The Winter Blues (Seasonal Depression)
The winter blues known as Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, hits most people during the winter season. This is because during the winter, the sun is at its all-time distance with the earth and of course we have cloudy rainy days that block UVB rays from its direct exposure. A quick note: Your body is designed to get the vitamin D it needs by producing it when your bare skin is exposed to sunlight. The part of the sun's rays that is important is ultraviolet B (UVB). Therefore, a lot of us end up with the winter blues, because we are not exposed to the sunlight as much as we are during other seasons.
The Vitamin D Breakdown:
Vitamin D plays a major role in many body processes such as brain development and plasticity, immunity, and autoimmunity. Vitamin D deficiency is strongly related to the development of diabetes, autism, psoriasis, tuberculosis, osteoporosis, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s Disease, and cancer, even hypertension and psoriasis. Amongst many other things including depression or SAD.
Bioavailability of Vitamin D in Mushrooms:
How to get a healthy dose of Vitamin D naturally is by consuming Mushrooms. Mushrooms are loaded with Vitamin D. If you notice the nature of the mushroom, it grows during winter climates, cold and moist with some sunlight. It's a seasonal source of nutrition that grows during a season where sunlight exposure is limited-therefore Vitamin D production is at it's all time lowest. Nature is perfection, in that everything nature provides correlates to what’s essential for our body's nutritional requirements and demands during every given season. By eating the food each season provides, you are eating according to what is in alignment for your body. The bio-rhythms of our body correlates with climate changes. I encourage you all to begin adding mushrooms to your diet during the winter season, where mushrooms grow abundantly. The vitamin D that mushrooms offer is bioavailable to the human body and supports optimal wellness. You don’t need the Sun to help your body create Vitamin D, just know that without sun exposure and without mindful consumption of vitamin D sources or supplementation, you have a high chance of becoming deficient. So, stock up on mushrooms and enjoy them cooked in soups, sauté’s or tossed fresh in a salad. However, if supplementation is the only option, look for a high-quality supplement. Talk to your local health food store about recommendations or your health provider.
Spirituality:
The vibration of eating seasonally is in alignment with anything related to Holistic Healing. The body, mind, and spirit become vibrationally affected by default, when you allow yourself to receive the healing benefits that Nature has to offer. Without understanding the mechanics, but by making a mindful decision or intention to embrace Her gifts simply by eating food in its most natural state. When you intentionally make the decision to eat by season and by what nature provides in the present, you have entered a frequency of energetic healing on many levels. You are directly speaking to Nature by responding to the offerings she provides us in every season just by enjoying Her food. You are letting the Universe know that you are giving yourself permission to heal your body through Natures medicine. This frequency is in the vibration of abundance, allowing yourself to experience the benefits of what has been presented to you in that moment. Surrendering to the Divine gifts created for you in that Season and showing gratitude for those miracles by accepting those gifts. This is also in the frequency of being present, by living life as it comes today and in this Season, is a form of practicing presence. This is in the vibration of acceptance and away from the vibration of resistance, allowing your body, mind, and spirit connection to heal on a cellular and energetic level. You can always enjoy foods out of Season, but remembering to also embrace what is available in season is hint as to what your body will benefit the most of and making that exchange with Nature is letting Her know you are listening.