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Based on the combination of research and personal experiences, I've provided you with several reccomendations for how to survive (happily) through the cold, dreaded winter months. I'd like to share with all of you the top three things that I like best to fight seasonal depression.

I like to have fun and hang out with my friends as much as possible. Being around people helps keep my mind off of things and distracts me from feeling sad. I always make sure to make plans ahead of time with people who I want to be around and who can make me happy.

Along with winter comes the dreary days and the grey skies. I like to make up for that by decorating my room with bright colors and things that remind me of summer. My room is filled with bright colored decorations and pictures of the beach!

Stay active. Although it's a struggle to get out of bed and get myself to the gym, the after feeling is totally worth it. After a work out I'm left feeling productive, accomplished, and content.

What To Stay Away From

 I've always enjoyed eating healthy and knowing about what I'm eating. In a previous post I've provided you with a few suggestions of snacks to try that are proven to help boost your mood. What I did not include are what foods you should stay AWAY from. If you take my word for it...It works when you're being mindful of your food choice.

These foods can cause "Junk Food Blues"...

Processed meat














Sweet Desserts

Fried Foods














Refined Cereals

Boost Your Mood Naturally

If you're anything like me, you avoid medication at all costs. I was reading a Health magazine the other day and came across an article titled, "31 Ways to Boost Your Mood Naturally." I thought I would share a few of my favorite tips with you!
1. Pet a furry friend- According to a study done at the University of Missouri, petting a dog for just 15 minutes releases feel-good hormones. If you're not a dog person, they study showed that petting a kitten will have a similar effect.
2. Get Creative- Embrace your artsy side and create a piece of art that expresses your negative feelings.
3.Always excercise- When you're feeling down finding the motivation to work out seems almost impossible. Get up and get active and that post work out feeling is totally worth it!
4. Don't over schedule- When fighting any type of depression the last thing you need is extra stress in your life. Make it a point to be sure you won't get worked up if it's not necessary. Plan out your day and know what you can manage.
5. Talk about it- Even though it's tough to talk about your problems, it's worth it. People who you tell can provide emotional support and help you through a rough time.

Look Forward

One thing that have always helped me stay positive is always having something to look forward to. If you think you don't have anything to look forward to, then make something! Plan a fun outing with your friends, go out to your favorite restaurant, or find a good movie thats coming out soon. Mark your calendar or make a list of everything coming up that you're looking forward to. When you're having a bad day or start to feel down, pull out your calendar to remind yourself all you have to look forward to! It will give you motivation and excitement for what the future has to come!

My Discovery of SAD

For some people, it may not always be easy to talk about experiencing symptoms of depression. I wanted to take this opportunity to share my story on what led to my diagnosis of seasonal depression.

A few months into my sophomore year of highschool I was suddenly becoming very anxious through out the day. Nothing in my life had changed or happened to me that could explain my anxiety. I was feeling down, worried and stressed about things that I never felt that way before about. I finally decided to talk to my mom about the way that I was feeling and we couldn't figure out what was causing me to feel like this. I finally decided to talk to a doctor about it who told me about seasonal affective disorder. I had never heard of this before, but I learned that this disorder is pretty common. Once I learned about SAD I was able to try different coping mechanisms for my anxiety. I experimented with different things to figure out what worked and what didn't. I hope that my story can and will encourage others to speak up about any unsettling feels so that they can get the help that they need.

Mood Boosting Snacks

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Believe it or not, what you eat can influence your mood. There are some foods that may leave you feelings extra sluggish and some foods that are proven to help boost your mood. To help beat the winter blues, try sticking to a few of these pick-me-up foods for a mood booster:

Oranges are super-nutritious filled with Vitamin C. Peel an orange at any time of the day for an instant mood and energy booster. Bring one along with your lunch or slice it up and add it to your salad.

                                                                

When you make your next salad choose spinach! Spinach is filled with antioxidants, which protect the delicate membranes in brain cells from the free radicals that dampen your mood and drain your energy. Spinach also contains folic acid, which is a vitamin that is linked with preventing depression.

                                                          

Popcorn! Just a bowl of this simple snack will help fuel serotonin.

                                                     

A handful of cherries are best to have right before bed. They contain a compound called melatonin, which will improve your quality of sleep. Getting a solid night of sleep is a great predictor of a good mood in the morning.

                                               

Bananas are an easy on the go snack. The fructose in bananas will give you energy while the fiber will help prevent a blood sugar spike, which could lead to a drop in energy and mood.

                                            

Let's Clear Things Up!

Let’s clear things up!

I would like everyone to know that if you have seasonal affective disorder…this does NOT mean you are depressed. I would like to take this time to explain the difference.

Seasonal depression is when a person experiences some symptoms of depression during the winter months. These symptoms may include difficulty concentrating, irritability, feelings of worthlessness, and/or insomnia. The main difference is that someone with depression experiences serious symptoms through out the whole year. Someone with seasonal depression (SAD) most likely feels perfectly happy during the spring and summer months, but falls back into a depression when the cold, gloomy weather rolls in.

Most readers of my blog may not be diagnosed with SAD or depression, but just have the winter blues (which is not diagnosed and what I consider a less serious/more casual form of SAD). I am hoping that my blog posts will apply to and help you whether you are diagnosed with anything or not!

So, as you have learned from my previous post SAD can be caused by the lack of sunlight we receive in a day. Without receiving sunlight our bodies fail to produce the hormones we need to feel awake and alert. When your body doesn't receive these signals from the sun it can result in feeling tired and moody. So between the consecutive cloudy days that makes it impossible to expose our selves to natural sunlight and our hectic days that leave us stuck in class or the library, how are we suppose to over come this? The answer...a light box. It's drug free and can replace the same benefits that sunlight provides. This daylight replication is inexpensive and only needs to be used for about thirty minutes per day (recommended to be used in the morning). All you do is plug it in and sit in front of it and allow the  bright shining light to work its magic.

Do It Yourself

 For someone who is personally not in favor of taking medication, I try to look for as many other remedies as possible to help myself, uplift my spirits, and surround myself with positivity. You would be surprised how many little helpful things there are that you can do to help boost your mood. Here are just a few things you can try to help you through your wintertime misery.

1. The wintertime is associated with colors of sadness; blues, greys, white. Colors that just make you think “blah” when you’re around them. Get yourself out of this environment. Brighten up your room with brighter colors, buy yourself a new bright yellow lap top case, or consider buying a couch cover with a fun color!

2.  Buy yourself some flowers and plants to put around your house. With most of the trees and flowers bare outside, it will be a nice treat to have in your home and fill the air with a fresh scent reminding you of spring time.

3.   Get plenty of exercise! Although getting yourself to go to the gym might be a challenge, you will feel like a million bucks once you’re there. You will leave the gym feeling accomplished and proud.

4. Don’t let the snow keep you cooped up in the house all day. Get some friends together, bundle up, and find a place to go sledding or play games outdoors. Not only is this also exercising, but also a great way to keep busy, be social, and surround your self with friends.

55. Watch what you eat. Believe it or not, foods can play a pretty important role in determining your mood. Try to eat food that is in high in Vitamin D, as it increases serotonin levels (which is basically the ‘happy chemical’ in your brain).

Hey guys! So, for my first blog post I found a great picture that provides quick and simply information about SAD. When you read through this picture you will learn facts about SAD, why people may experience it, and a few symptoms and treatments of SAD. I hope this helps and kick starts your urge to beating the winter blues!