Welcoming Winter!

04 Dec 2006 Like it or not, we live in a land of seasons. With Winter comes a shortening of daylight hours and an unwelcome drop in temperature. The best thing you can do is look at the new season in a positive way and think of these reasons to be cheerful:
   • The winter landscape has its own special beauty.
   • We can snuggle up cosily (in-between bracing walks)
   • The party season’s just around the corner!
   • Spring will follow, the season of renewal.

Smart people are already stoking up their immune system ready to take on winter’s chills and ills (better still, prevent them in the first place). The magic word here is ANTIOXIDANTS, the family of vitamins, herbs and minerals that boost the body’s natural defences. The most famous is Vitamin C, but Just Vitamins has a fabulous selection from Echinacea through to Zinc via Pomegranate and Pycnogenol®.

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Don’t be SAD
Seasonal Affective Disorder can affect people from September through to April. It’s caused by the downturn of natural sunlight, and some people opt to use special light gizmos to help boost the natural endorphins or brain’s ‘happy hormones’.

Symptoms include ‘winter blues’, low energy, disturbed sleep and increased cravings for sweet, stodgy foods. It’s a good idea to get outdoors for at least an hour every day and take a supplement to help redress the balance. 5HTP is an amino acid that converts in the brain to the neurotransmitter serotonin. Omega 3 and the B Complex vitamins may help too, also the herb St John’s Wort. Consult your doctor before taking St John’s Wort and 5-HTP if you are taking prescribed antidepressants.

Surviving Christmas
To some, the festive season means a round of rich foods and a case of over-imbibing. The digestion, the waistline and the liver all take the toll. To most, Christmas comes with added stress – shopping, crowds and perhaps a tad too much time closeted with the family and the in-laws!

As soon as that’s over, it’s New Year and the predictable resolutions to ‘cleanse and detox’. Looking on the bright side, there are ways of gearing up to keep you sane and well so you can face February head-on.

To maintain energy levels and keep you balanced you can’t go wrong with a one-a-day multi and B50 Complex, which will also help support the nervous system. For the beleaguered digestion, stock up now with Aloe Vera, Artichoke and Peppermint Oil, to help soothe and calm. And if you like the odd glass or two (well it is Christmas!) numerous studies have shown the benefits of Milk Thistle.