advice but later on I noticed that even my clients used to inform me that they went for grabbing a cup of tea or a piece of chocolate when they felt not okay kind of moment and it worked. Instead of reaching for the medicine cabinet, you instinctively wrap your hands around a warm cup of tea or unwrap a bar of chocolate?and somehow almost magically you start to feel better? Do you guys also have the same feel?ok let's dwell into the delicious mystery that how it uplifting our mood and ensure comfort !!
When you sip tea or bite into a piece of chocolate, you’re not just treating your taste buds, you’re also letting a three of chemical agents into your system(Caffeine, Theobromine and serotonin)
Caffeine can help with migraines because it makes the blood vessels in your brain smaller, which is something that helps when you have a migraine.Chocolate contains theobromine, which is a mild stimulant that gives you a bit of energy. It also helps relax the muscles in your body, including the muscles in your head(mindful moments). This can help relieve the tension that often causes headaches.Chocolate can also make you feel better because it increases serotonin levels in your brain. Serotonin (feel good messager) is a chemical that makes you feel good. When you feel good, you tend to feel less pain. And both tea and chocolate are rich in antioxidants wvuch reduces inflammation that helps to reduce certain headache ‘ Endorphins and Serotonin’ which can improve mood and act as natural painkiller.
A warm cup of tea feels like a hug internally and a favorite bar of chocolate melts in mouth like a comfy pillow for the taste buds both acts like our psychological comfort which ease tension and stress induced headache by promoting relaxation. Sometimes, just taking a break and enjoying a cup of tea or a piece of chocolate can help you relax and feel better. When you're feeling stressed, your head might start to hurt. Taking a moment to enjoy something you like can help you feel calmer and make the pain go away.We like tea and chocolate because they remind us of happy times(associated with happy moments/comfort).When we're in pain, like a headache, how we feel can change how much we notice that pain.
Chocolate helps by making our brain release dopamine, which makes us feel good. So, when we're enjoying chocolate, we pay less attention to the pain.its basically the pleasure -pain connection. If you think tea or chocolate will make you feel better, they probably will! This is because your brain can actually make you feel better if you believe something will help, psychology named it as placebo effect. From all these you are telling your brain that “you are safe, you are cared, and you are okay” and in this message lies half of the healing! I have read somewhere :healing doesn’t always have to taste bitter
While chocolate and tea can help, too much of either can actually cause headaches. So, enjoy them in moderation!!
Written By - Ms. NOURIN NASHATH - Consultant psychologist (Mindmaris Counsellors India Pvt)
