From Eeyore to SpongeBob

Oh-h-h-h, bother! And it is for people who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Their daily life is overcome with fatigue, depression, hopelessness, lack of interest and social involvement, weight gain possibly due to carbohydrate cravings and irritability, or any combination of the symptoms. SAD, or the "Winter Blues," affect people most often in the winter months, due to the lack of sunlight and shorter days, particularly people who live north of the equator, but can also affect people in spring through fall. The disorder during the warmer, sunnier days of the year, has the opposite effects, creating insomnia, loss of weight, agitation and normal to high mood swings.

The shorter days during the winter have an affect on the majority of the population in northern climates, and are not considered a disorder unless symptoms persist for days at a time. If eating and sleeping habits change, and social activities are avoided for days and weeks, SAD may be the issue. The difference between feeling down on overcast days and having a problem with SAD is the ability to change your mood.

The main reason for SAD is unknown, but can be linked to age, genetics and a person's chemical makeup. According to mayoclinic.com, the disorder may be from a disruption in a person's biological clock, an increase in melatonin and a decrease in serotonin levels, which change with shorter days and the lack of  sunlight.

So, what are some solutions to SAD?

1) Create a bright environment, at work and home. Let the sun in to brighten overall mood.

2) Eat right. Stay away from foods high in sugars that will give temporary highs and send the mood into a downward spiral shortly after.

3) Exercise. Exercising increases serotonin levels which are known to relieve stress and anxiety, and improve mood.

4) Supplement with vitamin D, a good multivitamin/multimineral and fish oil.  Research has shown low vitamin D levels to be linked to SAD and other forms of depression, and a number of other well-known diseases. Improper diet results in improper nutrient intake to keep a body functioning properly. When one area of the body is weakened, others are affected. EPA and DHA in fish oil, taken daily, has shown many benefits in boosting brain health.

So, with all this in mind, look at winter in a more positive light. It doesn't have to be the same dreary season year after year. All it takes are some minor changes to make any season look optimistic and go from thinking like Eeyore to feeling like SpongeBob.

Patience and Benefits

Supplementation can be a tricky thing. It takes careful planning to start and maintain a supplement regimen. We suggest doing as much research about a company - background information, product certifications, product testing, return policy, and customer service - as would be done on a particular type of product.

Feel comfortable with a company before ordering. Does the company seem to have high standards? Do they seem trustworthy? These can be substantiated by browsing the website and calling the company directly. Once this is established and the company feels like the right company for you, the next step would be to research their products.

Research the products that would be good, everyday supplements like a multivitamin and multimineral, probiotics, fish oil and L-glutamine powder. Start each product at intervals to judge the effects of the product. After a short period of time, these four basics will keep you feeling good by helping a broad range of minor symptoms and maintaining a healthy immune system.

If there are specific conditions to be addressed, wait a few months after starting a few supplements before incorporating another supplement in your daily regimen so the body can tell you what is working well and what may need to be adjusted. Taking too many supplements initially may create problems and become discouraging because there is the potential for a reaction to an ingredient. Eliminating each product over time becomes a long process to determine which ingredient is the cause.

Patience just may be the key to supplementation. Its definately a slow process to ultimately take whats right for you and your specific conditions, however, just think about how long it has taken for you to get unhealthy. And, even though it may take some thought, work and time to get healthy, the future will hold everyday benefits.