Many people this time of year tend to struggle with Seasonal Affective Disorder. When the days  get shorter, and the temperatures drop, depression can set in. For some people, this isn’t just a mild or temporary case of depression. It is a condition that can last from the beginning of fall to the end of winter. 

Some signs and symptoms that go along with SAD are persistent sadness, gloominess, or emptiness, irritability, mood swings, feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, or guilt, loss of interest or pleasure in activities previously enjoyed, or thoughts of not wanting to live.

Physical symptoms may include increased sleepiness or insomnia, fatigue, changes in appetite (increased or decreased), weight gain or loss, aches and pains or headaches. 

What causes this to happen year after year? Some causes could be the shorter days and less sunshine that disrupts production of melatonin. Our bodies naturally want to slow down and rest during the winter. If you look at animals, they do the same thing. We may create the problem by expecting to have the same energy levels during the cold winter as we do in the spring and summer. We have natural rhythms and to honor them, we need to adjust our activities accordingly. 

Many times we turn to comfort food to help cope with this disorder but this may be contributing to the problem if the food you are eating is loaded with sugar, white flour and excessive fat. The Standard American Diet needs to be looked at and adjusted to eliminate harmful foods. Let’s instead eat a healthy diet following the guidelines of the mucusless diet of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds. We are able to talk to so many people who have adopted this way of eating, and they tell us how much better they feel in so many ways. They are able to overcome many illnesses and diseases. 

Solutions: Exercise and fresh air. It may be cold outside but getting out and moving your body creates endorphins or happy hormones that can make you feel better. Laughter is another way to produce happy hormones. Playing with children, singing, humming, whistling are all very helpful as well.

Herbal help:

Dr. Christopher always had his patients do his extended herbal cleanse using the Lower Bowel, Kidney, Liver Gallbladder, and the Bloodstream formulas to help clear the toxins out of their body. We would also recommend the Mindtrac formula which was created to help with emotional issues and depression, Memory Plus to help with better brain function and circulation to the brain, Blood Circulation for overall circulation, or the Relaxease formula to feed the nervous system and reduce stress. We also need to make sure we are getting proper nutrients by taking the Vitalerbs formula.

Seasonal Affective Disorder is a real concern and affects approximately 11 million people in the U.S. each year. Women seem to be more affected by it. If you or someone you love struggles with this disorder, I hope the suggestion in this article will be helpful.