Does winter fatigue exist? We always hear about spring and autumn, a little less than in winter. In reality it exists and in the most ardent forms is indicated with the acronym SAD, Seasonal Affective Disorder. When the cold arrives our body reacts and we can help it not to be caught unprepared, urging the immune system and the metabolism that inevitably slows down according to the laws of nature. In fact, already in the autumn our basal metabolism slows down its rhythms, because in nature everything slows down : the sap in the plants, some hibernating animals, the watercourses of the closed countryside, the hours of reduced light; in short, if we look around, everything speaks to us about longer times and why should our body be an exception? So let's see some remedies to be introduced into our daily life to counteract the fall in physiological energy this season, without excessively impacting with seasonal rhythms.
C vitamin
We fill up with vitamin C to counteract apathy, physiological weakness, and ease in contracting colds. In winter we can therefore favor the consumption of foods rich in vitamin C, such as oranges, kiwi, pineapple, vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, or potatoes . For those who find it hard to follow a diet with seasonal fruits and vegetables, they can make ascorbic acid with vitamin C supplements, easily available in pharmacies or herbalists. It is important to follow the recommended dosage to avoid problems with stomach acid or other gastro-enteric disorders. In phytotherapy we have a couple of "friends" who bring vitamin C: dog rose and acerola.
- Rosa canina: in gemmoderivato it acts as an immunomodulator, thus regulating our body's immune defenses against allergies, but also against inflammation of the respiratory tract, mucous membranes of the eyes and nose. The berries of the dog rose, defined as rose hips, are rich in vitamin C, in a concentration higher than that of traditional citrus fruits, and can therefore represent an excellent supplement without contraindications.
- Acerola: it is also called Barbados cherry, due to its appearance, but the taste is reminiscent of the sour orange. Acerola is rich in vitamin C, but also in vitamins B and minerals such as magnesium, potassium, iron and bioflavonoids, synergistic with vitamin C.
>> Supreme magnesium among the most suitable supplements for fatigue
5-HTP
Let's talk about tryptophan, which we can synthesize as a precursor of serotonin . It acts on our body urging the production of serotonin at the level of the central nervous system, and also favors a greater concentration of melatonin, dopamine, noradrenaline and beta-endorphin. These neurotransmitters are essential for our psychosomatic well-being. 5HTP can be taken as a supplement, on the market we find it extracted from the seeds of Griffonia: it acts as a mood modulator, contrasts forms of apathy due to seasonal melancholy, mild forms of depression, sleep disorders.
Physical activity
In winter we often neglect outdoor physical activity due to cold and bad weather. A brisk walk is enough to counteract stress, mental and physical fatigue, apathy, mental weakness. We can take advantage of the lunch break to wear comfortable shoes, a jacket, a hat and a scarf and go out for a few kilometers through the streets of the city or in some park. We pay attention to the respiratory rhythm and we try to coordinate it in step, this will help us to cadence the exercise, to make it useful to our cardiovascular system, to empty the mind of circular thoughts that pollute our brain and re-oxygenate all our cells. The adrenal glands will support us with the production of adrenaline that will drive out tiredness and apathy.
