Your Monthly Check-Up: Feeling SAD?

For many of us, this winter came with a vengeance. Between the sub-zero temperatures of the polar vortex and the feet upon feet of snow, people living in the colder climates just can’t catch a break. Add to this the decreased daylight hours and you’ve got a recipe for SAD, or Seasonal Affective Disorder.

According to “Beating the Winter Blues” by Jill Metzler Patton in December 2013 issue of “Experience Life” magazine, up to one-third of people living in the US experience symptoms of SAD, including decreased mood and energy, feelings of depression or sadness or sleepiness/sleeplessness during the colder, darker months.

“For bodies originally designed to rise with the sun and retreat to caves at nightfall, the loss of daylight hours can throw internal rhythms out of whack,” Metzler Patton writes in her article. Our internal clocks are largely controlled by melatonin, the hormone that regulates our sleep-wake cycles and is made of the same molecule as serotonin, which promotes feelings of well-being.

Melatonin levels rise in the evening, but the longer winter nights cause the brain to release more melatonin at the expense of serotonin, as explained by psychiatrist Henry Emmons, MD, in the article. Reduced serotonin triggers mood-depleting feelings and behaviors. But there are ways to offset this.

One solution is to use a light box that emits 10,000 lux of full-spectrum light that mimics the sun and resets your body clock. “Bright light therapy is the fastest known established treatment for seasonal depression,” says psychologist Stephen Ilardi, PhD, in the article. Just 20 to 30 minutes in the morning hours and 15 to 20 minutes in the evening can help offset the effects of SAD.

Avoiding sweets is also a great way to feel better when the winter blues take hold, as simple carbs cause a surge of insulin that makes you feel good but doesn’t last. “Eating sugary foods erodes your resilience,” says Emmons, noting that simple carbs spike your blood sugar and lead to crashes. Instead, opt for complex carbs like legumes, beans and root vegetables that help keep your blood sugar stable.

Taking a combination of supplements can help keep the brain in balance, as well. Foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon and walnuts, help the brain use serotonin more efficiently. Vitamin D3 can reduce inflammation and help elevate mood as the body makes less of it during the winter. And Vitamin B complex has been shown to be helpful in treating depression, according to Emmons.

A good workout is a great defense against the winter blues, though making it to the gym when temps plummet isn’t the easiest thing to do. According to Metzler Patton’s article, a 1999 study by Duke University shows that brisk exercise three times per week is as effective as drug therapy in alleviating symptoms of depression. An added bonus: losing weight and getting stronger with regular exercise!

Getting adequate restful sleep is important year-round but especially in the winter months when our body clocks are going haywire. Excessive sleeping, or hypersomnia, is a big facet of SAD, and Ilardi says, “There’s nothing wrong with sleeping nine hours a night” for the sleep-deprived. But more than quantity, the slow-wave, restorative sleep is what SAD-sufferers tend to lack in the winter.

Last but not least, practicing yoga and mindfulness can act as powerful antidepressants. “You can chemically change your brain through mindfulness,” Emmons states. “You have some say in what pathways you reinforce, what neural connections you’re firing and wiring.” Energizing yoga practices can help increase mental clarity and restore your energy during the cold, dark winter months.

Light therapy, nutrition, exercise, sleep and mindfulness are the remedies for helping you through the time of year that can be difficult for many people. Emmons says, “If you learn to pay attention to your body – how it’s starting to change and react to the season – you can listen to what it needs and respond.”

Read Metzler Patton’s full article here.

Your Monthly Check-Up: Vital Nutrients

Do you feel like something’s missing? Something important that you can’t quite put your finger on? Maybe a little vitamin D, iron or omega-3 fatty acids? What’s that? You don’t know if you’re missing any of these vital nutrients? Then keep reading.

One of the problems with nutrition in America is that people are getting plenty to eat; they’re just not eating enough of the right things. “Heavily processed foods full of refined flours and processed sugars provide plenty of calories but not a lot of nutrients,” says nutrition expert Alan Gaby, MD, quoted in the article “When Nutrients Go Missing” by Matthew Kadey, MSc, RD in October’s issue of “EXPERIENCE L!FE” magazine. “In essence, we are overfed but undernourished.”

In his article, Kadey points to five essential nutrients that are going missing from the American diet. Not only do these nutrients provide life-sustaining benefits and prevent health problems, but serious symptoms can potentially arise if the body becomes deficient. These nutrients, in alphabetical order, are iron, magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D and vitamin E.

Iron

The function of iron is to help red blood cells transport oxygen from the lungs throughout the body – kind of important, right? An iron deficiency causes anemia, brittle nails, swelling or soreness of the tongue, frequent infections and affects memory and attention. Heavy menstruation, too much processed food, not enough red meat and sometimes endurance sports can all cause iron deficiency.

Magnesium

Eating a lot of processed grub? Then you’re probably short on this nutrient, which comes from plant-based whole foods. Each and every one of your cells needs magnesium for energy production and performing many other chemical reactions. A deficiency in magnesium may “exacerbate inflammation, which can set the stage for cancer, stroke and even type 2 diabetes,” according to Kadey’s article.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Many Americans are conditioned to steer clear of the word “fat,” but this is one you actually want to have in your body. Omega-3 helps with inflammation, which can “lower your chances for depression and dementia, reduce cancer and diabetes risk and improve joint health,” as stated in the article. Omega-3s come from fatty fish like wild salmon, sardines and mackerel, as well as grass-fed meats.

Vitamin D

According to Michael Wald, PhD, ND, an expert source Kadey quotes in his article, vitamin D is “necessary for every single cell of every single tissue in the body to work optimally.” Vitamin D acts more like a hormone than a vitamin and helps the body absorb calcium. The biggest source of D is from the sun, which is probably why three-quarters of Americans are deficient, so get out there!

Vitamin E

Found in nuts, seeds, olive oil, avocados, whole grains and dark leafy greens, vitamin E is an antioxidant and an enemy of bacteria and viruses that helps maintain your immune system and assists in the development of red blood cells. Though deficiency is rare, steering clear of processed foods wouldn’t hurt. Also, try to get enough sleep and avoid excess sugar and environment pollution.

While your best bet is to acquire these nutrients through their whole food source, sometimes this just isn’t possible, in which case supplements for all of these nutrients are generally widely available. Get all the facts by reading the “EXPERIENCE L!FE” article in its entirety here.

Your Monthly Check-Up: Give Yourself a Boost!

It’s 2:30 p.m. and you’re crashing – hard. What’s your plan? Do you reach for the candy bowl? Hit the soda machine? Run out for a sugary beverage from the local coffee shop? Stop right there. While these quick fixes do the trick for a little while, the after effects may leave you even more lethargic than you were before. Sound familiar?

An article in the July/August issue of “Healthy Living Made Simple” (a publication for Sam’s Club® members) titled “Get Energized” by Dr. Andrew Myers points to several great naturally occurring nutrients that can help boost your energy level, rev your metabolism and increase your output well into the 4 o’clock hour.

According to Dr. Myers’ article, energy is the ability to perform a task, and in order to have an adequate amount of energy, the body requires both macronutrients (food) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). While it’s probably no surprise that most Americans get too many macronutrients in the form of calories, most don’t get enough nutrients, and you need the right balance in order to keep your body healthy, energized and functioning properly.

So besides food and nutrients, exercise, sleep and plenty of water, how else can you boost your energy levels, especially when that 3 o’clock slump hits? Dr. Myers points to caffeine sources such as coffee, tea, kola nuts, chocolate, green coffee and green tea as natural ways to stimulate your central nervous system and even aid your metabolism.

If you’re already getting enough caffeine and are looking for something else, why not try B-complex or a multivitamin? Cheese, eggs, lamb, fish, fortified cereals and soy products are all great sources of vitamin B. Some multivitamins are specially formulated to perk you up, so check out one that might work for you.

Other natural energy boosters include chromium, which is found in whole grains, green beans, broccoli and bran cereals; ginseng; guarana, a highly caffeinated South African fruit; and taurine, which can be found in fish and meat proteins or taken as a supplement. Each of these is also available as an extra which can be taken as a supplement.

Hopefully you’re feeling more alert just reading about these energy boosters, but if not, don’t take our word for it – try it yourself! You’ll be glad you did, and so will your over-sugared body! Let us know what you think works best in the “Comments” section below.