Tag Archives: vitamin D

Get Outside this Winter: 3 Ways it Improves your Energy and your Eating Habits

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It’s the first week of February and you’ve had enough of winter, yet the forecast calls for more “weather events” in the coming week. You’re run-down and feeling like the next cold to come along could knock you flat. Though we’re 2 weeks past “Blue Monday”, you wonder if those blues might last forever.

Your gung-ho dreams of a plant-based diet have morphed into a pasta-and-chips-based diet.

The end of winter is in sight, but how can you find some of that springtime feeling now?

Get outside!

  • Kick-start your energy.
  • Boost the waning drive in your resolution to eat better.
  • Bring hope to your midwinter slump.

Yes, even when it’s -25C (-13F for those of you south of the border).
Yes, every day, Even when you don’t fee like it.

Here’s why.

1. Get outside for a bit of oxygen therapy.

Think of it as a mini-detox and an energizer.

I know, if you live in the city, the concept of fresh air is somewhat relative. That said, it has a higher oxygen count than the recycled air in your office building, the shopping mall, your car and your house when all the windows are closed.

Out with the bad, in with the good, and all that.

Not only does oxygen improve your heart and lungs, every cell in your body will benefit, allowing them to work at their best. That means better digestion, better immunity, a sharper mind and better moods. More oxygen means that YOU will be at your best.

Oxygen bonus: Spend your outdoor time somewhere with trees.

At the very least, stop to take 3 long, deep breaths as you go from house to car, car to office,…


2. Daylight improves your sleep and resilience.

The bounce of that sunlight off the snow will make its way to your pineal gland, just inside the middle of your brow. This little nugget regulates circadian rhythms, that is, it’s in charge of your sleep and waking cycles.

Get outside in the morning, and you will sleep better at night.

The pineal gland is also at the apex of your endocrine system. By setting your internal pace, it speaks to your hypothalamus and pituitary, who in turn send a cascade of signals to the rest of your hormone system. Your thyroid, adrenals, thymus, pancreas and ovaries/testes take their instructions from those 3 masters.

To put it more plainly, regular exposure to natural daylight improves your metabolism and your ability to withstand stress. Your immune system will also be better prepared to deal with those nasty bugs.

Turn your face to the sun

Daylight bonus: Pull your scarf down, push your shades up and turn your face to the sky. Feel it on your cheeks. Drink in the pleasure of that heat as your skin drinks in the rays it needs to make vitamin D.

At the very least, look up. That particular blue boosts attention, energy levels, memory, reaction time and mood. Think of the blue sky as Nature’s way of telling you it’s time to be up and about.


3. Get outside and move your body.

Honestly, in this kind of cold, there’s no choice but to move. What better way to counter that sluggishness of the indoor lifestyle!

Granted, moving isn’t something that’s limited to the outdoors. Stepping away from your laptop for a good dance break will work wonders for your mood and productivity. Hit your 10,000 steps inside a shopping mall or on a machine at the gym. Any movement will help, obviously.

Outdoor movement bonus: Your muscles, joints and heart will be so much happier if the movement happens in the fresh air & sunshine. (see above)

get outside in winter

Besides, anything you do out in Nature is good for you at a deeper level. It’s grounding, it’s calming. If you pay very close attention, you’ll feel the pulse of the Earth below the frozen soil, the stirring of the trees in the lengthening days.

At the very least, take the dog for a short walk rather than letting him out the back door. Park your car on the far side of the lot or walk to the next bus stop before you get on.


How does time outside help your eating habits?

Get outside regularly in winter,  and you’ll find that your appetite’s improved. I know, you’re already hungry all the time. That’s your body looking for energy to get through the day when what you really need is to hibernate.

I’m talking about a fresh-air-and-exercise-induced appetite. The kind that inspires you to make healthier choices. That’s because your body will crave the nutrients it needs to support the movement. Your body will be hungry for the vitamins and minerals to replace the detritus moving out of your cells and your tissue.

As you eat better, you’ll be filled with a more vibrant, sustainable energy than when you relied on pasta and chips. Which then gives you the energy to get through your day with more spring in your step…and enough leftover to get outside some more!

What’s your favourite way to spend time outside in winter? When you share your thoughts in the comments, you open the possibilities for others.

Let all your friends who are “done with winter” in on this secret by using any (or all!) of the pretty green buttons on this page.

Lighten Up! 3 Ways to Reduce the Winter Blues

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Getting out of bed these days is brutal. After I finally drag myself up, only to be greeted by the cold tiles in the bathroom, I get to repeat the process with my son. Some days I never hit my stride and my sweet tooth is threatening to take over. I’ve got no zest for life; I feel washed-out. From about 5:00 onward, all I think about is going to bed, sleeping is all I want to do once I’m there.

Yup. I have a clear case of S.A.D.

Seasonal affective disorder shows up in an about 3-5% of Canadians – closer to 15% if you count the milder form of “winter blues”. It’s a very real form of depression that hits in countries at the northern- and southern-most parts of the planet.

Logical in these months of reduced daylight, though I’d say it gets compounded by the fact that we modern city folk tend to spend far too much time indoors, no matter what time of year. And when we do go out, we keep our skin covered and our eyes well shaded.

We’re systematically depriving ourselves of one of the most nourishing nutrients we have: the sun.

The sun’s rays on the cholesterol in your skin provides vitamin D. Sunlight also enter your eyes, hits your retina, stimulating your pineal gland. As the regulator of your entire system, this wise little nugget of fat, nerves and minerals controls circadian rhythms, both large (life cycles) and small (day/night).

The pineal secretes melatonin as daylight wanes in the evening, to make you sleepy and keep you knocked out until dawn. Daylight and the blue of the sky shut off its production so you can get up and go the next morning.

It’s logical that on the shorter days, the memo to ease up on the sleepiness gets delayed.

Were we smart and followed our animal nature around this, we’d honour the lack of light (and heat!) and slow down through these deep days of winter. Heck, those squirrels and polar bears sure know what’s what as they gorge, make a cozy bed, then nap for weeks. But we live in a society that clings tightly to a set schedule. That values productivity and being “on” more than listening to your personal needs.

Everything in Nature screams to slow down, have a nap, take it easy, yet we insist on driving through a snowstorm on icy roads to get to a meeting. When I asked my osteopath about her holidays, she guiltily told me about watching an entire season of Broadchurch in one day with her husband, then quickly went on to justify the “indulgence”.

Other than impairing your ability to go-go-go, this low energy state drags some of us into a full depression. Melatonin is made from serotonin – one of your feel-good neurotransmitters. With more of the latter being shunted into the former, your usual good moods and energy have quite literally gone into hibernation.

Serotonin, in turn, is made from tryptophan, so you crave starchy food in search of a source. More specifically, you want sugar, as it’s both the quickest route to more energy (albeit not a sustainable one) and another stimulator of the feel-good centres in your brain.

Many North Americans have learned the good habit of popping vitamin D through the winter months to protect bones, digestive tract, immunity and breasts from lack of sun on our skin. (If you haven’t got on this train yet, start!)

It’s just as vital to supplement the lack of sun in your brain.

Here are 3 ways to do just that.

1. Light therapy

The regular bulbs in your home and office aren’t enough to do the trick, though ironically, they’re enough to set your melatonin off-kilter when you’ve got them all on late into the evening.

As a bonus, this practice not only reduces the effects of S.A.D., it helps regulate all your cycles – sleep, menstruation, fertility.

You need full-spectrum light. Sunlight.

Get out into the daylight for a good 10-20 minutes every morning, without any type of lenses covering your eyes. Ditch the shades when you walk the dog or the kids to school. Go an extra couple of blocks before hopping on the bus. If it’s mild enough, have your morning tea on the deck.

Lunchtime is the next best time to do this.

Open the blinds in your office; move your desk so can see outside.

Even if you’re not getting direct sunlight – the sun’s only just coming up as I head out these days at 7:40 – you can still drink in the blue of the sky or the hint of brightness behind the clouds.

When I conscientiously look up at the sky rather than bow my head against the cold in the morning, it makes a marked difference to my energy levels and mood.

If you don’t have the luxury of an extra 20 minutes outside – I won’t harp on at the moment about all the ways this is good for you – then get yourself a full-spectrum lamp or two. Have it on in the room(s) where you spend most of your time each day.

2. Take some down time.

Remember, the pineal gland is about rhythms & cycles. Which means turning off just as much as being on.

If your energy wanes at this time of year, don’t fight it.

Honouring the fact that this is a season of drawing inward and quiet rest attunes your body and recharges your batteries for the more energetic times of the warmer months.

  • Switch from power yoga to restorative yoga. This delicious practice nurtures you with lots of gentle poses and support with blankets.
  • Have more evenings in than out. Jigsaw puzzles and board games come out more often at our house. They draw us together as a family or make a great excuse for putting on a pot of chili and having some friends over.
  • Choose a meaty novel or your journal over TV. Tackle the classics you’ve had on your shelf for years, or see what the library has among the new arrivals. (If you prefer an e-reader to paper books, be sure to put it on night mode.)
  • Get more sleep. By all means, go to bed a bit earlier. Sleep in a bit later on the weekend. The snow will still be there to play in when you get up.

3. Eat your way out of the blues.

Feed your brain with adequate protein and good fats to keep neurotransmitter and hormone levels up to par.

Nourish your need for sugar and comfort food with squashes and roasted root vegetables. Not only are these yummy choices packed with nutrients, you can think of them as concentrated sunshine – the sugar molecules literally being the sun’s energy in carbon and water.

How do you keep yourself energized through the winter? When you share your thoughts in the comments, you open the possibilities for others.

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The Skinny on Fat

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What better time to talk about fat than the lead-in to the holidays and the prospect of all the deliciously rich food on offer.

In exploring the beautiful reflection you see in your meals through the Magic Looking Glass for Eating Right, you are also learning to reflect a deeper care of yourself. This is self-love in action. Eating a balance of nourishing food you enjoy is one of the concrete ways you express self-love – it’s a form of radical self-care. Each of the nutrients in the looking glass framework offer you an important angle for eating right AND show you how you can nourish your best self.

Let’s first clear the air by saying that fat isn’t bad for you. It’s absolutely necessary to your health. Eating fat doesn’t cause you to put on fat…unless you eat it in poor qualities and excess quantities.

Why You Need Fat

Your brain is made of 60% fat, and your nerves are coated in the stuff. Without that insulation, all those electrical signals flying around at light speed would go haywire.

Your cells are surrounded in fat, keeping their functional molecules contained away from the watery medium of your body.

Your sex hormones are made from fat (cholesterol, to be precise), and your body fat is necessary to certain stages of their production & metabolism. I’m talking estrogen, progesterone, testosterone: your ability to reproduce. Not to mention all the fun & games to get you there!

Cholesterol is also the base for vitamin D (for your bones and immune system), and for bile, so that you can digest, you got it…fats.

You know all the hype about getting enough essential fatty acids, vitamins A and E? Unless you eat a variety of fat, you’re not getting these goodies.

The fat under your skin insulates you from temperature changes. Boring? That fat also keeps your skin soft & silky.

I know you’d like some of that padding to go away, but it’s actually a protective layer for your vital organs.

Fat & oil in food, when heated, carries the aroma of a meal. It’s why your food smells so delicious: Nature’s way of stimulating your appetite.

When you eat a bit of fat in a meal, it actually slows the digestive process, so you’re satisfied sooner and feel full longer. (Yes, fat, just like fibre, helps you eat less!)

Now tell me, how is any of that bad for you?

“But it’s so high in calories!”

True. A gram of fat has 9 calories, where protein and carbohydrates have 4. There’s a reason for that.

Fat is a storage molecule.

(Technically, we refer to these molecules as lipids: oils in plants, fat in animals/humans.)

The sun’s heat gets trapped when a plant makes sugar (carbs) – we release that energy when we eat the plant (or eat an animal who’s eaten the plant). The plant concentrates that heat into the seed as oil, ensuring it has what’s needed to endure the winter and sprout again come spring.

Animal or human, the fat stores on the body ensure we’ve got the energy to make it until the next meal. (Don’t forget, we’ve evolved through eras of feast or famine.) Like the plant, or the squirrel in your backyard, you have the capacity to store up for a long cold winter.

As a keeper of calories, lipids hold your heat.

Let’s look at what that means at a deeper level.

During the height of summer, a plant’s oils evaporate & disperse into the atmosphere as its perfume. Its essence. It’s how the flower expresses itself, declares its presence to the world, attracts the bees & butterflies that ensure its reproduction. It’s part of what we love about flowers.

Could we say that our essence also manifests through our lipids?

The thoughts, memories, emotions sparking around your brain; the decisions you make and your ability to carry them out, via nerves, to your motor activities…they’re all facilitated and made efficient because of fat.

Your femininity – your curves, your ability to nurture, be receptive and creative, your ability to attract a mate and have a baby – all of it flourishes because of your fat.

Every cell in your body, the houses of your DNA, the machinery that builds and rebuilds the physical aspects of your being, would fall into chaotic disarray without the lipid membrane that keeps it whole.

You solidify the boundary of who you are and you glow with inner light because of the fat in your skin (like an oil lamp).

Just as the flower attracts others with its scent, your own essence – the heat you give off to the world by being fully present in your life – sparks connection with others. In love, in friendship, in work, in community.

 

To ensure that you’re glowing to your fullest potential, there are, of course, a few guidelines. I’m sure you’ve heard a lot of this already, but it bears repeating.

Fat Quality

You need to eat a balance of 3 types of lipids for your body to work at its best.

Saturated:

These fats are easily recognized because they’re more solid at room temperature. Mainly from animal sources (meat, poultry, fish, eggs, butter & cream), they’re also found it coconut and palm oils.

The plant form of saturated fat are very easy to digest and actually help burn other types of fat because they’re made of shorter chains. That is, they provide easily accessible energy.

Egg yolk also contains a fatty compound known as lecithin, which eases your body’s ability to get the fat where it needs to go without damaging any arteries along the way.

Monounsaturated:

Found in poultry fat, which is why it’s more viscous than lard from beef or pork.

The best (and yummiest!) sources are avocado, olives and olive oil.

Polyunsaturated:

We know these as the essential fatty acids, omega-3 and omega-6.

Omega-6 are in animal meats, poultry, nuts & seeds and plant oils (corn, safflower, sunflower, etc.), i.e. in fried foods.

Omega-3, the mood-calming, anti-inflammatory fat, comes in leafy greens, fish, grass-fed animal food, seeds such as flax, chia, hemp; nuts like walnut.

We need both types in proper proportion, but our over-use of the one kind has displaced the other and increased our need for it, hence the view that one is better than the other.

Fats and oils are “bad” when they’re out of proportion or no longer in their natural state.

Overheated, these lipids are damaged and lose their nourishing effect beyond the calories they add. (Different oils can withstand different temperatures.)

Processed – hydrogenated, heat extracted, bleached, deodorized – they are stripped of their natural properties, stripped of their essence, their subtle energy.

Which means that your body won’t necessarily recognize them as usable material.

These altered molecules (such as trans fats), when not assimilated effectively into your body, create more work for your liver. Plus, they hang around as free radicals – the scavenger molecules that wreak havoc, leading to inflammation, cardiovascular disease and cancer (among others).

Quantity of Dietary Fat

You need 20-30% (some even say up to 40%) of your calories from fat. If you’re that average person who eats 2000 calories a day, that translates into 44-66 g (88 g) of fat each day.

To give you a practical idea, you need 3-5 servings a day…not a lot:

2 tsp of butter, oil, nut butter = 10 g
2 egg yolks = 9 g
½ avocado = 15 g

You need 1/3 of each type; saturated, mono & polyunsaturated (in equal proportions of omega-6 and omega-3).

As you indulge this holiday season, you’re storing up some extra heat for the winter.

Remember that, as you curl in with more quiet, indoor activity through the cold months, you give your soul a chance to feed its essence for your re-emergence next spring.

No matter what you do eat (or skip) this holiday season, make sure you’re doing so from a place of joy and celebration. (If you missed it, you can still listen to last year’s webinar to help with this.)

In the comments, I’d like to hear how you struggle with the idea of fat or the enjoyment of fatty-rich food. When you share your thoughts, you open the possibilities for others.

Share this wisdom with your friends by clicking on any (or all!) of the pretty green buttons:

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