Winter Blues

[FarmerChick]

being in NC---hardly ever snow....ice, we get ice. UGH
but yes, cooler fall weather is a treat to work in for yardwork, barnwork, whatever, heck I always have at least 1 incident with "almost" heatstroke each summer. Working in fields in 99 deg. heat is not great..HA HA


I loved snow when I lived up North UNTIL I got old enough to truly work a real job. As a kid, great--you don't have the headaches adults do. No school, sleds, skiing, snowmen, etc......adults have to shovel, unbury cars, melt ice that is out to kill ya on the walkway, DRIVE in it for work, shovel off roofs, etc. etc.

LOL

 

[reinbeau]

Now, I now there are people who will correct me, but I think everyone who plans on taking vit D should check this on the internet. I thought you had to have sunlight to be able to assimilate the vit D properly. I know that they think the lack of sunlight for us northern hemisphere people may be the cause for some of us getting MS. So please check it out on the internet about the vit D.....

Actualy they think the low vitamin D levels may have something to do with a lot of things. Your skin will manufacture far more vitamin D during summer than winter, and with the use of sun block, even that is diminished. Read through these Google links for more info. Most doctors consider the 400 mg a day too low. I'm going for 1,000 a day, plus whatever I get in my diet. I've got osteopenia and am trying to keep the bones that I have left as healthy as possible.

 

[roosmom]

The word I was looking for was absorb.....I think you have to have something else to help you absorb and use the vit D to its full capacity. I could be wrong.
I had a mother who sent us outside constantly. I never used sunblock. I (when I got older) laid out in the sun. I love the sun. I realize I probably said it incorrectly and that is why I asked people to please look it up on the internet. This is just one more reason to hate winter. Lack of sunlight. WINTER

 

[MorelCabin]

The word I was looking for was absorb.....I think you have to have something else to help you absorb and use the vit D to its full capacity. I could be wrong.
I had a mother who sent us outside constantly. I never used sunblock. I (when I got older) laid out in the sun. I love the sun. I realize I probably said it incorrectly and that is why I asked people to please look it up on the internet. This is just one more reason to hate winter. Lack of sunlight. WINTER

Sunblock doesn't allow vitamin D to get to you through the sun. I never use it either:>) Neither does anyone in my family. I think that with eh SAD lights it helps absorb it during winter months

 

[curly_kate]

I had it BAD last winter. My doc wanted to put me on Prozac, but I declined that & actually bought full spectrum lights from a farm supply store (growerssupply.com, I think). They were only $5 a pop, and I was surprised how well they worked. I put one in the lamp on my desk, left the shade off, and basked in the glow. The other thing was that on any REMOTELY nice day, I went for a walk outside. I'm in zone 5, so we get some kinda warm days throughout the winter, and I drug myself out. Once I was out, I felt SOOO much better!

I'm always OK thru Christmas, but after that, it's over! :/

 

[Wildsky]

I had it BAD last winter. My doc wanted to put me on Prozac, but I declined that & actually bought full spectrum lights from a farm supply store (growerssupply.com, I think). They were only $5 a pop, and I was surprised how well they worked. I put one in the lamp on my desk, left the shade off, and basked in the glow. The other thing was that on any REMOTELY nice day, I went for a walk outside. I'm in zone 5, so we get some kinda warm days throughout the winter, and I drug myself out. Once I was out, I felt SOOO much better!

I'm always OK thru Christmas, but after that, it's over! :/

That sounds like me, I'm ok till Christmas, lots of things going on etc.... after that its a let down and I just keep rolling on down the hill.
I'm in Zone 4.

 

[Beekissed]

I bundle up and sit out and watch CTV(chicken TV, for the uninformed) for a couple of hours in the winter, every chance I get. Its peaceful and I turn my chair to get the sun full on my face. I also make a point of going out to look at the stars, with my dogs, on those clear winter nights.....don't think that helps SAD but it sure gives me a sense of peace all the same!

 

[reinbeau]

The sky in the winter is absolutely amazing. I can't see the Milky Way well from the Hanson house, but up at the Maine house I can see it all the time - the number of stars people see veiled in light pollution is so minuscule compared to the view of the Milky Way on a clear, dark night up there! My night time friend is Orion, standing up there in the sky holding his sword high, keeping us all safe. I'm an amateur astronomer and like to see the familiar stars and constellations come and go with the seasons.

Anyways, yes, you can go out in the sun in the winter, when it's clear and calm I love it - but it doesn't do much for vitamin D, it just lightens your mood.

 

[roosmom]

The sky in the winter is absolutely amazing. I can't see the Milky Way well from the Hanson house, but up at the Maine house I can see it all the time - the number of stars people see veiled in light pollution is so minuscule compared to the view of the Milky Way on a clear, dark night up there! My night time friend is Orion, standing up there in the sky holding his sword high, keeping us all safe. I'm an amateur astronomer and like to see the familiar stars and constellations come and go with the seasons.

Anyways, yes, you can go out in the sun in the winter, when it's clear and calm I love it - but it doesn't do much for vitamin D, it just lightens your mood.

Reinbeau, have you ever saw the (please dont correct my spelling on THIS word) Aurora Borealis? When it waves across the winter sky like a flag? Heavenly

 

[miss_thenorth]

Used to see them when I lived up north quite frequently. I miss them.