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Though we are in the home stretch as far as making it through the Winter here in northern New Jersey, the weather has still been cold, damp, snowy, foggy, cloudy, and wet. With the sun currently rising around 6:45am and setting at 5:45pm, we’re getting less than 12 hours of sunshine. Even the happiest of folks can struggle with low mood given these circumstances.

If you’ve been feeling blue and at a loss of what to do, here are some tips from our resident Health Coach, Jenna:

Be mindful of comfort food.

Many foods we tend to reach for instinctively in the hopes to heighten our mood are full of sugar, salt, or unhealthy fat. Pastas with cream sauces, baked goods, and potato chips are popular examples. Adopting a sense of mindfulness when making food choices for meals and snacks is an important part of ensuring your body remains nourished and your blood sugar levels stay steady. This can help prevent mood swings.

Instead of the pasta, opt for a superfood shake full of proteins and greens and void of common allergens. We recommend Navitas organic essential superfood blend for it’s 12 grams of protein and only 1 gram of sugar (derived from monk fruit – for those of you who are opposed to the taste of stevia).

Instead of the baked goods, opt for a QUALITY chocolate bar with REAL ingredients. We recommend local brand, Mishti organic and handmade chocolate with fair trade cocoa beans. If you haven’t heard, chocolate does help lift mood 🙂

Instead of the potato chips, opt for a crispy snack of a different sort. Seasnax makes a organic, gluten free, roasted seaweed snack that is as addicting and snack-worthy as potato chips. A great natural source of iodine and other sea minerals, its a delightful way to eat more mindfully.

Keep on top of your vitamin D levels.

If you’re not sure where they stand, check with your healthcare practitioner. A simple blood test can provide an answer. Our bodies derive vitamin D from sun exposure, which many of us get less of during Winter months. The solution is to supplement with a proper dosage. Collaborate with your healthcare provider to determine this.

Watch your caffeine intake.

When the weather is cold, many of us reach for coffee, tea, or, hot chocolate regularly throughout the day. Not only can this impact your sleep schedule, but it can throw your mood out of balance. If you are feeling agitated, consider opting for a decaffeinated or lower caffeinated herbal tea to support your energy levels and mood. We like Yogi’s Sweet Tangerine Positive Energy tea, which offers a bit of an energy boost without an overpowering punch of a caffeine.

Keep your gut bacteria in check.

We know that beneficial bacteria in the gut help promote reduced inflammation, digestive regularity, immune health. But what you might not know is that beneficial bacteria in the gut also promote healthy mood. We recommend a quality refrigerated variety with at least several dozen billion live and active cultures of various kinds. Megafood makes several great options.

Feed your body with healthy fat.

Omega 3 fatty acids are critical to balancing your body’s mood among other critical functions like your cardiovascular system and immune system. Many of us can benefit from supplementing with a quality EPA supplement – which is one of the two main constituents of Omega 3 fatty acids. We highly recommend Nordic Naturals’ EPA soft gels, which deliver a significant dosage of 850 mg.

Stay hydrated!

I find myself saying this a lot to folks – since the statistics out there show that many of us are walking around mildly to severely dehydrated on a daily basis unknowingly. Dehydration has an incredibly negative effect on mood. The heat of Summer months often helps instinctively remind us to drink more water, but in Winter months, we tend to neglect this in a state of pseudo-hibernation. Boost your water with a quality electrolyte formula like Superieur’s Fresh Citrus mineral powder complete with Vitamin C, which can help promote healthy immune function.

Count on herbs.

If the blues are hitting you hard and you feel like you could benefit from a boost, know that there are herbs clinically shown to support a positive mood. Lemon Balm, St. John’s Wort, and Ashwagandha root are just several examples. Oregon’s Wild Harvest has capitalized on these beneficial beauties, by blending them into a tasty, naturally-flavored lemon liquid tincture appropriately called “GoodVibes”.

Consider smart supplements.

At Basil Bandwagon, we stock a variety of pure and effective supplements formulated specifically to help support healthy mood. Natural Factors makes a blend called “Mental Sunshine” that contains Vitamin B6, Inositol, 5-HTP, and Saffron, which, separately, and collectively have been clinically proven to support a healthy mood.

Limit your screen time.

Cold weather generally means more time indoors for most of us. And more time indoors generally means more screen time for most of us.  While the internet, telephones, tablets, and televisions can provide entertainment, valuable information, and efficiency, too much time spent hunched over a screen doesn’t contribute positively to our emotional health. Make time for no screen time!

Optimize activity and adventure.

Prioritizing regular adventure into your life can help promote positive emotions as you begin to look forward to activities that engage your thought or your physical body. Whether a mini road trip, a skating experience at a local rink, or a cooking class in a studio, new and exciting activities can help bring joy and inspiration to your life when things are feeling a little low.