Dr. Katharina Johnson

Many millions of Americans experience a change in mood during the Winter times: Seasonal affective Disorder or SAD affects around 3% of the population.

Lack of sunlight can trigger a change in mood and behavior and people who work long hours indoors are most affected.

Symptoms of SAD are:

• Feeling always tiered

• Craving of carbohydrate rich food like bread, past, chocolate and rice.

• Lack of motivation

• A desire to be alone

• Weight gain.

But it doesn’t need to be like that!

There are lot’s of things that you can do to effectively beat the blues:

• Exercise is known to be a mood booster.

• Try to get outside as much as possible. Even when it is cloudy, there is more light outside then inside.

• Get a good source of Omega 3 Fatty acids: Beneficial fats that are commonly found in fatty fish like Tuna and Krill Oil. These fats have been clinically shown to improve mood.

• 5-HTP: A precursor to Serotonin, the “happy hormone:. It is a supplement that you can get at any health store and it will give your body everything it needs to “assemble” Serotonin for you. I recommend  a dosage of 100mg in the morning, and 100mg in the evening.

• Get plenty of sleep

• Get out and meet your friends. Isolating yourself will only make it worse.

• Light therapy: One very effective thing you can do is to get a special lamp designed to help with SAD. It has very bright full spectrum light and simulates natural sunlight in your home.

• Relax, do something for yourself and get a good massage.

Stay warm,

Katharina

A few health tips that can make a big difference:

Wash your hands frequently. When I go out I carry a hand disinfect in my bag-it comes in handy.

Sunlight. Vitamin D is important for a good functioning immune system. Get at least 20 minutes of sunlight per day. If you can’t do that, take a Vitamin D supplement daily (preferably in a whole food form)

Vitamin C: The immune booister! Best taken in it’s whole food form. Call me and I will be happy to send you the best supplements to keep you healthy.

Take a good Probiotic, that keeps your intestines healthy. Remember that 80% of the entire immune system is located in the gut!

Get plenty of sleep. Make sure the room you are sleeping in is completely dark. This is extremely important for your body to produce just the right amount of Melatonin, a hormone that regulates many bodily functions and that will only be produced when it’s dark. Even tiny amounts of light can upset the production of Melatonin. When your body is producing enough Melatonin, you will wake up the next morning refreshed.

Exercise.

Eat plenty of fresh organic fruits and vegetables.

Try to avoid sugar as much as possible. Every time you eat sugar, your immune system takes a nose dive. There are plenty of other sugar free options available: Stevia and Agavesyrup are great.

Stay warm.

Take a hot bath at night, sweat and then go right to bed.

Drink plenty of water

Reduce holiday stress! Yoga, meditation and a walk on the beach are great.

Last but not least: Try my favorite winter tea: Fresh ginger tea, that gives your immune system a kick. (Take fresh Ginger and put it into a blender. Add fresh lemon juice and Agave syrup, blend. Add to hot water and pour before drinking over a sieve.

Many people do falsely believe that soy (in it’s unfermented form )is healthy. This is due to the fact that the soy industry has promoted “foods” like soy milk and tofu as healthy, claiming that it is good for your heart.

The truth is, that Americans consume way too much soy per day.

One of the reason’s soy is not healthy is the fact that it negatively affects the proper absorption of minerals- mainly iodine, calcium, iron, and zinc. Many researches have linked the excess consumption of soy to hypothyroidism..

If you suffer from an under active thyroid-try cutting out all soy products for at least 3 months and feel for yourself what a difference it can make.

So what about Asian people who eat a lot of soy?

It is true that in Asia people consume soy and they to do fine with it.

The reason Asians benefit from soy is that they eat their soy with mineral rich sea vegetables containing plenty of iodine and zinc. They also do not consume such large quantities of it as we do. Another difference is that they eat most of their soy in fermented form.

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There is a huge difference in the efficacy of supplements that are made of whole foods, versus supplements that are produced in a lab. Unfortunately, most of the supplements that are commercially available are synthetic.

Synthetic supplements do not perform the same functions in the body than supplements that are made of whole foods.

Synthetic supplements will produce nutritional imbalances in the body and can tax your kidneys before being excreted through the urine.

Ever wondered while these high potency “vitamin B” pills make your urine extremely yellow? Because your body recognizes them as foreign and tries to get rid of them as quickly as possible!

What are synthetic supplements?

Synthetic supplements are isolated portions of the whole vitamin complex, which are chemically produced in a lab.

A good example is Vitamin C.

Vitamin C is a complex, made up of hundreds of different components like enzymes, co-enzymes, co-factors and minerals that work synergistically together to produce the desired effects.

On the contrary, “Ascorbic Acid” is only one portion of the whole Vitamin C complex, but it is commercially sold as “Vitamin C.”

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This chakra is located at the base of the spine.

Its color is deep red and its element is the Earth.

It connects you with the Earth, draws energy from the Earth into the body, and gives back energy into the Earth.

This chakra carries the primal life force; it exerts its influence both up the body and down the legs, providing support.

A person’s earliest life experiences are imprinted on this first chakra, and if painful and not released, can still influence the person 50 years or later.

It is interesting that the more “civilized” a culture is, the more muddled the root chakra energy tends to be, as it is also related to primal instincts like copulation, protecting the lineage and survival, and consciously or unconsciously, we tend to dissociate ourselves from these primal instincts, viewing them as “lower”.

The Root chakra is your energy foundation, so it is extremely important that this chakra is balanced.

When the Root chakra is in Balance:

You experience a feeling of safety and connection. You feel grounded and stabil. You are filled with energy and enjoy meaningful connections. You experience your body as a temple in where spirit resides.

When the Root Chakra is out of Balance:

You may feel insecure, will worry about not making enough money, will feel lost and like you don’t belong.

You will be overly concerned with yourself and may feel without a sense of purpose. Other people may perceive you as “not being present” or grounded.

It may be difficult for you to trust in others and your own abilities. Feelings of “I am not good enough”, shame and thoughts of ” I don’t deserve love” will arise.

To compensate for this feeling, many people will tend to acquiere, keep and control material possessions, and ultimately become addicted to those things.

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