Hi there,
Some of us have hit October HARD, in England, we have had some serious rain and it had been a pretty overcast week. Today started off cold, brrrr….., but it is has turned into an absolutely DELIGHTFUL, crunchy BRIGHT blue sky, the sun is shining and there is LIGHT, some are wearing sunglasses. This leads me onto today’s subject…SAD.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is real and it is mainly due to the lack of NATURAL LIGHT.
Symptoms of SAD …
Depression
Lethargy
Negative thoughts
Social isolation
Difficulty concentrating
There can even be anxiety towards the end of summer with the thought of winter being around the corner.
Studies suggest that many people who suffer from SAD may also experience other mental health imbalances such as anxiety, mood swings, social isolation NOT only during the autumn/winter season, but the lack of daylight heightens the mental-emotional imbalances.
If you have severe SAD, I would highly recommend seeing a practitioner who is ‘SAD savvy’ and who understands how the lack of light impacts the CIRCADIAN RHYTHM and hence mental-emotional balance.
I use a combination of tools, from lifestyle recommendations, nutrition as well as homeopathy and/or RTT where/if necessary.
However, I want to share some VITAL tips here to get you going…
Get out in the light, I hear people say but there is no light, BUT oh there is but you have to GRAB those days, don’t let them pass you by. When there is light, remove yourself from the office desk, your computer, your comfy sofa and invest in your health NOTHING replaces SUNLIGHT, nada.
Cut out junk, specifically sugar-laden food and stimulants. These impact the way your body ‘reads’ the messages from its happy molecule SEROTONIN and from your body’s natural VALIUM known as GABA. Blood sugar imbalances impact mood whether you are prone to depression or not. Learn to balance your blood sugar and boost your health by investing in the e-book ‘Fat Doesn’t Make You Fat’
Get your body moving, something like Yoga for the mind and soul or Tai Chi…If the gym ‘floats your boat’ so be it, but I recommend movement that will release energy blocks from the body, clearing the mind and improving mood, creating BALANCE and BLISS
Vitamin Nature (Vitamin N) …get your layers on and go for a MINDFUL WILD walk in the woods/forest. Listen to the birds, FEEL nature, notice the colours, notice the webs, FEEL your feet as you walk the earth, CONNECT with the season using your senses
Invest in a light box. The minimum power of the lightbox should be at least 10, 000 lux, this light is 5-25 times the amount of normal indoor lighting and is shown to reduce SAD
Get your Vitamin D tested, more HERE BUT PLEASE no calcium in your vitamin D supplement. IDEALLY, you want to ensure you have the holy trinity of A, D and K
Last but NOT least, start nourishing your body and mind with ROOT vegetables. ROOT vegetables are rich in an amino acid called TRIMETHYLGLYCINE (TMG) and this TMG is critical in making the happy chemical SEROTONIN and NORADRENALINE (your ‘get go’ ). It is also vital in making SAMe which is kind of a biochemical SUPER-POWER. I love stews, be it vegetable stews, or if you eat meat then meat stews with plenty of root vegetables. Nature gives you root vegetables when they are most needed. They are also rich in antioxidants, flavor, and WARMTH (a bit like a ‘food hug;). Now for those of you who think, oohhh I can just order supplemental TMG …I would check in with a nutritionist as it is not as easy as taking the supplement and ‘Job DONE’. The symphony of the methylation pathway which TMG is also involved in is not to be taken lightly, start with the ROOT vegetables they have ALOT more than just TMG.
From a fellow ex-SAD sufferer, hear me when I say you can do it, we even did a ‘recky’ of Southern California when I was at my worse with SAD with a view to moving there. I do the above and I do not do the above because I NEED to, but because it has become a way of life for me now and I sure do not want to experience SAD again.
Remember to get stewing, SOUP-making and grab my e-book HERE
If you need more support during this time, then drop me an email and I am happy to book you in for an appointment
To Health!
Khush
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