We've gotten a lot of calls this week from clients who are struggling with similar symptoms-- lack of energy and motivation, trouble sleeping, irritability, weight gain, fatigue, and craving carbohydrate-rich junk foods. These are all symptoms of winter depression known as Season Affective Disorder (SAD). Untreated, SAD can interfere with your daily life, but there are several simple ways to ease symptoms and rediscover your energy and vitality!
Vitamin D
"The sunshine vitamin" is our first recommendation for treating SAD. Winter days are colder and shorter, creating a lack of natural light exposure and therefore a vitamin D deficiency for those who live in cooler climates. Vitamin D supplementation in winter time not only strengthens the immune system, it also plays a significant role in the production of your brain's "happy hormones" serotonin and dopamine. We recommend getting outside as often as possible when the sun is out, as well as daily Vitamin D supplementation until the days are warm and long enough for you to get 30-60 minutes of sun exposure each day.
Hydration
Since your brain is largely made up of water, even mild dehydration can have a significant impact on your mood and energy levels. When the weather is cooler, we tend to feel less thirsty and drink less water or replace water with warm drinks such as coffee, tea, or cocoa. Make sure you're getting plenty of water to make sure your brain and body are able to function at their best!
St. John's Remedy
Our customers have used our St. John's Remedy for years to treat depression and anxiety with great success. St. John's wort does come with a few precautions, you don't want to take this formula with any other anti-depressants, but it can be a good starting point before trying a pharmaceutical route. Sometimes you just need a little bit of herbal support to give you the boost you need to get back to your normal self. Which brings us to our next recommendation:
Adrenal Complex
B vitamins play an important role in brain health. They keep your brain energized, positive and focused on a day-to-day basis, while helping to promote overall long-term brain health. Our Adrenal Complex is full of bio-available B vitamins, along with herbal adaptogens, which help nourish the adrenal glands and reduce stress hormone levels in the body (which in turn may also help with depression and anxiety levels). If you're already taking an anti-depressant and can't take our St. John's Remedy, you should safely be able to take our Adrenal Complex without a problem.
So there you have it, a few simple steps to ease Seasonal Affective Disorder. If you'd like a personalized program tailored to meet your body's needs, contact us to schedule a holistic health consultation today!
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