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New web portal helps increase businesses’ productivity
Lucie Sauvageau
for Smoky River Express
During the long dark days of winter, many people enter a depressed state which is commonly known as Sad (Seasonal Affective Disorder).
I know that I am one of those people who suffer from it.
Our long winter months and lack of sunlight can take a toll on a person after awhile, and light deprivation alters brain chemistry in certain individuals.
In the form of diet and nutrition, these people tend to crave sweets and starches as the carbohydrate foods trigger a release of serotonin in the brain and thus provide a temporary improvement in the condition. Interestingly enough, in “normal” people carbohydrate foods tend to have a sedative effect. But in those with SAD, carbohydrate foods have the opposite effect.
For example, they will lift the mood and energy levels. Whatever the case may be, it is not advisable for those who suffer from SAD symptoms to go on a high protein, low carbohydrate diet during the winter months. It is better if one eats a complex carbohydrate diet ( e.g. pasta, bread, beans, grains) rather than go for the quick sugar fix of sweets and cookies.
SAD can be treated by a number of ways. Some find relief by using light therapy, which involves exposing yourself to light of a certain frequency for fifteen minutes to two hours per day. The lights work because more melatonin (a hormone produced by the pineal gland in the brain), is produced in the dark, or on dark days like our cloudy winter days, and therefore helps prevent the production of too much melatonin. Apparently, for some people, when a person produces a certain level of melatonin, it triggers the onset of depression.
Another approach is to make sure that you’re getting enough nutrients in your diet or in supplemental form. So taking a daily multivitamin with minerals may be helpful for alleviating depression, as well as your essential fatty acids(3-6-9). Recently, there has been a lot of excitement about vitamin D and it’s benefits to those who may suffer from depression, especially during winter when more of our skin is covered by clothing. We can get our vitamin D naturally by exposing our skin to the sun’s ultraviolet rays, where a cholesterol compound in the skin is transformed into vitamin D. Exposing the face and hands to the sun for fifteen minutes three times a week is an effective way to ensure adequate amounts of vitamin D in the body. However, the darker the skin,(skin pigment blocks the sun) the longer the exposure needs to be for proper absorption. As for us northerners, when the sun doesn’t show it’s face for days throughout the winter months, you might want to see your doctor and ask him for his advice whether you need to be taking vitamin D, or to get tested for vitamin D deficiency before deciding to take anything. If pills or a visit to your doctor doesn’t suit your fancy, you can get your vitamin D from natural sources like dairy products and eggs, butter, cod liver oil, liver, oatmeal, tuna, salmon, sardines, sweet potatoes and also in herbs like parsley to name a few.
Also, make sure to get plenty of rest. Avoid stress as much as possible, and try to keep your mind and body active by getting regular exercise. Studies show that any activity like walking, swimming, weight training, and dancing helps to lift depression.
It’s also known that the parts of our brain that deals with emotions and music are next to each other and have been proven to be very uplifting and stress relieving by working together.
So you might want to take up some music lessons, join a choir or you can just crank up the volume and sing and dance along the next time you’re listening to your favourite tunes. And if you’re still looking for a quicker fix for the winter blues?... I hear they make great Margaritas down in Mexico.
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