Using food to help beat your blues
Hi. You’re on my mind.
This may be coming late since clocks are about to change, and the Spring Equinox is on the horizon. But I’ve been thinking about the brutal, never-ending Chicago winters and horrendous floods in Australia, among other gnarly things in the news.
This brings to mind Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). It is quite common to experience SAD; you’re never alone. SAD happens typically during winter or seasonal changes and mainly at the same time every year for individuals. It can account for light depression, like feeling sad all day, or a loss of interest. I want to repeat this over and over; you’re never alone, and there are resources.
Using food to help beat your blues
I’ve cited Dr. Uma Naidoo a few times because Nutritional Psychology endlessly inspires me with practical advice and tips for eating well to help our brains. In this field, there’s lots of evidence for food as medicine as an effective supplement for your mental health. *But always consult a doctor or therapist if you are experiencing deep depression or crippling anxiety.
In one of Dr. Naidoo’s emails this month, she shared her favorite nutritional strategies for beating the blues: “Increase vitamin D, fermented foods and leafy greens, as well including herbs and spices like turmeric with a pinch of black pepper and rosemary in cooking.”
How can we implement Dr. Naidoo’s suggestions?
— Vitamin D: Eat tons of mushrooms outside in the sun all day.
Seriously though, it is hard for us to get adequate amounts of vitamin D from food, so supplementing can be crucial. Visit your doctor to get your levels tested, and always consult with them before adding vitamins to your routine.
— Fermented foods and leafy greens: Have a salad with sauerkraut.
Something that helps me is having all ingredients on hand to throw together a salad quickly. Lately, I’ve loved organic spinach, romaine, micro greens, and pumpkin seeds with olive oil, salt, and sauerkraut on top. This takes less than 3 minutes to make.
— Turmeric: This recipe blends fermented foods AND turmeric. Check it out: Matty Matheson’s Mustard Pickles.
Also, I’ve been tossing chunks of fresh turmeric and ginger into my smoothies daily. No larger than half a thumb, or it might taste funny.
And you can’t beat a soothing cup of golden milk after dinner.
— Rosemary: Dr. Naidoo says, “One of my favorite things to do is pluck fresh rosemary and then run my fingers down the woody stem so that the leaves drop off. The aroma is intoxicating. A study showed that the aroma of rosemary changes brain waves so that people become less anxious, more alert and are better able to compute math problems.”
This might be one of the sweetest things I’ve ever read. Not only is she talking about using fresh herbs, but she’s also secretly including an aspect of mindfulness in cooking.
When you like home cooking, it’s just the best. And, when you add bits of mindfulness to it, that’s even better. Try to focus on your senses as you cook. Not only will it add some fun to your cooking, but it can also help clear your mind. I tried this last night after a tough day. It helped!
Think cooking at home is just the worst? Here’s my blog post about making it easier.
