Does the sun setting at 5pm have you feeling a little down? Lots of us get the winter blues and according to the National Institute of Mental Health, millions of people get seasonal affective disorder - SAD, with symptoms that include depression, sluggishness and changes in appetite. While there’s no cure for the winter blues or SAD, getting some exercise and sunshine every day can help, and so can loading up on these foods.
- Salmon and yellowfin tuna - These fish are high in vitamin D, which your body has trouble making during the darkness of winter. They’re also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which can also be helpful when people are more prone to feeling down in winter.
- Colorful fruits and veggies - A range of antioxidants and vitamin C are good for you anytime, especially this time of year. The more colors you eat, the more antioxidants you get that work together to lower inflammation.
- Legumes, nuts and seeds - They’re a good source of protein and prebiotics, which “feed” the bacteria in our lower digestive tracts. Eating these can make your gut happy and may make your brain feel better, too.
- Shellfish - Boosting your zinc intake is important in the winter and shellfish is one of the best sources. Shrimp, crab, lobster and other shellfish are relatively low in calories, high in protein and contain zinc that supports your immune system and keeps you from feeling run down.
- Dark chocolate - It’s also a great source of zinc, but skip the milk chocolate and get the 85% cacao kind.
- Bitter greens - The more bitter greens are, the better their immune-boosting benefits will be. That means swapping iceberg for arugula, dandelion and radicchio.
Source: Huffington Post