January can be a depressing time for many.  All the Christmas celebrations are behind us, the weather is cold and dreary leaving us not much better.  Spring seems like such a distant thought, the ground outside is either covered by snow or all dirty from keeping the roads safe and there’s mud everywhere! Our schedules can be changed due to heavy snow and we can be home for extended hours.  The days are shorter having less sunshine than summer.  Our parents would call this the “Wintertime Blues”, but it has recently been seen as a psychological disorder known as Seasonal Affect Disorder” or SAD; below is a listing of possible symptoms.  Some Americans experience them to a full extent and actually are almost incapacitated by them (6%), while others just feel out of sorts (15%) and don’t really know why. 

• Increased sadness, hopelessness, crying or irritability
• Change in appetite (especially a craving for sweets or carbohydrates)
• Weight gain
• Reduction in energy level and sex drive
• Change in sleep/wake patterns (especially a tendency to oversleep)
• Avoidance of social situations
• Decreased concentration and creativity
• Difficulty completing tasks

There are a few theories as to why this happens.  One is that shortened days disrupt the natural circadian rhythms, our 24 hour biological clock that governs our day’s activities of waking, eating, and other bodily functions.  In addition to the infrequent hours of sunshine, many wear sunglasses for the glare on snow that diminishes the full spectrum of light that reaches into the back of the eye, and it affects us even more.  The changing of daylight hours has gone on for years, so why is it more noticeable now than centuries ago? Before electricity, people would live more by the daylight hours, hence taking the winter months to really rest and let their bodies be restored.  We tend to keep going full speed ahead!  Maybe some good old fashioned snow storm bound days would be good for us to take time to rest.  In the meantime, on those rare sunshiny days, try not to wear sunglasses when you’re out unless you have to.

During this time, many are driving to work in the dark and back home in the dark.  Sunshine is a rarely seen.  Our body needs sunshine and our skin needs it.  During these months, flax seed oil may help.  It has been called Liquid Sunshine for it has the natural factors that help keep calcium available to tissues.  If your skin is itchy and dry during this time, take at least a Tablespoon a day plus Calcium Lactate, the most available form of Calcium.  Of course make sure it a pure form that’s worth the investment of your time and money.  Getting a shower filter or bath ball to reduce the chlorine your body is exposed to can help with skin conditions too.

Another reason for SAD is that our bodies produce less Vitamin D during these times from less exposure to the ultraviolet rays where our bodies synthesize Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol) from cholesterol, and now many have lower levels of cholesterol in their blood to even make this conversion than years ago before “cholesterol phobia” made its way into our lives.  Plus, we bundle ourselves up in warm clothes and don’t expose our skin to the sun for Vit. D synthesis when we are outside!  Studies have been done that shows a drastic reduction of this syndrome by taking 4,000 IU of a quality Vit. D3 supplement.   Now you may say, “But wait a minute, the RDA is only 400 IU of Vit. D”.  Well that is the amount needed to keep outward signs of Rickets at bay, not to achieve good health, but FDA is actually raising that amount greatly as new research is coming out regularly on the effects of this deficiency.  I now believe it is one of those supplements that are always needed, winter or not.  Each year has brought about more research on Vitamin D3 and the reduction of cancer seen in those taking 4000-5000 IU daily.  Vitamin D3 comes in a soft-gel, tablet or liquid form for easier digestion.  Vitamin D3 is not the whole Vitamin complex, even though there is much research to back up using only D3, but I really prefer the whole complex in Cataplex D by Standard Process.  Plus you need much less for the same results.

            Less Melatonin is also produced by the pineal gland during darker days.  Melatonin in derived from serotonin which is closely linked to the amino acid tryptophan from meats and proteins.  While I mention these, I’m sure your mind is recognizing some key components of emotional health: melatonin, serotonin, and tryptophan.  While all high protein foods contain some tryptophan, it usually loses the competition with other amino acids for entry into the brain where it can be metabolized. Paradoxically, a high carbohydrate diet, which is relatively low in tryptophan and other amino acids, actually encourages a greater proportion of tryptophan to enter the brain. This accounts for the carbohydrate cravings (sweets, pop, bread, pasta, potatoes, etc.) which many SAD sufferers experience, thus the weight gain. This should not be taken as justification for eating junk food, however. Instead, try to eat more nutritious complex carbohydrate sources like vegetables, brown rice and beans.  This is where supplementation can also be of benefit by taking L-Tryptophan, Melatonin or 5-HTP (an herbal-source metabolite of tryptophan and a direct precursor to serotonin),

            A full spectrum light box with 10,000 lux of illumination flooding your body with as much skin exposed as possible for 30 minutes each morning while you’re getting ready for the day can also help.  Here is the brief list of what you can do to minimize the “wintertime blues” if you already have them or before they come along this year:

·         Take a quality Vitamin D3, 4000-6000 IU, or Cataplex D

·         There are also good flavors of flax oil that even kids will like! 

·         Eat organic, complex carbohydrate diet with protein

·         Also take one of these: 5-HTP, Melatonin or L-Tryptophan

·         Get a full spectrum light box for your bath/bedroom

·         Roll up your sleeves and don’t wear gloves when you can to get more sunshine

            Taking care of yourself during every season of the year can be time consuming, but it is all worth it.  Really look at how you may alter your schedule to find ways you can get out on sunshiny days.  Spring will come, I guarantee it! Life is way too short to be down when there are things you can do to help today.