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"Give me love, love, love, crazy love..."
Like many other holidays, Valentine's Day has become one of those commercialized, let's go out and spend a lot of money on nothing, days. But guess what? I don't care! I love Valentine's Day, in fact, I love love. I love that all encompassing feeling that receiving and giving my love to others, gives me. I admit it, I'm in love with love.
There are actual scientific reasons why people yearn to receive romantic love --Being in love floods our brains with certain neurotransmitters that induce feelings of pleasure and attachment, i.e love. Let's take a closer look at this process:
1. You get happy :). The initial stages of a romantic relationship make you feel euphoric, because of the increase of dopamine being transmitted to the brain. Dopamine is released by sources of pleasure, resulting in that "high on love" feeling. Love may not be a drug, but it can certainly feel like it.
2. Your pain fades away, literally. When experiencing feelings of love, even from simply looking at a photo of a loved one, our brain releases serotonin and endorphins, both of which are responsible for controlling the sensation of pain -- not a bad trade in for love.
3. You get that "tingly" feeling all over. As feelings of lust begin taking over, adrenaline and norepinephrine start flowing when around the object of our desire, causing those all too-telltale sign of love -- sweaty palms, racing heart and spinning head. Yes, you were not just imaging those feelings!
4. "Stare deep into my eyes." Whether you're staring deep into the eyes of your romantic partner or making constant eye contact while on a first date, you will become mesmerized by your lover's eyes, making you feel more attracted to that individual. Remember, being mesmerized is ok, hypnotized is not!
5. You're flushed. The quick release of adrenaline when you see your lover dilates your blood vessels, causing a rush of blood throughout our body. Your cheeks turn pink, perhaps giving away your emotions before you were ready to share them. Guess what else happens from dilation of blood vessels? Our nether regions become excited by that extra rush of blood, which tends to result in a more intimate expression of our love. "If the beds a-rockin, don't come a-knockin."
So there you have it. A scientific breakdown on why we crave love. All-in-all, are the details necessary you ask? They're educational, they give us a deeper understanding of why we behave the way we do, but is knowing them essential to giving and receiving love? Of course not! But do you know what is a vital part of falling and staying in love? Empathy, compassion, understanding, forgiveness, an open mind and heart, and don't forget, learning to love yourself. Remember these points on February 14th; dedicate yourself to practicing each and every one of them, every day, all day.
"What I feel, I can't say
But my love is there for you anytime of day
But if it's not love that you need
Then I'll try my best to make everything succeed."
-George Harrison
A little recipe to get the blood flowing...
Aphrodisiac Truffles:
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup raw cacao butter
1/2 cup raw cacao powder
1/4 cup organic almond butter
2 Tablespoons raw honey
2 Tablespoons Bulletproof Brain Octane
1 teaspoon Sunfood Shilajit
1 teaspoon Oregon Wild Harvest Ashwaganda (open the capsules)
1 teaspoon Sunfoods Maca
1 teaspoon cordyceps
DIRECTIONS
1. Melt cacao butter in saucepan gently over low heat
2. Once melted move to small bowl and let cool slightly
3. Add the cacao powder, 1 tablespoon Brain Octane, honey, maca, shilajit, ashwaganda, and cordyceps to cooled cacao butter -- whisk to combine
4. In a seperate bowl, mix almond butter with remaining Brain Octane
5. Pour half the chocolate mixture into chocolate molds or lined mini muffin tin, filling each cup only half way. Freeze until sold (about 15 minutes)
6. Take chocolates our of freezer and add almond butter mixture to each chocolate filled cup
7. Top with remaining chocolate
8. Freeze again until sold
9. Enjoy!
