Am I SAD?

Am I SAD?






Seasonal Affective Disorder is characterized by:
Decrease in Energy
Extra Tired, Difficulty Waking
Weight Gain
Craving Carbs, Over Eating

Yes, its winter and most of us are feeling these symptoms at different levels. My husband, god love him, drives me nuts in the winter. He acts like a caged animal. I know he craves being outdoors more and is feeling, “The Winter Blues” as he calls it. We don’t really know if it has something to do with expecting him to finish renovations he told me he would do this winter?? Myself, I just want to go back to sleep when I wake up and daydream about napping. Add in a combination of some bad food choices and a little weight gain and we are both SAD.

People like to label things and I believe the S.A.D. syndrome is a good way to describe and explain the symptoms listed above and the connection to lack of sun exposure. From what I have read, some people are even affected by SAD in the summer months.

If you delve into the causes and effects of SAD, the majority of the symptoms always leads us back to diet & exercise and the lack thereof. Yes, days are shorter and temps are colder forcing us inside more. Add in recovering from a couple of months of living in holiday cheer mode and who isn’t affected?

The first thing I realized is, nobody can help you feel better, until you want to feel better! I know my body is telling me, whoa, you have been sliding into a dangerous habit of laziness and it’s time to pay attention and do something about it. Now, I could go with the label of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and tell myself, family and friends I have a syndrome making me this way and just accept it. I could run out and buy a marketed “quick fix” like Light Box Therapy or Phototherapy for example. These therapies are based on exposing yourself to artificial daylight or specific wave lengths of light using LEDs, florescent lamps or full spectrum light for a prescribed amount of time at a specific time of day. Average cost for lamps and/or light boxes around $200 - $300. They would probably make a good conversation piece on my coffee table and bonus I could use them while I sit on the couch watching TV.

I know some people will opt for the doctor, to get the “quick fix”. Some doctors will happily write a prescription for an antidepressant or other mind altering drug to make you happy. Of course, they would be doing this in the patients’ best interest. It would be decided in your allotted 10 minute appointment, the best way to help you and it would have nothing to do with the pharmaceutical kick back they get for each prescription prescribed....right?

Me and my honey are opting for tweaking the diet and getting our lazy butt’s moving again. I started taking Vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin. It is produced by the body in response to sunlight. It also occurs naturally in some foods; fish, fish liver oils, egg yolks and in fortified dairy and grain products. Herbs that contain Vitamin D include alfalfa, horsetail, nettle and parsley. For around $7 you can get 200 soft gels of 400 IU (International Units) of Vitamin D. Although, the form we get from food and/or supplements is not fully active. It does require conversion by the liver and kidneys, before it becomes fully active. Exposing the face and arms to the sun for 15 minutes 3 times a week they say, is an effective way to ensure adequate amounts of Vitamin D in the body. I only plan to supplement with D for a few months until I am able to get my regular sunshine fix. I am used to a lot more than 15 minutes 3 times a week.

The big culprit for SAD symptoms is lack of exercise. You know, deep down inside you need it, but it is so hard to motivate. My friend Sara took me to Focus on Fitness, Member's Appreciation Party the other day. We played racquet ball, which I loved playing. She kicked my butt and it was great fun. I laughed a lot, I got a good cardio workout, they had a free lunch buffet and I won $100 during a promotional game! I signed my husband and I up for a 3 month deal @$99/each. $33 a month each, not too shabby. With my winnings I bought a couple of racquets and a yoga mat and I took the family to the movies. It was a good day!

The next day I woke up feeling a little better and optimistic of what the gym life has to offer. My husband had been debating back & forth about signing back up for the gym since December. Just signing him up made the choice for him and he was thrilled. You hate to spend the money, but in reality, we both know spending the money on "us" was needed in the worst way. He always feels better about everything after a good workout. He had not been to the gym since last winter and with a bounce in his step and smile on his face he ran back to it.

We all need to exert ourselves physically. Release those endorphins our bodies naturally produce. The endorphins make us feel good and they fortify our immune system. It’s work, but exercise will give you a natural high. Sweat soothes the brain and in most cases it's equally effective, compared to anti-depressants, in treating serious depression. Exercise builds a sense of accomplishment which can combat depression by stoking feelings of self control.

Our physical health depends on us. Choose a good diet. Try to get foods as close to the source as possible and exercise. Your body will thank you with more energy and a happier positive outlook on life. Isn’t that what we are looking to fix, the symptoms of SAD? Diet & Exercise, isn’t that the cure? So, why is it so hard getting ourselves to commit to a better lifestyle? I am hopeful writing about all this will keep my motivation strong. I used to have a nasty habit of joining exercise programs and then not going. Not this time! This time I am over 40 and each and every day is slipping by faster and faster. With age comes maturity which has been helping in making better lifestyle choices for myself. There is no cure for aging so I would like to do it gracefully and enjoy those golden years. It doesn't have to suck getting old, it all depends on how you face it.