Winter Blues, SAD
25 million Americans are said to be affected by some form of
“winter blues”, or seasonal affective disorder--SAD.
Especially after the festive holiday season.
Change in mood, mild depression, loss of vitality, irritability,
increased appetite,--especially craving for sugar, refined
carbohydrates.
Sounds familiar?
What you eat affects your mood
Among other things, the modern way of eating strongly affects
how we feel.
In the fall and winter, the energy begins to contract.
The trees lose their leaves, the animals hibernate, snow and ice
cover the ground.
At these times, we are supposed to eat stronger, more
contractive foods, such as hearty whole grains, root vegetables,
and dried foods, with heavier, longer cooking methods and a bit
more salt and seasonings than spring and summer.
This helps balance the cold and dark atmosphere.
But when we do not eat according to the environment, we are
quickly out of harmony and experience imbalances at many levels.
In fact, super markets and grocery stores provide endless
selections of foods to choose from all year around. Convenient,
yes. But not natural.
SAD arises from a combination of excessive consumption of meat
and other high-fat high-cholesterol animal foods.
These are considered extreme “yang” foods, and they make you
crave for sugar---extreme yin--- and simple carbohydrate, which
is the hallmark of SAD.
Tips for “Winter Blues”
1 Eat in harmony with season and your environment
Eat whole grains and seasonal vegetables, such as sweet
fall/winter squashes, onions, and other seasonal root vegetables.
Stew, long simmering or soup are the best way to cook them this
season so you will gain ground , stable, relaxed energy.
Also good is foods with “upward energy”, such as broccoli,
cauliflowers, scallions, ---vegetables that grow upward above
ground---.
Stewed them or or cook in a soup are good , but steaming those
vegetables creates more upward energy, so your feeling goes up,
too.
Avoid unseasonable foods, or foods not from your environment.
Fresh greens or fruits are suitable for spring and summer.
Tropical foods also makes you out of balance.
Avoid or minimize cold, uncooked salads, unseasonable/tropical
fruits.
2 Eat less meat, sugar and other SAD causing foods.
Sugar is considered to be primary cause of depression or change
in mood.(more about sugar, click here)
Meat, refined foods, processed foods make your metabolism
stagnant and block the energy flow.
If you eat meat, try grated daikon radish with soy sauce to help
digestion.
3 Others --- Move, sing, smile and laugh!
Walk outside and get as much sunshine as possible, and
appreciate the nature.
Walk in central park, you see red berries, green winter pines, or
you hear birds singing here and there.
Sing happy songs out loud.
Look yourself in the mirror and smile!
Laugh --- read funny stories, watch comedy movies, or chat with
your friends.
Do yoga, meditation, sports, hiking, kayyacking, whatever makes
you happy…
Aroma therapy is a good way to boost your mood, too.
Especially citrus scent or frankincence helps.
Burn an essential oil in your room, or have an aroma massage!
---- I can help you : )
And let us embrace and appreciate this season : )
25 million Americans are said to be affected by some form of
“winter blues”, or seasonal affective disorder--SAD.
Especially after the festive holiday season.
Change in mood, mild depression, loss of vitality, irritability,
increased appetite,--especially craving for sugar, refined
carbohydrates.
Sounds familiar?
What you eat affects your mood
Among other things, the modern way of eating strongly affects
how we feel.
In the fall and winter, the energy begins to contract.
The trees lose their leaves, the animals hibernate, snow and ice
cover the ground.
At these times, we are supposed to eat stronger, more
contractive foods, such as hearty whole grains, root vegetables,
and dried foods, with heavier, longer cooking methods and a bit
more salt and seasonings than spring and summer.
This helps balance the cold and dark atmosphere.
But when we do not eat according to the environment, we are
quickly out of harmony and experience imbalances at many levels.
In fact, super markets and grocery stores provide endless
selections of foods to choose from all year around. Convenient,
yes. But not natural.
SAD arises from a combination of excessive consumption of meat
and other high-fat high-cholesterol animal foods.
These are considered extreme “yang” foods, and they make you
crave for sugar---extreme yin--- and simple carbohydrate, which
is the hallmark of SAD.
Tips for “Winter Blues”
1 Eat in harmony with season and your environment
Eat whole grains and seasonal vegetables, such as sweet
fall/winter squashes, onions, and other seasonal root vegetables.
Stew, long simmering or soup are the best way to cook them this
season so you will gain ground , stable, relaxed energy.
Also good is foods with “upward energy”, such as broccoli,
cauliflowers, scallions, ---vegetables that grow upward above
ground---.
Stewed them or or cook in a soup are good , but steaming those
vegetables creates more upward energy, so your feeling goes up,
too.
Avoid unseasonable foods, or foods not from your environment.
Fresh greens or fruits are suitable for spring and summer.
Tropical foods also makes you out of balance.
Avoid or minimize cold, uncooked salads, unseasonable/tropical
fruits.
2 Eat less meat, sugar and other SAD causing foods.
Sugar is considered to be primary cause of depression or change
in mood.(more about sugar, click here)
Meat, refined foods, processed foods make your metabolism
stagnant and block the energy flow.
If you eat meat, try grated daikon radish with soy sauce to help
digestion.
3 Others --- Move, sing, smile and laugh!
Walk outside and get as much sunshine as possible, and
appreciate the nature.
Walk in central park, you see red berries, green winter pines, or
you hear birds singing here and there.
Sing happy songs out loud.
Look yourself in the mirror and smile!
Laugh --- read funny stories, watch comedy movies, or chat with
your friends.
Do yoga, meditation, sports, hiking, kayyacking, whatever makes
you happy…
Aroma therapy is a good way to boost your mood, too.
Especially citrus scent or frankincence helps.
Burn an essential oil in your room, or have an aroma massage!
---- I can help you : )
And let us embrace and appreciate this season : )
Whole Life with Jin