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What you can do for winter blahs and seasonal affective disorder

In her weekly column, Bradford West Gwillimbury licensed nutritionist, Nonie De Long talks about the effects of winter blahs and what you can do to combat them
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Dear Nutritionist:

I wonder if you know of anything natural for SAD. I have been experiencing it for decades now, and can’t go south this winter as I usually do. Is there anything you can suggest?

Peggy from Newmarket

Dear Peggy,

When the season turns cold it’s common for we the North to experience an energy slump and a noticeable drop in mood. For some, this can be a recurring seasonal event that is more extreme than the norm. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that affects people with the change of season - usually at the same time every year - and usually when sunlight is limited.

These ‘blahs’ may be, in part, related to a drop in sun exposure and corresponding vitamin D levels. Data is emerging that shows that inadequate vitamin D levels are linked to depression, alcoholism, mood disorders, schizophrenia, and Seasonal Affective Disorder. In some studies supplementing with quality vitamin D in the therapeutic range resulted in a noticeable decrease in symptoms for participants. UV lights have also been shown in studies to help patients with SAD and it’s been suggested that this is because of the vitamin D synthesis that happens as a result of UV exposure.

More and more people are interested in holistic treatment options, particularly as data emerges on the dangers associated with the pharmaceutical treatment of SAD and depressive mood disorders - namely SSRIs. For those wanting to try this holistic approach instead, it’s best to consult a professional to help you test your vitamin D levels and help you get into the optimal range. Going overboard with fat soluble vitamins can be dangerous because they can accumulate in the tissues over time. My preference is vitamin D drops together with fermented cod liver oil, which is the most beneficial way to get vitamin A in the palmitate form, which works synergistically with vitamin D.

Some people have turned to alternative lighting to help them with SAD and seasonal Blah’s. This can be called “light hacking” or “biohacking” and the go to person on this today is Dave Asprey. For a great article of his on how to use different spectrums of light therapeutically - go here.

In addition there are a number of vitamin D rich foods we can add to our diet. These include salmon, herring, sardines, anchovies, tuna, oysters, shrimp, and egg yolks.

Many “fortified foods” like pasteurized, commercial dairy products and non-dairy milk alternatives contain vitamin D, but the type of vitamin D they contain is usually D2, which is not the one that is the most beneficial. Similarly, prescription vitamin D for osteoporosis management is often D2, which is not optimal for bone health. It’s best to check the labels yourself or consult a nutritionist to guide you. For more info on the difference between D2 and D3, go here.

When we go through the Winter Blahs or SAD we also may also be experiencing the effect of cumulative stress. For a number of reasons, winter time can be more stressful than summer. When stressors cumulate they can create a chronic, low grade stress response in the body that depletes key nutrients, namely B12 and folate. These key nutrients can become depleted from other lifestyle factors, as well. They’ve been shown in studies to be low in depressive patients and to be associated with depression in the general population. In addition, B12 and folate demonstrate an inverse relationship to homocysteine, which is a key marker for inflammation and a number of disease risks, including depression and Alzheimer’s.

Supplementing with B12 and folate is easy, but again, there is a huge difference between different formulations. Some people do very well with ‘normal’ B12 and folate supplements while others need the methyl form of these vitamins to notice a difference. Testing can be done to determine which is best for each person. We should notice a difference in how we feel within 6 weeks of starting these supplements.

Folate rich foods include lentils, spinach, asparagus, broccoli, papaya, and collard greens. B12 rich foods include animal organ meat, eggs, dairy products, fish, shellfish, red meat, poultry, and nutritional yeast. If you can’t make energy no matter what you eat, it’s time to see a nutritionist to optimize your digestion. When we can’t extract B12, protein, or zinc from our food this can indicate we are low in stomach acid. There are simple things we can use to increase this to better digest these foods, including specific enzymes.

Additionally, a disordered gut biome can make it difficult to absorb and synthesize B vitamins. Adding digestive enzymes, hydrochloric acid, and probiotic foods to the diet on a regular basis can help ensure we get all that we can from our foods.

Last but not least, it’s important to get enough essential fatty acids. Omega 3’s are essential for mood due to their importance in brain health and inflammation. So they’ve been pushed a lot for good reason. There’s a lot of back and forth about which is more important - EPA or DHA - but my perspective is that they are both necessary in different quantities for different conditions. You will find these listed on the back of the fish oil bottle. Childhood learning disorders respond well to DHA where joint inflammation in adults seems to better respond to EPA. If you’re uncertain, a nutrition professional can guide you.

In a certain subset of people experiencing mood problems, the Omega 6’s are more important. When used at therapeutic levels these can really help to offset inflammation and boost mood. Therapeutic dosing of Omegas is generally considered between 1g and 10g per day and always with food. This should be supervised by a professional if there are any contraindications or complex health issues, and just to ensure you get the best quality supplement that is sustainably sourced.

Thank you, Peggy, for the great question. I hope it isn’t too long before you can resume your normal lifestyle, but until then these links and suggestions should provide some direction to manage your symptoms safely and naturally.

As always, if readers have a question they’d like to submit, they can reach me at [email protected] or online at askthenutritionist.ca.

Namaste!
Nonie Nutritionista