Sick and Tired of the Winter Blues? What Foods Can Help?

Unless you are an avid snow and ice fan, winter can be hard work. Winter blues is a common problem that lots of us experience and there’s even a proper name for it – Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD (very appropriate acronym that one!) There are lots of things to do to try and deal with a dose of the winter blues and what you eat can be a big part of that.

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Let’s take a look at foods to help combat SAD and generally feeling low in winter.

What is ‘SAD’

SAD is a type of depression that is tied in with the seasons and therefore starts and ends around the same time each year. For people who suffer from it, you will notice the symptoms start during autumn and continue into winter then ease when spring is getting nearer.

Symptoms of SAD include:

Feeling depressed for long spells, most days
Losing interest in doing stuff you enjoy
Not having any energy
Sleeping poorly
Not eating well or eating more than normal
Feeling sluggish or agitated as if something is irritating you
Problems with concentration
Feeling worthless, hopeless or even guilty

Now as someone who has suffered from depression in the past, I know that most of those symptoms will also be applied to depression of all kinds. The main difference with SAD is that it is tied into the time of year, hence it once being known as winter blues.

There are lots of ideas about what causes SAD, just as there are lots of ideas about why we experience depression. Three commonly mentioned reasons for the winter blues however are:

Circadian rhythms – the lack of sunlight and colder temperatures can disrupt our body clocks and lead to depression
Serotonin levels – this is a brain chemical or neurotransmitter to get technical that plays a part in mood and levels can drop when there isn’t much sunlight
Melatonin levels – seasonal factors change the levels of this chemical in our bodies and this plays a part in our sleep patterns as well as mood.

Boosting serotonin

Of these three things, serotonin is one we can impact with what we eat. That’s because it is made from a biochemical conversion process – in other words, our intestines take certain foods and create the chemical from them before sending it to the brain to do its work.

In fact, 80-90% of the serotonin we need is made in the gastrointestinal tract – meaning what we eat can help make more of the stuff and help with those winter blues.

There are four main components that help the body make serotonin – omega 3 essential fatty acids, folate or folic acid, magnesium and Vitamin B.

Nutrients that can help

The good news is that we know where to find all of these nutrients in foods we all eat. That means if you want to give your body a natural boost and help with the winter blues, these foods may just help tick the box.

Omega 3

We’ve all heard about omega 3 fatty acid and how beneficial it is. It can reduce the risk of heart disease and help with lowering blood pressure. It boosts memory, helps with skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis and even helps women with the symptoms of PMS. And for our chat today, it is a way to help the body make serotonin.

The first thing that comes to mind when hunting the shelves for Omega-3 rich foods are fish and for good reason. Fish such as salmon, fresh tuna, trout, sardines and mackerel are all good sources of omega 3 as are halibut, herring, sardines and even oysters.

winter blues - salmon for omega 3 — Salmon is a top source of Omega 3

But what about if you really hate fish? Don’t worry there are other options. Eggs, milk and yoghurt all have omega 3 content. Look for those margarines that advertise their omega 3 credentials. Soy milk can be another source and some juices are too.

Folic acid

Folic acid is most often mentioned in connection with its importance for pregnant women as it is needed to make extra blood that the body needs when a baby is growing inside. And it is also a source of the stuff needed for the gut to make serotonin.

So where can you find it? Leafy greens are an option such as spinach and kale – if you don’t like eating them then plant-based green smoothies can be another option. Citrus fruits are another source so grab those oranges, lemons and limes. Beans, bread, rice, cereal and pasta all contain folic acid as well.

Magnesium

Magnesium is another multi-purpose nutrient that does loads of useful stuff in the body. It helps with everything from making DNA to keeping insulin levels correct and a lack of it has been connected to conditions as diverse as heart disease and Alzheimer’s. Luckily, it is everywhere – it is the 4^th most abundant mineral in nature so lots of foods meet the condition of containing it.

The most magnesium-rich foods include:

Spinach – 157mg per cup
Swiss chard – 150mg per cup
Dark chocolate – 95mg per cup
Dried pumpkin seeds – 92mg per cup
Almonds – 75mg per ounce

Other foods with impressive numbers include black beans, figs, avocado, banana and yoghurts or kefir.

Vitamin B

There are actually a few B vitamins with unpronounceable named like thiamine, riboflavin and pantothenic acid. Then there’s the easier ones like vitamin B6 and B12. These all gang together to do a range of jobs in the body including releasing energy from foods such as proteins and carbohydrates. Some foods are a source of one B vitamin in particular while others can help with a few different ones.

Thiamine – pork, ham, dark leafy greens, whole grain cereals, wheat germ, green pea, nuts such as almonds and pecans
Riboflavin – milk and dairy products such as cheeses, asparagus, spinach, chicken, fish and fortified cereals
Niacin – chicken, turkey, salmon, fortified cereals, peanuts, pasta and whole wheat
Vitamin B6 – poultry, seafood, bananas, leafy greens, potatoes
Vitamin B12 – soy products, shellfish, beef
Biotin & Pantothenic acid – liver, egg yolks, salmon, pork, avocado

Different grains can help provide the body with B vitamins

Other ways to avoid the winter blues

Complex carbohydrates

If we can replace simple carbohydrates with complex ones, this can help with the winter blues. We often crave carbohydrates to give us energy, but some foods do this quickly then we crash – and this crashes our serotonin levels. Opt for complex carbohydrates like brown rice, vegetables, wholegrain flour and legumes to get a longer, slower release of energy

Water

Hydration is key for all sorts of health reasons and drinking more water can help your body produce good stuff and flush out the bad stuff

Avoid alcohol

There’s nothing wrong with a glass of wine or a cocktail but avoid too much because alcohol acts as a depressant and can make SAD symptoms worse

Avoid stimulants such as caffeine

Again, nothing wrong with a mug of coffee but think about when you drink it. Just before bed is a bad example as the caffeine is a stimulant but to give you a little pus in a morning is a good thing.

Avoid those winter blues

If you experience any sort of depression, even it is seasonal, please go and chat with a medical professional about it – I did. What you eat can help and these tips might just do some good but never in place of proper medical advice.

Recipes to help with the winter blues

Here are some ideas of recipes that contain one (or more!) of those ingredients that can help the body fight off the winter blues

Image for Salmon and Parma Ham with Basil Pesto Dressing

Sick and Tired of the Winter Blues? What Foods Can Help?

What is ‘SAD’

Boosting serotonin