Winter Blues or Seasonal Affective Disorder: 8 Ways to Deal With it

Winter blues or Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depressive condition that is believed to be caused by the changing seasons. Typically, symptoms worsen around fall and peak during the winter season. Symptoms of SAD are similar to other forms of depression, including feeling hopeless, difficulty in concentration, social withdrawal, and increased fatigue.

Treatment for Winter Blues : 8 Ways to Deal With it

Treatments for SAD include talk therapy, medication, exercise, and having a healthy diet. Use these mood-boosting recipes and meal ideas to help you get rid of SAD with your fork.

#1. Have Lean Proteins

Lean meats are high in omega-3s, and are a great source of lean proteins. While a richly marbled rib steak is delicious, but it’s high saturated fat content may not be good for your mood or for your body. Lean proteins also carry plenty of amino acids, which may have a positive affect on your mood. These proteins are also a great source of energy, which is needed to beat fatigue.

#2. Increase Intake of Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fatty acids have been praised for ages for their health benefits, including possibly a positive influence on your mood. Studies from the University of Pittsburgh have been found that people with higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids were less likely to experience symptoms of depression.

Flax seeds, walnuts, and salmon are the products that contain the highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids

#3. Munch on Berries

Stress is the core problem which aggravates depression symptoms and exhausts your body. Blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries help to prevent the release of cortisol, which is a hormone produced by the adrenal gland. When there is a stressful situation, cortisol heads toward your hippocampus, a portion of the brain that stores memories, gives emotional responses, and helps in navigation. Keep these berries in your bag to combat stress when it hits. 

You can try blueberry peach smoothie for a kick start to your day.

#4. Limit The Intake Of Sugars

Sugars might give you a happy boost at first, but researchers from UCLA suggest that too much sugar and too few omega-3 fatty acids can functionally affect your brain activity and slow it down. It’s better to stay away from sugar — especially if you’re experiencing depression. The crash after a high sugar intake can easily make you feel worse than before.

#5. Take Folic Acid

Some research on folic acid’s effectiveness on the brain has given insight on how it can boost your mood. There’s some evidence that shows that the body uses folic acid to create serotonin — a neurotransmitter that affects mood — but there’s no proper evidence on how it works. However, Including it in your diet is a good idea.

Get this serotonin creator from leafy greens, oatmeal, oranges, sunflower seeds, fortified cereals, black-eyed peas, lentils and soybeans.

#6. Include Vitamin B-12

Like folic acid, decreased levels of vitamin B-12 in the blood are  found to be associated with depression, but researchers can’t find proper evidence as to why. 

There are lots of tasty ways to fit vitamin B-12 into your diet. Food sources of this b complex vitamin include lean beef, clams, crab, oysters, wild salmon, eggs, yogurt, cottage cheese, milk, and fortified cereals.

Get B-12 through a smoked salmon frittata.

#7. Have Vitamin D

This vitamin is known as the “sunshine vitamin” because your body makes it by using cholesterol in your body and absorbs natural sunshine. Your mood may improve with little  exposure to sunlight of at least 10 minutes. That is why light therapy is important for treatment of SAD. Your body can sometimes absorb vitamin D through food as well. 

Food products of vitamin D include milk, egg yolks, fish, and mushrooms. You can also get this vitamin in supplement form.

#8. Munch on Dark Chocolate

Chocolates are yummy, tasty and also a good way to self-medicate when in down times.  Research showed that dark chocolate significantly improved mood, which is linked with a high polyphenol content. So, when you’re feeling low, pick up a bar filled with the highest cocoa content.