Prevent the Winter Blues and Be Happy

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Last Updated on November 26, 2023 by Cathy

Young woman smiling holding her hat in the snow.

Awe winter is here – some love it, some hate it. When I was younger I didn’t mind winter. I liked skiing, sledding, and the sound of the snow crunching under my boots. I loved the fresh snow especially when it sparkled from the sunlight.

As I started struggling with walking I started to dislike winter. The colder temperatures, shorter days, and the fear of falling on the icy ground. Plus, it’s cold and flu season which can make MS symptoms worse or cause a relapse.

Winter is harsh, it’s no wonder people get the winter blues. This year turn things around. Don’t become a “couch potato” binge-watching television. Become more active, and get some sun. Turn your negative feelings into positive feelings.

Multiple Sclerosis and Environmental Toxins

MS is a chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. It disrupts the flow of information between the brain and the body. Researchers believe it is due to multiple factors that trigger the onset of MS.

Possible triggers to MS:

Diet (processed foods, refined sugar, refined carbs, food allergies, etc.)
Infections (bacterial overgrowth, parasites, viruses, and yeast overgrowth )
Environmental Toxins (heavy metals, mold, pesticides, smoking, etc.)
Chronic Stress (especially emotional stress)
Hormones (vitamin D, insulin, cortisol)
Genetics (you can’t change your genes but you can change your gene expression by living a healthy lifestyle)

Conventional therapies for MS use anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory drugs. But, these treatments do not stop the destruction of nerve tissue.

An Anti-inflammatory Diet

Chronic inflammation is silent, it grows inside your body without you realizing it. After years or decades of eating and living a poor lifestyle, your health begins to suffer. MS is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease.

Some foods raise inflammation while others lower inflammation. An anti-inflammatory diet will lower your inflammation slowing disease progression.

Some foods contain proteins that could cause an autoimmune reaction and/or leaky gut. You need to avoid these foods:

Dairy and any food with dairy in it
Gluten
Legumes (e.g. beans, peanuts, peas, soy)
Any food that causes an allergic reaction/food sensitivity
Refined carbohydrates/sugar

Foods that lower inflammation:

Vegetables
Fruit
Fatty fish
Nuts like almonds and walnuts
Olive oil

Eat a wide range of vegetables every day, the more the better. Dr. Terry Wahls, the author of The Wahls Protocol, recommends eating nine cups daily.

Dr. Wahls recommends 3 cups of each group each day:

Dark leafy greens
Colorful all the way through
Sulfur such as asparagus, broccoli, onions, etc.

Lower Your Carbs

People tend to eat more carbohydrates during the colder months. Fall and winter months have more holidays which means more food. Plus, foods like winter squash which are higher in carbohydrates are in season.

Carbohydrates break down into sugar. Sugar is sweeter and creates “feel good” chemicals like dopamine in the brain. That is why sugar is so addictive.

Unfortunately, sugar feeds bacterial and yeast overgrowth, parasites, and other infections. Sugar also raises your blood sugar levels. If you overeat sugar you can become insulin resistant leading to type 2 diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. I had to throw that in there since my son is a T1D and is always correcting people.

Instead of loading up on carbs, eat your meal with healthy fat and protein. This will help keep your energy up and make you feel fuller longer. A healthy snack between meals will also keep you from reaching for something higher in carbs.

Omega 3 and Omega 6 Fatty Acids

Omega 3 fatty acids are a natural anti-inflammatory. However, omega 3 and omega 6 are both important for the brain and nerve tissue. Unfortunately, people eat too much omega 6 not enough omega 3.

You should eat an equal amount, a 1:1 ratio, of each to help rebuild your myelin sheath. People get omega 6 mostly from foods such as corn, red meat, and canola oil.

Omega-3 comes from:

Fatty fish such as mackerel, salmon, sardines, trout, and tuna (choose wild-caught)
Seeds (chia seeds, flaxseeds)
Walnuts

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Omega-3 and fish oil have beneficial effects:

Lowering inflammation
Improving the quality of life for people with MS
Rebuilding the myelin sheath
Reducing relapses

Supplements to Fight the Winter Blues

Most people with MS have a deficiency in vitamin D. Vitamin D isn’t really a vitamin, it’s a hormone. Plus, some people may have a mutation in the VDR gene causing their body to not absorb vitamin D.

Vitamin D is important for bone health, calcium absorption, and regulating immune function. We get vitamin D from the sun, that’s why it’s called the sunshine vitamin. We also get it from fatty fish and eggs.

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, meaning it stays in your body. It is safe for people with MS to take up to 10,000 IUs each day. DO NOT go over this amount without a doctor who specializes in vitamin D.

Get your vitamin D level checked. Don’t accept a “normal” result, get the actual number instead. It should be between 60-100 ng/mL.

Vitamin C is another important vitamin, not just when you have a cold but for people with MS. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that supports the body’s immune system. Plus, it protects the brain and spinal cord from free-radical damage.

Vitamin C is water-soluble, meaning it doesn’t stay in your body. Vitamin C is critical for restoring the central nervous system.

Get Enough Sleep

This is hard for many people, it seems like in the morning you can’t wake up then at night you are wide awake. It is important to stick to a bedtime routine to get your body used to falling asleep at a decent hour.

Sleep supports the body’s immune system, as you sleep your body is repairing itself. Lack of sleep can cause brain fog, dizziness, and weakness. If these are symptoms you already suffer with you don’t need to make it worse from lack of sleep.

Aromatherapy to Fight the Winter Blues

Aromatherapy can help by easing depressing thoughts. Some scents have a calming and soothing effect on your body and mind. I use an essential oil diffuser and let it run for several hours. It has an automatic shutoff in case I forget to turn it off.

Essential oils for happiness:

Bergamot
Blues Buster oil blend
Frankincense
Jasmine
Lavender
Peppermint
Rose Otto
Worry Free oil blend
Ylang Ylang

Keep Moving

Winter months cause people to slow down in their activities. But, exercise is an anti-inflammatory. Exercise releases endorphins to make you feel good. It also supports a healthy immune system.

Exercise will increase your energy and fight off the winter blues. There are many exercises a person with MS can do at any level of disability even if you are in a wheelchair.

Examples of exercises for people with MS:

Strength training/stretch bands
Stretching
Swimming
Tai chi
Walking
Yoga

Get Some Sunshine and Avoid the Winter Blues

The colder months can lead to depression and stress. Scientists believe it’s due to the lack of sunlight and the brain making less serotonin (a happy chemical). Getting outside to get some sunshine will help lift your mood.

If that’s not possible open your curtains to let the light in, light therapy is another option. Light is our brain’s biological clock. When it’s dark our body produces melatonin to create drowsiness. Light is an antidepressant and lifts your spirits.

For light therapy use a lightbulb that helps capture the color of the sun. Such as Miracle LED Boost Morning Wake Up Light. If you are looking for a compact portable lamp I like HappyLight. Shine it on yourself while you eating, meditating, reading, or when you’re feeling down.

Quick Links To Information In This Post:

Easy Anti-Inflammatory Diet Guidelines
What Is The Wahls Protocol?
Why You Should Be Eating More Omega-3 Vs. Omega-6