Winter Depression? Watch Your Nutrition

Seasonal affective disorders, also known by the acronym SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorders), have for some time been a clinical profile recognized and studied throughout the world. The best-known form of these disorders is called ” winter depression.” This disorder manifests itself periodically in the period between September and April, with peaks especially in December, January, and February. Its incidence is estimated at around 2-3 percent of the European adult population, with higher peaks in the Scandinavian countries (due to the long dark period that characterizes the winters of the populations of Northern Europe), and it affects women more than men. There are also numerous people affected by a milder form of SAD called “winter blues.”

What Are The Symptoms?

SAD manifests itself with hypersomnia or lethargy, which is excessive sleepiness that persists for at least a month. The symptoms are lowered mood, stimulation of appetite (particularly the consumption of carbohydrates and consequent weight gain), loss of libido, psychomotor slowing, poor concentration, irritability, mood swings, excessive feelings of guilt, and anxiety.

Furthermore, for it to indeed be seasonal depression, the symptoms described must not be linked to other psychological or social causes, such as unemployment, bereavement, separation, commitments sc, school problems, etc. According to clinicians, those suffering from this form of depression should instead enjoy well-being in the spring season. However, winter depression would still be more frequent in subjects already predisposed to depressive changes in mood.

What Are The Causes?

The factors that cause this pathology are partially transparent. The most accredited theory on the origin of winter depression is that of an alteration of the internal biorhythm, which in turn is regulated by the light-dark rhythm. This anomaly would cause variations in the secretion of some hormones and neurotransmitters involved in mood. The lack of sunlight at an organic level would lead to an abnormal production of serotonin, a chemical mediator in the brain that serves to control mood. One cause of the lower production is linked to a deficiency of vitamin D, which is synthesized in the body when the skin is exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet rays.

The deficiency of this vitamin (scarcely present in foods although present in butter, milk, and dairy products) leads to a fluctuating mood and a feeling of sadness and apathy. Other studies argue that the cause may be due to an increase in melatonin levels, a hormone produced by the pineal gland (epiphysis), which increases in the presence of darkness and is responsible for inducing sleep; in fact, it has been found that some people who suffer from SAD have higher melatonin levels in winter. One explanation does not exclude the other.

Nutrition As Part Of Therapy

Often, to compensate for the lack of well-being offered naturally by exposure to the sun, we resort to foods that are unhealthy for our bodies and to the abuse of alcohol and smoking. In the winter months, both due to the cold and the increase in hours spent at home and seasonal depression, there is a greater propensity to ” emotional eating, “the classic binge triggered more by lousy mood, boredom, and stormy weather than by hunger.

While on the one hand, overeating unhealthy foods can help lift one’s mood in the short term, it is also true that they can subsequently influence one’s mood with a sense of guilt for not having resisted the temptation and can cause turn into a vicious circle of dependence, nervousness and lousy mood (physical and mental dissatisfaction). Food, if selected wisely, can instead be an ally in the treatment of seasonal depression.

It is recognized that some foods have valuable properties to free ourselves from a sad and distressing state of mind. Therefore, we need to know which foods we can consume and how. Since tryptophan is a precursor of serotonin, which we have seen is responsible for this disorder, eating foods rich in this amino acid helps to stabilize mood and make us feel better.

Mineral salts (such as magnesium and zinc ) and some vitamins ( folic acid and folates, vitamins E and C ) are also essential for increasing good mood. A balanced diet, varied and complete with macro and micronutrients, is also able to satisfy the daily requirement of all the substances that can improve the symptoms of SAD, nutrients which obviously have other vital functions as well as being natural remedies to relieve the humor.

Tryptophan

Being an essential amino acid (it can only be taken from foods), it is mainly found in foods rich in proteins of both animal and vegetable origin: mature cheeses, red or white meat, liver, salami, speck, raw ham, fish and mussels, eggs, dried sweet almonds, legumes, roasted peanuts, pine nuts and also in pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, etc.

Magnesium

It is a prevalent mineral in nature. It is found mainly in foods of animal origin, but also in some vegetables, which are particularly rich in it: fish eggs, oily dried fruit, and edible seeds (the same one that provides tryptophan), but they contain exciting quantities also coffee in the cup (bar or mocha), Grana Padano, chestnut flour, fish and mussels.

Zinc

It is found in high quantities in oysters, wheat germ and whole grains, Grana Padano, and then again: trout, liver, fatty meat, oily dried fruit, aromatic herbs, meat in general, cheeses, mollusks, and cephalopods.

Folates And Folic Acid

Folates are vitamins (also called B9, vitamin M, and folacin) necessary to produce serotonin; they are water-soluble and easily perishable during cooking. Folic acid, on the other hand, is a chemically synthesized molecule present in supplements; in situations such as pregnancy or cases of depression, it is usually prescribed as a supplement. The foods that mainly contain folate are chicken livers and giblets, liver, wheat germ, and also whole grains, aromatic leaf herbs, escarole, spinach, and legumes.

Vitamin E

It is a fat-soluble vitamin and is found mainly in seed oils such as wheat germ oil, sunflower, corn, rice, soybean, olive, peanut, dried sweet almonds, and hazelnuts.

C Vitamin

It is a water-soluble vitamin, easily perishable because it is also thermosensitive and photosensitive; for this reason, foods containing it should be eaten immediately as soon as they are peeled or squeezed and cut and preserved as little as possible. C is found mainly in vegetables: red or yellow peppers, hot peppers, lettuce, endive and tomatoes. In fruit, it is found primarily in kiwi, papaya, strawberries, and citrus fruits.

What To Put On The Table In Winter

In some foods, there are exciting quantities of the macro and micronutrients mentioned, and also other protective nutrients that promote health; it is, therefore, advisable that during the winter period on our tables, there is never a shortage of:

Grana Padano

A 50-gram portion of this cheese provides 155 mg of tryptophan, 32 mg of magnesium, 5 mg of zinc, and 584 mg of calcium, which can help fight depression because it also has a relaxing effect. In this cheese, there are also significant quantities of B vitamins and vitamins A and E. As well as a second course or aperitif, a grated spoonful (10 g) contributes to the daily requirement of protective and essential nutrients.

Dried Fruit

Rich in omega-3 and magnesium, a nutrient capable of influencing the production of neurochemical substances that affect mood, small quantities are sufficient to make an excellent contribution, for example at breakfast in yogurt, as a snack, or in salads, but also added in risottos and sauces, dried fruit represents an effective natural remedy against seasonal depression and allows you to obtain tasty and healthy dishes. Thanks to its low glycemic index, dried fruit is capable of satiating and keeping blood sugar levels constant.

Citrus Fruits

In citrus fruits, we find vitamin C and folate together, as well as other antioxidants, such as limonene, present in the white part of the fruits. In winter, as there is not a wide choice of fruit as there is in the summer season, it is necessary to use seasonal fruit rich in nutrients, such as citrus fruits. However, those suffering from gastroesophageal reflux may not tolerate its consumption; in this case, it is still good to consume three fruits a day, such as persimmons and apples, to guarantee the correct intake of mineral salts, vitamins, and antioxidants.

Dark Green Leafy Vegetables

Rich in folate and magnesium, both linked to the production of serotonin, they should always be present as a side dish to main meals. Those taking anticoagulant therapy must be careful not to overeat this type of vegetable, which is also rich in vitamin K. Other vegetables that play a leading role in the natural treatment of seasonal depression are mushrooms and cauliflower. Mushrooms are rich in selenium, and it has been shown that a selenium deficiency can promote the onset of depression. Cauliflower, on the other hand, is rich in gusts, which we have already seen is helpful in preventing depression. Still, it is also low in calories: a cruciferous vegetable created for mood and figure.

Whole Grains And Cereals

They are slow-absorbed carbohydrates that constantly stimulate the synthesis of serotonin. In particular, whole oatmeal promotes the production of serotonin and helps us feel good.

Seeds

Flax, pumpkin, hemp, etc., are eaten in small quantities. Consequently, their nutrient supply is limited, but the seeds contain many valuable substances against depression: omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, tryptophan, magnesium, calcium, selenium, iron, B vitamins, as well as E. The seeds are a real panacea for our mind; they lift the mood and act as natural remedies against anxiety in the body, and they are also effective against phobias. As well as being nutritious, they are crunchy and tasty, therefore excellent for dressing salads or adding to bread, muffins, and biscuits; but be careful, on average, they provide 500 Kcal per 100 grams.

Chocolate

Rich in polyphenols and potent antioxidants capable of improving mood, bitter extra dark chocolate, if taken in moderation, is an excellent natural remedy against winter depression. It contains phenylethylamine, a substance similar to serotonin, which decreases the production of cortisone, the stress hormone. To enjoy its effects, prefer the one composed of 70% cocoa.

Physical Activity

Depression in general, even winter depression, leads to a sedentary lifestyle, and the lack of physical activity worsens the depressive state. Physical activity, on the other hand, induces the release of endorphins, neurotransmitters that reduce the anxiety often present in depression, reduces the level of cortisol in the blood, the hormone involved in stress and depression, makes you see life more positively, raises self -esteem, and increases serotonin levels.

Not moving and staying indoors certainly does not promote socialization and brings melancholy. Those who suffer from SAD should instead leave the house, hang out with friends, taking the opportunity to walk, cycle, and move around. However, physical activity has essential effects if performed constantly: 150 minutes a week (optimal 300) of aerobic activity and muscle toning exercises not only help fight depression but allow you to gain health and beauty.