Seasonal blues

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Permalink Reply by Capri on November 8, 2009 at 7:02pm

Have you looked into a litebook light? http://www.litebook.com/

I try to get out at lunch and walk in the sun and find that helps.

For vitamins i take a multi, methylcobalamin b12 sublingual/lozenge or strip, omega 3 (vegan from dha), calcium, vitamin d. You can have your dr test you b12 and vitamin d levels.

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Permalink Reply by Nicole Lund on November 9, 2009 at 3:39pm

I have often found my SAD sabatoging my diet. For me getting outside and adding extra workouts seems to be working this year. It can be very frustrating to feel down for no reason when you are a normaly upbeat person, I'm hoping to find a solution that works through the whole winter (otherwise I'm going to have to move south :).

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Permalink Reply by Capri on November 10, 2009 at 6:45am

I wanted to also add these 2 resources. One on b12: http://www.veganhealth.org/b12/ (best b12 site i have ever found) and one on vegan omega 3: http://www.nutru.com/our_products/omega-zen-3.htm

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Permalink Reply by Anne de Champlain on November 25, 2009 at 2:00pm

Love the comment from Capri about going outside in the sun at lunchtime...You must not live in Vancouver or the pacific north west because I ain't seen the sun in a long time... We only get this faint light in the sky for a few hours a day behind the clouds and the incessant rain. Where do you live... I want to go there!
Vitamin D: 1000mg is probably the best thing for SAD (Seasonal affective Disorder) and it's also recommended for cancer prevention mostly in countries where the sun is so absent or hard to get on our skin in winter.

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Permalink Reply by Vega Kelly on November 25, 2009 at 2:22pm

Anne - you're not loving the liquid sunshine that has been falling from the sky for weeks and will continue for the next six months??? ;) I find this type of year difficult too because it's dark when I arrive at work and dark when I leave. I try to take advantage of even the tiniest bit of sunshine on the weekends by heading out for a walk - even if it is with an umbrella!

Anne de Champlain said:

Love the comment from Capri about going outside in the sun at lunchtime...You must not live in Vancouver or the pacific north west because I ain't seen the sun in a long time... We only get this faint light in the sky for a few hours a day behind the clouds and the incessant rain. Where do you live... I want to go there!
Vitamin D: 1000mg is probably the best thing for SAD (Seasonal affective Disorder) and it's also recommended for cancer prevention mostly in countries where the sun is so absent or hard to get on our skin in winter.

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Permalink Reply by Frances Worster on November 26, 2009 at 4:25am

This may sound hokey, but I've found a difference: don't just get outside, get into nature (even if it's just a few trees in a yard, but ideally a trail through the woods, etc. It makes a huge difference! Also, make sure that your melatonin levels are good, and that you are sleeping appropriately - in the winter, because there is less sun, I become very much of a night owl

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Permalink Reply by Luis on December 2, 2009 at 12:38am

I am exercising, doing light home workouts.

And I am making a lot of tasty home cooked meals.

Also, I am reading a lot.

I definitely hear what you are saying about the seasonal blues, and some lack of motivation (for me it's lack of desire to leave the house).

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Permalink Reply by Anne de Champlain on December 2, 2009 at 7:37pm

Hi Kelly,

I hear you. It's hard at this time of the year especially when you get to work in the dark and go home in the dark and also when you look out, it's raining. But hey, November's over and it's been sunny for two whole days and with promise of more cooler and sunnier days. Gotta take what we can!
Last year I started taking Vitamin D and found that my mood improved. I also try to go out no matter what. I even ran in the rain numerous times this year but I got lucky too some mornings and the rain halted long enough for my run. Can't complain about that!
Enjoy the sunshine and I hope it lasts...

Vega Kelly said:

Anne - you're not loving the liquid sunshine that has been falling from the sky for weeks and will continue for the next six months??? ;) I find this type of year difficult too because it's dark when I arrive at work and dark when I leave. I try to take advantage of even the tiniest bit of sunshine on the weekends by heading out for a walk - even if it is with an umbrella!

Anne de Champlain said:

Love the comment from Capri about going outside in the sun at lunchtime...You must not live in Vancouver or the pacific north west because I ain't seen the sun in a long time... We only get this faint light in the sky for a few hours a day behind the clouds and the incessant rain. Where do you live... I want to go there!
Vitamin D: 1000mg is probably the best thing for SAD (Seasonal affective Disorder) and it's also recommended for cancer prevention mostly in countries where the sun is so absent or hard to get on our skin in winter.

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Permalink Reply by Capri on December 3, 2009 at 8:22pm

Yes I am in Alberta so it's quite sunny at lunch time.

has anyone tried a SAD light?

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Permalink Reply by margo on December 5, 2009 at 2:12am

they are so useful i find! i got sum full spectrum lightbulbs at canadian tire. they were super cheap and it really does brighten up the room and being in it for some time in the morning has made a difference

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