Shortly after Christmas, I had a period of about two weeks during which I was extremely depressed. Life seemed grey and not worth living. There was no joy in anything that I did, and I didn’t do very much. Although it was very difficult to care enough to bother, I decided to return to eating my high protein, high fruit and vegetables diet and started my first day on it on January 6th. The next morning, I awoke feeling energetic and happy for the first time in a few weeks. I couldn’t believe the difference. The world had colour and life was worth living again! I did make the connection between the depression and re-starting my diet, so I did a bit of research to see if this was rare and unusual. I found 2 books in the bookstore on mood and diet: "The Mood Cure" and "Food and Mood". Both made the same recommendations for depression - cut all simple carbohydrates from the diet. No sugary items, no bread, no potatoes and only small amounts of whole grain brown rice or other whole grains. One of them stated that her clients had a hard time staying with this change in diet for between 10 days and 3 weeks when something seemed to click that made it easier, and found that a really good supplement of vitamins or some mineral(?) caused the click to happen the first day. Fortunately, I was already taking an excellent, organic supplement that must have had the same effect. The only reason I find it hard to stay on my diet is a social one. People at social gatherings tend to serve lots of sweets and very few proteins, and they tend to be a bit offended at refusal to eat. I keep a supply of protein bars with me and nibble on one to be sociable. I’m also losing weight (which is why I started this diet a year ago). Ahhh, life is good :-D

I also have a mild case of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), so I know that using full spectrum lights does help, but I've found that it's not enough. The diet and lots of full spectrum light does seem to do the trick. Today, the sun is shining brightly, and I think it's about 10 degrees higher in the sky than it was just a month and a half ago!

-- Tricia the Canuck (jayles@*telusplanet.net*), February 06, 2003

Answers

Since we have installed our wood stove, my wife has noticed that the SAD doesn't seem to affect her as it has earlier. The full-spectrum lights helped, but the stove seems to add something additional.

And dumping the sugars really makes a difference. Especially quitting the soft drinks. But losing weight makes the cold more evident. Now I want to hang out in front of the stove all day.

glad your story has a happy ending. :-)

-- gene (ekbaker@*essex1.com*), February 06, 2003.

(((((Tricia))))) You need to be taking a Potassium supplement. (And a little extra calcium at our age can't hurt.) ;-) Also, make sure you stay hydrated by drinking lots of water.

What kind of protein bars are you eating? Atkins? Why is it every social function (and holiday) seems to revolve around food? Because we like to eat! :-D

It snowed here all day. It's pretty but I prefer the sun!

Nice to see you Gene! I guess fat works like insulation? LOL! Move over and make room by the stove!

-- gaylasd@hotmail.com (privacy@please.com), February 06, 2003.

Oops! Not too hard to figure out that was me! :-)

-- Gayla (gaylasd@hotmail.com), February 06, 2003.

Tricia, I'm glad you're feeling better. Never thought about diet being a part of depression. When I'm depressed I hit the icecream pretty hard.

-- helen (chocolate@chip.mint), February 06, 2003.

What's your latitude up there?

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (cook.r@watchLondrinking.glug), February 06, 2003.

Dear and Sweet Princess, keep your chin up. Each day the sun gets up earlier and sets a little later. BTW, your depression corresponded with the darkest two weeks of the year.

I've been trying to lose weight also, but am seriously addicted to chocolate and get truly strange if I go without it for more than a couple days (stranger even than 'normal' -;)

It's snowing again and we're expecting about 6 inches. I can't wait for Spring and fishing season!!!!

poopie.

-- (sonofdust@snowing.again), February 06, 2003.

Hi Tricia. I hope you continue feeling good. That empty black hole can be a real hard sucker to get out of, especially if you can't tell anyone around you what you're feeling. I hope your sun keeps shining. Best Wishes.

-- Carol (c@oz.com), February 06, 2003.

Gene, it's so nice to hear that you're thin and hanging out by the fire :-) I hope to be/do the same some day!

Gayla, I know that potassium is important, but I seem to be getting enough of it from the supplements that I take. I do have some extra on hand, but I haven't noticed any signs of needing to add it in most of the time. I'm not on Atkins - I have been, and it worked short term, but I found that as soon as I stopped, I put on all the weight I'd lost. The program I'm using now was developed by some medical clinics from California that specialize in treating obesity. It has an exercise component and a counselling component that confronts the emotional triggers of eating, as well as diet which is high in protein, but low in fat and includes fruit. Moreover, when I quit last summer after Ed died, I did gain back some of the weight I'd lost, but even after Christmas, I was still down 10 pounds for the year. That's not a lot, but it's way better than my usual 2-3 pound gain!

Helen, does icecream count as carbohydrates or calories? Surely not :-D

Rob, I empathize! I find that my downfall is fresh baked bread. Not that white, tissue paper type of stuff, but the good pumpernickle or multigrain whole wheat... mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Robert, Edmonton (I live in a suburb) is close to 53.5N and 114.5W. Come up and see me some time ;-)

Carol, thanks for your well wishing. I'm glad to hear that the heat reduced before you melted right away!

-- Tricia the Canuck (jayles@*telusplanet.net*), February 07, 2003.

Here you, as much sunshine as you can possibly handle: U.S. Naval Observatory
Astronomical Applications Department
Sun and Moon Data for One Day
The following information is provided for
Edmonton, Tricia's Summertime (longitude W114.5, latitude N53.5): Saturday
21 June 2003 Universal Time - 7h SUN
Begin civil twilight 03:16
Sunrise 04:09
Sun transit 12:40
Sunset 21:11
End civil twilight 22:04
MOON
Moonset 11:24 on preceding day
Moonrise 01:08
Moon transit 06:45
Moonset 12:38
Moonrise 01:18 on following day

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (cook.r@watchLondrinking.glug), February 07, 2003.