A Healthy Solution for the Mid-Winter Blahs
Sick and tired of being sick and tired? Do you suffer from fatigue and lack of energy to play with your children or go out and socialize? Are you catching every cold and flu going around this winter? For many of us, the cold and long hours of darkness associated with the winter months have such a profound effect on our moods and energy that it makes us want to hibernate like bears. Many of us refer to this as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
Along with seasonal changes, lifestyle habits and stress can affect both the mind and the body causing more than just anxiety and depression. Although research shows that 5% – 10% of us suffer dramatically from Seasonal Affective Disorder, approximately 90% of us are believed to suffer regularly from similar symptoms. These symptoms are prevalent during the periods of limited sunshine, beginning in the autumn and are especially prevalent during the winter months, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
What is SAD and How do I Know I Have it?
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) can affect appetite and energy level, cause fatigue, and result in a lack of desire for social interaction. In other words, it causes us to feel tired, depressed and/or irritable and causes us to pack on the extra winter pudge. Professionals have linked SAD to a deficiency of serotonin. A gland in the brain releases serotonin, which in turn promotes:
- Restful sleep
- Makes us feel happier
- Helps us cope with pain
- Battles depression
How Can SAD be Treated
In the treatment of SAD, medical doctors commonly prescribe drugs which prevent the breakdown of serotonin in the brain. However, there are many naturopathic and chiropractic treatment options available. These are just as effective and do not have the potential side effects.
5-hydroxytrytophan is a building block of serotonin and therefore helps replenish our brain and alleviate feelings of fatigue and depression. This, along with the herb of St. John’s Wort, which also effects serotonin levels, have been proven to be as effective in treating SAD as commonly prescribed medications.
How a Naturopath Can Help
The foods we eat are of great importance. Maintaining a diet that is high in deep sea fish oils and low in processed or packaged foods has been proven to help prevent and treat the symptoms of SAD. A licensed and qualified naturopathic doctor can not only help you safely incorporate these changes into your lifestyle, but can recommend various other natural therapies (such as acupuncture, vitamins, minerals, herbs, homeopathy, exercise, etc.) which can help improve fatigue, help you lose weight, and improve your moods.
The immune system is the body’s defense mechanism for protecting itself against foreign substances. SAD can cause a breakdown in the immune system and inhibit your ability to fight off disease.
How A Chiropractor Can Help
According to Ronald Pero Ph. D, co-founder and Chief of Cancer Prevention Research at New York’s Prevention Medicine Institute, “Chiropractic may optimize whatever genetic abilities you have so that you can fully resist serious disease.” A properly aligned spine allows the nervous system to function at its optimum level. This can be achieved through Chiropractic adjustments. A healthy body and mind provides an opportunity to achieve optimal health, allowing the body’s own innate intelligence to provide whatever it needs to heal itself.
Visit our Naturopathic Doctor, Dr. Gudrun, to help you safely incorporate natural therapies like acupuncture, vitamins, minerals, herbs, homeopathy, exercise and more into your lifestyle. You can also book an appointment with our Chiropractor, Dr. Darren Poncelet, for a chiropractic adjustment to ensure your nervous system is functioning at optimal level.
M&Y Chiropractic is a multi-disciplinary wellness centre. We focus on improving the health and wellness of everyone within our community of Newmarket, Aurora and surrounding areas. You are not alone; we are all here to help you in any way we can. Just ask!
