insideKENT Magazine Issue 32 - November 2014 | Page 92

HEALTH+WELLNESS Beating the Winter Blues – A Natural Approach BY JODIE FOREMAN BSC (HONS) MNIMH As evenings get darker and the weather gets colder, we are entering that time of year again when many people suffer with low mood and depression. SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) affects an estimated two million people in the UK and the symptoms most commonly appear in the autumn. As with all forms of depression, the main symptoms of SAD include a low mood and a loss of pleasure or interest in normal everyday activities. Other depressive symptoms can include: • Feeling irritable • Feelings of despair • Feelings of guilt and worthlessness • Low self-esteem • Indecisiveness • Tearfulness • Feeling stressed or anxious • Reduced sex drive The conventional approach is to treat patients using antidepressants, light therapy, and sometimes, talking therapies. However, there are other alternatives to this in the form of herbal medicines and diet changes. What can you do to help yourself? Your diet has a huge impact on how you feel, and even small changes can make a big difference in terms of depression and anxiety. Up your intake of essential omega-3 fats Eat oily fish at least twice a week, seeds on most days, and supplement with omega-3 fish oils. The best fish for EPA, the type of omega-3 fat that’s linked with improving moods, are mackerel, herring/kippers, sardines, fresh tuna, anchovies, salmon, and trout. Tuna, being high in mercury, is best eaten no more than three times a month. The best seeds are linseeds and pumpkin seeds. Linseeds are so small that they are best ground and sprinkled on cereal or stirred into yoghurt. Two tablespoons of ground seeds provide a serving. Linseed oil can also be used as a salad dressing. When supplementing omega-3 fish oils, you are aiming for about 1,000mg of EPA a day for a mood-boosting effect. That means supplementing a concentrated omega-3 fish oil capsule (providing 500mg) once or twice a day, and eating a serving of any of the above fish three times a week. Eat foods high in tryptophan When ingested, tryptophan is converted by the body into serotonin, which works with two other hormones, noradrenalin and dopamine, to lift mood, promote relaxation and help deal with stress. By eating foods rich in this amino acid, you can affect your mood naturally. Tryptophan can be found at higher levels in foods like turkey, 92 dairy products, nuts and seeds, beans, and green leafy vegetables – particularly spinach. Eat a diet that will stabilise your blood sugar (known as the Low GL diet) Blood sugar imbalances can play havoc with your mood, so choosing foods that have a low impact on blood sugar can help to avoid the mood ups and downs. Avoid or reduce caffeine, sugar, refined carbohydrates and alcohol Although it may seem that all healthy diet regimes limit these substances, it really is important to cut them down as much as possible, since they all directly affect the chemistry of the brain. Herbal medicines that improve mood and lower anxiety Treating depression using herbal medicines is by no means clear-cut, and what may work well for