#11: Beating the Winter Blues & Tips for Staying Healthy Through the Holidays

Clean Eating for Women with Carrie Forrest, MPH in Nutrition

So many of us are affected by the winter blues or seasonal affective disorder. I talk about ideas for natural and more holistic treatments to prevent and fight this condition on today’s episode #11.

In this episode of the Clean Eating for Women podcast, I talk about:

• How Seasonal Affective Disorder is considered a type of depression.
• The signs of major depression.
• Signs and causes of Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Some highlights of this episode:

1. How Seasonal Affective Disorder is a depression that starts in the late fall or early winter and goes away in spring or summer. [13:37]
2. Major depression is feeling depressed most of the day, problems with sleep, frequent thoughts of death, feeling hopeless or worthless, losing interest in activities, changes in appetite or weight, and difficulty concentrating. [16:31]
3. Symptoms of seasonal depression include having low energy, hypersomnia, overeating, weight gain, craving carbohydrates, and social withdrawal. [17:12]
4. Risks factors are being female, living where you don't get as much sunshine, family history of depression, you've had depression before, and being younger. [18:19]
5. Serotonin levels can be a cause. As well as over producing melatonin. Vitamin D deficiency can also be a cause. [20:12]
6. Treatments include light therapy, antidepressants, cognitive therapy or a therapist, and vitamin D supplementation. More natural treatments include herbs, supplements, movement, and diet. [23:48]
7. My experience of feeling like I had Seasonal Affective Disorder last year. I had a lot of risk factors including family history of depression. My cat died. I was under-medicated for thyroid issues. I stopped going to the gym. [25:44]
8. Ideas of how I came out of this include seeing a functional medicine doctor, switching up my exercise, getting foster kittens, and I went to Hawaii with my husband. This year I try to get outside for at least 20 minutes, spend time with friends, I have a lamp for SAD, I take Vitamin D, St. John's Wort and 5 HTP. [30:48]
9. Stay on your diet and exercise routine, focus on your self-care, eat clean, talk with your healthcare provider about supplements, and get quality sleep. [41:03]

Links mentioned in this episode (some affiliate links included):

• Clean Eating 101 Starter Kit - Leave an iTunes review - take a screenshot - email that screenshot to [e-mail]
• Enviromedica Ancient Minerals magnesium Goodnight (use code CLEANEATING1 for 15% off during checkout)
• Otto’s Naturals Cassava Flour (use code CLEANEATING for discount during checkout)
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1 800 (273) - 8255