How to reduce the effects of Seasonal Affective Disorder naturally

Have you felt like your eyes would freeze if you went outside? This may have been one of the hardest winters with parts of the country experiencing the coldest weather EVER recorded. If this winter has gotten you down, Julie Daniluk is here with new ways to cope!

The lack of sunlight during the short winter days can cause Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. SAD means you experience low energy and sadness as a result of decreased sun exposure. Studies estimate that SAD affects as many as 10 percent of people in northern latitudes. (1)

Only 3 percent of Canadians are formally diagnosed with SAD, meaning that two thirds of SAD sufferers aren't realizing that the frozen tundra and lack of light for so many months is getting them down.(2) When your optic nerve senses sunlight, your body secretes serotonin — a mood-boosting neurotransmitter. In low light, the production of melatonin, a hormone that lowers body temperature and prompts drowsiness increases. Simply put, when you're not exposed to enough sunlight, you're likely to feel low energy. (3)

If you feel that you experience symptoms of SAD, you may wish to reach out to your doctor. Until then, you may want to have a closer look at what you're eating and make sure you're making the best choices. 

Energy Sappers and Stress Inducers

Bread 

Fluffy white bread may be delicious, but it’s also draining your energy. This is because once you’ve consumed refined grains found in foods such as bread, cookies, pastries or pasta, glucose is quickly released into the bloodstream. When this happens, insulin works to lower blood sugar, resulting in lower energy and leaving you feeling spent. (4)


Oatmeal

Interesting to note that even though oatmeal is enjoyed at breakfast in many parts of the world, it is sedative known to promote sleep! Similar to bread, the carbohydrates in the oatmeal cause your body’s insulin levels to rise, which in turn lowers your body’s blood sugar, making you feel tired. In addition, the oats contain melatonin, creating the perfect recipe for a snooze. (5)

Candy 

While a sugary treat may be tempting when you are feeling low, you will be left exhausted after a short period of time. Furthermore, Orexin, a chemical in your brain that helps you feel alert and awake has been shown to decrease after sugar consumption. (6)

Energy Lifters And Stress Reducers

Omega 3 and Vitamin D directly battle SAD

While winter will ignite your desire for high fat, high carb snacks, opt for Vitamin D rich foods such as healthy fish such as salmon, black cod, and sardines. If you do not like eating fish, Fish oil with Vitamin D will work in much the same way. Your body produces Vitamin D when exposed to direct sunlight, and Vitamin D has been shown to directly reduce the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder. (7) In the warmer months, most people will not need to focus on high Vitamin D foods or supplements unless they keep completely covered or spend most of the time indoors. The good news is that in Canada, you can request a Vitamin D blood test to determine your level of supplementation through your Medical Doctor or Naturopathic Doctor.

Natural sources of vitamin D

With 40% of North American’s are deficient in vitamin D (1, 2), you should focus on getting a minimum of 1,000 IU per day. That said, your specific needs could be even higher (4). Top sources include:

Fish & Seafood

• One 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of salmon contains 361 to 685 IU of vitamin D  60-112% RDI(5).
• Sardines are a good source of vitamin D as well — one serving contains 272 IU, or 45% of the RDI (10).

Mushrooms

One 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of dark mushrooms like Shiitake are an excellent source of vitamin D2 with some varieties packing up to 2,300 IU— 400% of the RDI (30). Be mindful that commercially grown mushrooms are often grown in the dark and contain very little D2.

Easy ways to incorporate mood boosting foods

Make Soup!

Check out my favourite fast shiitake mushroom soup recipe that I whip up during winter in just a few minutes.

Shiitake mushrooms are effective in protecting liver cells from toxins. Considering the liver is our major detox organ, it’s a great idea to give it the help it needs by including shiitake into our diet. Fresh shiitakes are becoming a common supermarket item, while dried ones are usually available in natural food stores. They have a meaty texture and add lots of flavour to gravy, soups and stir-fries.

Make an easy coconut yogurt parfait!

By adding sugar free chocolate chips, fresh banana slices and toasted coconut flakes, you can have a delicious and healthy parfait with a bit of tropical flavour.

Coconut, the ultimate energizer, contains MCT's (Medium Chain Triglycerides) that burn like a carbohydrate. (11) Coconut water-based smoothies provide electrolytes, which carry the electrical charge in your body giving you an added lift.

Supplementing with probiotics can help reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and digestive concerns, especially IBS.

Upgrade your coffee!

Coffee is such a passionate beverage for most  North Americans but does it work for you? Caffeine takes a certain amount of time to work through your system. One study showed that the half-life of caffeine in healthy adults is 5.7 hours. (12) This means if you consume 200mg of caffeine at mid-day, you would still have 100mg in you at around 5.45pm. Try to stick with one cup of coffee in the morning and then switch to kinder caffeine (tea or chocolate) later in the day. One great way to get your dose of caffeine and an added nutrional boost is with this avocado coffee smoothie!

By utilizing these foods in your winter diet, you can reduce the effects of SAD and live a happy and energized season!

References:

1. Stuart Kurlansik Ph.D. and Annamarie Ibay MD, “Seasonal Affective Disorder.” American Family Physician

2. Quick Facts: Mental Illness and Addiction in Canada. (2009). 

3. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) - Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario Division. (2014). 

4. Pyykkönen AJ1, Isomaa B, Pesonen AK, Eriksson JG, Groop L, Tuomi T, Räikkönen K. “Subjective sleep complaints are associated with insulin resistance in individuals without diabetes: the PPP-Botnia Study.” Diabetes Care. 2012 Nov;35(11):2271-8. doi: 10.2337/dc12-0348. Epub 2012 Jul 26.

5. Andrew Vickers, Catherine Zollman and Roberta Lee “Herbal medicine: Oats.” West J Med. 2001 Aug; 175(2): 125–128. PMCID: PMC1071505

6. Berlin I1, Grimaldi A, Landault C, Cesselin F, Puech AJ. “Suspected postprandial hypoglycemia is associated with beta-adrenergic hypersensitivity and emotional distress.” J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1994 Nov;79(5):1428-33.

7. Akash S. et al. (2013). "Improving the Vitamin D status of Vitamin D deficient adults is associated with improved mitochondrial oxidative function in skeletal muscle." The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism 98 (3), E509-E513.

8. Rosenthal N. E., Genhart M., Jacobsen F.M., et al. (1987). "Disturbances of appetite and weight regulation in seasonal affective disorder." Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 499, 216-230.

9. Wagner, H., Heidrun Norr1, Munchen and Hike Winterhoff  “Drugs with Adaptogenic Effects for Strengthening the powers of resistance” Munster 
Zeitschrift fur Phytotherapie 13: 42-54 (1992).

10. H O Meissner, P Mrozikiewicz, T Bobkiewicz-Kozlowska, A Mscisz, B Kedzia, A Lowicka, H Reich-Bilinska, W Kapczynski, I Barchia “Hormone-Balancing Effect of Pre-Gelatinized Organic Maca (Lepidium peruvianum Chacon): (I) Biochemical and Pharmacodynamic Study on Maca using Clinical Laboratory Model on Ovariectomized Rats” International Journal of Biomedical Science 2006 Sep; 2(3): 260–272. PMCID: PMC3614604

11. St.Onge M.P., Mayrsohn  B., O’Keeffe M., et al. (2014). "Impact of medium and long chain triglycerides consumption on appetite and food intake in overweight men." European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1-7.

12. Statland BE, Demas TJ. “Serum caffeine half-lives. Healthy subjects vs. patients having alcoholic hepatic disease.” Am J Clin Pathol. 1980 Mar;73(3):390-3.