As the daylight hours dwindle do you feel like you just want to sit on the sofa, eat comfort food and hibernate till spring? If you suffer from "the Winter Blues" this article by Kris Carr from www.crazysexywellness.com will shed a little light - if you'll pardon the pun - on Seasonal Affective Disorder...
Recently I had a life shifting realization. I struggle with depression. Though it doesn’t totally knock me out, it’s still a wilting bummer that comes on seasonally. And to tell you the truth, I had no idea I was dealing with it. Then I started cycling, feeling better and stronger than I’ve felt in decades. Pushing my body hard released a cascade of endorphins and feel-good hormones that literally cleared the mental cobwebs I didn’t even know I had. I felt a new level of happy. Awesome! Strong thighs and mental highs? Count me in!
Then it started to get darker earlier and my ability to go for that end-of-day-ride began to slip. In addition, I was spending less time in the sun (Vitamin D!) and that’s when it dawned on me. I need to protect myself from the winter blues and perhaps so do you.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that impacts millions of people each year. It generally kicks in as the hours of daylight get shorter and can last till early spring. Apparently, 60-90% of folks with SAD are women. Guys certainly aren’t immune but us gals seems to struggle with it more.
Last Sunday the clocks turned back. Deep sigh… When it gets dark by 4 pm it’s easy to get SAD. We experience long winters here in the mountains so it’s super important to be mindful of what I need to feel healthy and happy amidst the snow banks, otherwise, hello cravings! Namely, carbs, wine and alone time (as in isolation, scat!, beat it people-who-cheer-me-up). I watch way too much TV, blow off my workouts and struggle with fatigue and moodiness. Sound familiar?
If you suspect that you suffer from seasonal depression, here are nine tips to help you get through it.
1. Make sure you’re taking vitamin D.
In addition to depression, a vitamin D deficiency is linked to many cancers, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, fibromyalgia, autoimmune diseases and bone loss. Though none of us like going to the doctor, now is a good time to get your levels tested. According to my friend Dr. Mark Hyman, you want to get tested for 25 OH vitamin D. For optimal range you should be 100 to 160 nmol/L or 40 to 65 ng/ml. For cancer patients it’s closer to 80.It’s also important to make sure that the brand is high-quality by checking the label for the word “gamma” (not just alpha). If you’re vegan, I can’t give you a definitive answer on whether D2 or lichen-sourced D3 (plant-based) is as effective as animal-based D3. This particular debate has not been put to rest to the best of my knowledge. This is a personal choice and I recommend that you do research and check out the Vegetarian Resource Group’s take on Vitamin D before making a decision. You have to do what feels right for you. If possible, consult a knowledgeable physician who understands your needs. Read this article for more detail and don’t skip your daily D!
2. Up your omega-3 intake.
Omega-3’s can help maintain healthy levels of the brain chemicals dopamine and serotonin (the feel good neurotransmitters) that increase happiness and reduce symptoms of depression. Vegan sources of omega-3’s include flaxseed, hemp and walnuts.3. Get Aerobic exercise.
Exercise not only improves our mood but it also reduces anxiety and stress, both of which can worsen depression. Take a brisk walk outside, invest in some warm winter workout clothes (I’m totally geared up for chilly rides now, no excuses—oiy!). Shoot for at least 30 minutes per day, 5 days per week. You will feel so much better if you move consistently.4. Purchase one of those sun lamps.
Although I haven’t tried it, I know many people who swear by light therapy. Basically, you regularly sit in front of a special light box that emits full-spectrum light similar in composition to sunlight. It’s been shown to be very effective for helping people with SAD. Dr. Weil goes into great detail about light therapy in this article. Might be worth a shot!Exposure to outdoor light is still important so try to get outside daily for at least 10 minutes. Yes, it’s chilly (we already talked about warm clothes) and cloudy, but light still pokes through and tickles your brain through your glorious peepers. This increases both your serotonin and dopamine levels, which as I mentioned above, both play a star role in your joy factor.
6. Leave the hermitage (and not just for dinner and drinks).
If you get that cooped up, bored feeling over the winter months, shake it up. Are there some local book readings that interest you? What about a yoga retreat in warm, sunny weather? Can you meet two of your best friends in the bahamas for a girls weekend (or golf trip)? Best friend time always soothes the soul and yet it’s so easy to resist reaching out when we feel like shit. Perhaps this is an opportunity to expand your spiritual horizons, find a new mentor and make it a practice to listen to their YouTube lectures in the tub. You get the picture. While creating a routine can be healthy, sometimes it can also create stagnation.7. “Warm” up your green drinks and recipe repertoire.
Green juices, smoothies and salads can be less appealing when all you want is a cup of hot cocoa. But juice can have a “warming” effect if you add a little kick to it. I like to put extra ginger in my green juice when it gets chilly outside. It promotes circulation and healthy digestion. And to insure that you’re getting plenty of veggies during the colder months, add them to your soups and stews. One of my favorite recipes is Crazy Sexy Bean Chili from Crazy Sexy Kitchen. It’s packed with veggies and fresh herbs including sweet potatoes, jalapeno and cilantro.8. Sleep.
Create and stick to a consistent sleep schedule. Don’t miss your 8 hours of zzz’s and don’t over sleep like a teenager either. Get your cute, fully-rested ass out of bed and carpe diem. There are many ways to set yourself up for sleep success. They include, a cool room, covering or removing electronic gadgets that emit light (this messes with your pineal gland and melatonin levels) and staying away from caffeine past 10 am. If you suffer from insomnia, you may want to check out some sleep meditations (Deepak has a great one) and also EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique).9. Don’t eat shitty food.
Improve your diet, improve your mood. Ok, so this isn’t a newsflash, but crap food creates crap thoughts, sleep and health. Yet, when we’re blue we often go crazy with the crap. It’s sweater season after all, no one will see the ever growing donut taking up residence around our middle. But here’s the sitch: Trans fats, sugar (all that halloween candy you stole from your child), processed carbs, etc all contribute to the overall malaise that go hand in hand with SAD. Protect your brain chemistry, your metabolism and your blood sugar by choosing whole foods, healthy fats and lots of fibrous plant-tastic snacks and meals.
If you'd like more information about SAD and how to find a lightbox here's a website that could help http://www.sada.org.uk
This Week I'm Making...Watercress Soup
Always one for a healthy, quick and simple recipe, this one really ticks the box! Here's a bit of info from www.watercress.co.uk which tells you all about why these little green leaves are so good for you:
"Brimming over with an amazing 15 vital nutrients and minerals, gram for gram watercress can boast more vitamin C than oranges, more vitamin E than broccoli, more calcium than whole milk and more iron than spinach! Watercress also has exceptionally high levels of Beta-carotene which is converted into vitamin A in the body and needed for growth and development, immunity, and healthy vision, hair, skin, nails, bones and teeth."
And here's the recipe - it's a Jamie Oliver one:
• 2 potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 400ml stock
• 3 bunches watercress, chopped
(Serves 2-3)
1. In a large saucepan, sauté the potatoes, onions and and garlic in olive oil. Add the stock and simmer until the potatoes are soft. Add the chopped watercress and cook for 3–4 minutes.
2. Liquidise the soup, and serve with a swirl of crème fraîche.
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| Voila! |
This Week I'm Visiting... The Lake District
With 12 lakes and 3,500km of rights of way, the Lake District is a wonderful place to spend some time immersed in the delights of autumn. It's 22 years since I was last here(!) and I had forgotten just how beautiful it is. Incredibly lucky with the weather, I walked the hills with family, friends and dogs and soaked up the glorious views that truly make you glad to be alive.
We stayed in a gorgeous cottage in Keswick, a small town in the north of the Lakes with good pubs and restaurants and a plethora of outdoor clothing shops. I especially enjoyed not feeling the need to dress up while I was there - almost everyone was wearing walking boots and anoraks!
It's a long way to drive (5 hours on a good run) but it is worth it when you get there, and it hasn't put me off going back. I will return as part of my ongoing, long-term project to visit more places in the UK. If you're interested in finding out more about this part of the country click here for the Lake District website.
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| View over Derwentwater |
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| Deborah and Penny do a headstand on Dodd (with dogs!) |
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| Down-Dog on Dodd |
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| Up-Dog on Dodd |
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| View over Bassenthwaite Lake |
This Week I'm Growing...plants for next year
It's Tidy Up Time in the garden and as I cut back the Calendula and pull out the Cosmos I'm saving some seeds to sow in the spring.
The Calendula seeds look like this:
And the Cosmos seeds look like this:
Here's how to collect your own seed for free plants next year:
Choose a dry day to collect your seeds - soggy seeds will rot. Pick the dried flower and rub it between your fingers. The seeds will separate from the dried petals which you can discard. Leave the seeds in a warm place to dry out for a couple of days then put them into a paper envelope (so that any remaining moisture can evaporate), label them and store them somewhere cool and dry for the winter. The Calendula seeds can be sown in March as they are a hardy annual, and the Cosmos in April as they're not hardy and need milder conditions.
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