Don't want to be S.A.D. again this winter!

[Honeywith4bees]

So I have lived in New England for most of my life and ever since I was an adult I have noticed that my mood greatly declines in the Fall and Winter months. Last year was particularly bad so this year I am trying to be proactive in dealing with the problem.

I went to an Acupuncturist last year who suggested that I have a cold, damp constitution and that I should quit eating the mostly raw food I was eating and switch to a diet of mainly warm or hot, cooked foods. He told me to not drink cold beverages, start using a hair dryer on my long hair instead of letting it air dry which I usually do, and to keep getting needled twice a week. That seemed to help at the time, although the cost became too prohibitive, so I had to quit the needling.

I had a great late Spring and Summer. I was up and out of bed most mornings by 5AM. I increased my running endurance and started working on sprints. At the gym I've made strength gains and I continued my Yoga practice by attending class twice a week. I worked in my garden so that in the morning I could go out to the garden and pick a huge, fresh salad to bring with me to work, went back to eating lots of raw foods. I enjoyed a pretty enjoyable relationship with my children even during times when we were experiencing conflict, had a fabulous vacation at the beach with my boyfriend and our seven kids (plus two girlfriends of the older boys that tagged along for a few days).

Now, here it is, only the first week of October, and I am feeling so down already. I dread the cold, damp darkness.

I have started eating and drinking warm food again. I bought a dawn simulator lamp for next to my bed, I'm taking 400mg of Sam E every morning along with fish oil and Calcium/Magnesium later in the day. I eat well, I exercise, I socialize, but its becoming a struggle. Saturday morning I got in the truck and started to drive to Yoga, then turned around and just came back home.

I can't move to a warmer, sunnier climate just yet (maybe when the kids are grown).

I've tried to embrace the natural slow down of this period of the year, but I end up just feeling VERY unhappy. I make everyone around me feel unhappy as well.

Does anyone have any other suggestions or ideas?

[bdp]

Vitamin D could be a factor.

[Angela]

Originally Posted by Honeywith4bees

Does anyone have any other suggestions or ideas?

Yes. Please check in with us (with ME!) when you feel it coming on, and would like to talk it through or hear about how much you are loved, safe, and supported. Please feel free to jiggle the connection, and to untie the knot in the hose so that love and freedom and joy can flow easily in and out.

[WordKeeper]

I have been reading about and learning alot about magnesium particularly magnesium taurate from CardioVascular Research. Georgy Eby (google him) has written scientific explanations about research done to verify that this helps and explains the science behind it.

I have been taking magnesium taurate again recently to cut through depression and anxiety and it makes a significant difference.

You are doing all of the things that I do to ward off depression with the sole exception of magnesium.

Google magnesium taurate and George Eby and see if that sounds like something that might help you.

[icanhaveablast]

I have this problem every year as well. This year I'm trying to take steps so that I don't, though.

I think a huge problem for me is just energy, and not wanting to be cold. Do you really think that it helps to stop eating so many raw foods? I've actually been trying to do that more, because I find that I have a lot less energy and don't feel as good when I get stuck in the cycle of not eating as many fruits and vegetables.

So I've sort of been trying to do that and to run regularly, and to be conscious of the cold. And also I have plans to bundle up a lot this year when I go out - because I find that it's always so easy to go an entire winter without ever having a real coat, because it's easy to think, "oh it doesn't make much of a difference, since I'm only going to be outside for a few seconds anyway." But I think that it probably does.

Also, I think that it is good sometimes to force yourself to go out, especially if you know that you are prone to stay in because of the cold or because you get in a mood. Sometimes it seems like it will be a pain to go do something, and that it might be good to just not go, but many of those times, at least for me, I find that I later reflect that it was better to go.

Definitely post if you have more ideas, or if you find other things that work for you.

[Honeywith4bees]

Originally Posted by bdp

Vitamin D could be a factor.

I wonder about this too. You know how sometimes people crave food when they are deficient in some type of vitamin or mineral? I fell like I literally CRAVE sunshine. I guess I could research the common doseage and try supplementing for awhile.

Thanks for the suggestion!

Originally Posted by Angela

Yes. Please check in with us (with ME!) when you feel it coming on, and would like to talk it through or hear about how much you are loved, safe, and supported. Please feel free to jiggle the connection, and to untie the knot in the hose so that love and freedom and joy can flow easily in and out.

Thanks Angela! That kind of offer feels good to hear anytime, not just when I get the Winter blahs!!

Originally Posted by WordKeeper

I have been reading about and learning alot about magnesium particularly magnesium taurate from CardioVascular Research. Georgy Eby (google him) has written scientific explanations about research done to verify that this helps and explains the science behind it.

I am taking the Balanced Calcium/Magnesium supplement from the Dr. Andrew Weil line everyday. Do you think that the Magnesium taurate is significantly different from that?

Originally Posted by icanhaveablast

Do you really think that it helps to stop eating so many raw foods?

I still eat lots of fruit and vegetables, just not so much raw, now more steamed and cooked.

Originally Posted by icanhaveablast

And also I have plans to bundle up a lot this year when I go out

Me too. I'm already wearing long socks, long sleeves and sweaters. And it's only October 6th. I have a circulation disorder that seems to make me extra cold all the time, so I do try to dress real warm. There's not much to help my hands or feet though.


Thanks for the suggestions so far. Anyone here from Norway or Alaska or another one of those dark all Winter places? How do you do it??

[Dimond]

Many raw foodists say to use warming spices/foods like cayenne, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, basil, parsley, garlic, etc. If you can get a dehydrator that can allow you to still be raw, but have warmer foods. You can warm up foods like soups in a Vitamix or Blendtec. I'm always cold & just leave food out for a bit before eating and wear warm clothes when I do. Those that have had issues say they've been resolved by sticking with raw.

I hope you find something that helps.

[funchy]

It could be you are suffering from SAD.

Light therapy seems to help many people. It's worth looking into. If you're going to buy a lamp, do your homework. There are some cheesy "full spectrum" lights out there.

I found that daily exercise helped me alot in the dark winter months. I forced myself to do it, even if I didn't want to. If you don't have a good place to work out, do what I did and join a place like the Y. I signed up for my Y's pool workout classes in their heated indoor pool, and helped quite a bit. You don't have to do a super-intensity workout to get the benefits. Sometimes it's just 30 or so minutes of raised heartrate per day that makes all the difference.

[The Cloud]

Originally Posted by Honeywith4bees

I fell like I literally CRAVE sunshine.

Then buy sunshine! From what I've remember of my psychology courses, 30 minutes or so a day under a lamp that imitates sunlight is a highly effective treatment for S.A.D.