Stop the winter blues (aka SAD)…..

Today's post: Thursday, 12-27-2007

1. In an earlier post, I wrote that a surprisingly effective way to stop the winter blues or turn down the winter blues is to take as little as a 10 minute walk at lunch time – or near Solar Noon.

The physical cause is lack of sunlight. And, even though our eyes may make cloudy or rainy, overcast weather look like there’s very little sun since they adjust to the light levels, light meters show there is many times more light outside on such days than it looks like they could possibly have to offer.

One man the writer Dale Carnegie wrote about went on a cruise where it rained every day. He took a short lunchtime walk anyway every day he was on the cruise. Everyone else got depressed. He did NOT.

The readings on the light meter show why it worked for him.

Walking has also been shown to turn down depression & bad moods even in the summertime as well. So you get a double effect.

So, if it’s safe for you to take such a walk where you live, give it a try.

2. But if it’s so cold or icy on the pavement it wouldn’t be safe – or – for even stronger protection, there’s a newly known & astoundingly easy thing you can add !!

Simply taking enough vitamin D not only works better to turn off the winter blues than the light box therapy that doctors have been prescribing, it offers many other health benefits.

One study estimates that taking 2,000 to 5,000 iu a day of vitamin D3 will prevent
77 % of all cancers. And, the immune system boost that likely does that for you also makes it less likely you’ll get colds, cases of the flu, & pneumonia. Not bad !!

It also helps that 1,000 iu supplements of D3 are quite inexpensive. Each capsule will cost you less than 6 or 7 cents.

Here’s an article on the subject that I wanted to pass along to you.:

Here’s a direct quote.: “In clinical trials, vitamin D has been shown to relieve depression more effectively than broad-spectrum light exposure.”

“ Got the Winter Blues? The Sun Will Make You Shine!

By Jon Herring

Do you get a little sadder in the winter, when darkness falls early and the sun is hidden in the clouds? If so, you're not alone. Seasonal changes cause more than 25 percent of the population to get the "winter blues" - technically known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

The symptoms include increased cravings for sweets and carbohydrates, longer sleep patterns, lethargy, fatigue, irritability, weight gain, insomnia, lowered motivation, and decreased sociability. In some cases, the long dark winter can even bring on full-blown clinical depression.

But there are several ways to prevent and treat this common condition:

• The best way to conquer SAD is to spend time outside in bright, natural sunlight. It's especially good to go out and play in the snow. There is a lower incidence of SAD in regions that get regular amounts of snow, probably because the snow reflects light.

• Phototherapy can also help lift your spirits in the winter. It involves exposing yourself to a light box that approximates the spectrum of daylight for 30 minutes to two hours a day.

• Most important, be sure to take a vitamin D supplement during the winter months. In clinical trials, vitamin D has been shown to relieve depression more effectively than broad-spectrum light exposure. In fact, in one study that compared vitamin D supplementation with the daily use of a light box for two hours, the symptoms of depression in the vitamin D group were resolved completely. Meanwhile, the phototherapy group saw no significant improvement.

If you're not able to spend time in the sun during the winter, you will need a good bit more vitamin D than the government's recommended daily allowance of 400 IU. Dr. John Cannell of the Vitamin D Council suggests 5,000 IU per day for adults during the winter months, and 1,000 to 2,000 IU per day for children. I don't know of any multivitamins that contain this much vitamin D, but Carlson's makes a convenient 2,000 IU soft gel that you can find …”

“By being proactive, you can fight back against seasonal depression and enjoy winter... and the holidays... just like you did when you were young.

[Ed. Note: Jon Herring, a copywriter for Early to Rise, is co-author, with Dr. Al Sears, of the book Your Best Health Under the Sun. ….]”

This article appears courtesy of Early To Rise, the Internet’s most popular health, wealth, and success e-zine. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com.