February BLAH's

Contributed by: Michelle
February always seems to bring the winter blahs and a case of cabin fever, but it doesn't have to. You may start to feel sad or moody. You may lack energy. You may crave sweets. Here are some suggestions for avoiding the winter blahs.

Get some fresh air: Go outside and take a walk for 10 minutes. Most of us remember being sent outside as kids even if it was just for a brief period.

Exercise: Whether outside walking or doing something at home. There are plenty of options out there for DVDs and computer programs to help you exercise in the comfort of your own home. One of our contributors has a mini-trampoline that she keeps in her living room when it is too rainy/snowy/cold to do anything outside. She says that 5 – 10 minutes on it really helps.

Drink some juice: When you crave something sweet in the winter, try drinking some juice. It will satisfy your cravings for something sweet, but not have those empty calories.

Try a body detox: Especially if you over indulged over the holidays, a detox may be in order.

Vitamin D: Make sure you are getting enough Vitamin D. A lot of fish are naturally high in vitamin D.

Watch your eating: We need to make sure that we’re not overeating, or eating too much junk. Packing on the pounds and not giving your body proper nutrition will not make you feel good. Conversely, stay away from crash dieting. Denying yourself overly much will not make you feel good, in fact, that kind of self-denial tends to make a person feel worse.