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How to Beat the Winter Blues

by Stephanie

How to Beat the Winter Blues

Did you know that this past November in Toronto had a new record for the lack of sunlight?

This isn’t good news for people whose moods are really affected by the winter blues. Many people get sad, irritable, anxious, and depressed—which are all quite common symptoms as a result of our climate.

There are a few things we can do however to help us boost our moods over these long, dark and dreary months.

Get my tips below!

Take Enough Vitamin D3.

This seems like a given, but it’s not always the case. When I talk to people about taking vitamin D the typical response is one of the following:

“I used to!”
“I know I should, but I just don’t remember.”
“Oh everyone is low in vitamin D and I’m sure I am too!”

I would argue that keeping your vitamin D levels balanced is one of the main things we can do to keep our moods boosted during the winter. Why? Because vitamin D helps to control many functions in our bodies.

  • It promotes calcium absorption in the body (without adequate vitamin D, calcium is not absorbed properly).
  • It is necessary for bone growth.
  • It helps with cell growth and immune function (it helps us stay healthy!).

So you can see it has a huge effect on our bodies and without it our bodies can suffer. I recommend getting tested to assess your levels.

Unfortunately it’s not covered (because everyone is low) but costs about $35 (in Canada) and it might give you some answers as to why you’re feeling a certain way during the colder months when we don’t get enough sun. 

You may find after getting tested that your body needs more than what is recommended (600UI for children 1-13; 600UI for adults up to 70 and 800 for adults 70+). I was low and started taking 2000UI-5000UI daily and my levels balanced out. Everyone is different however and it’s important to be be checked.

P.S. I like this brand of vitamin D3.

Eat Foods That Boost Your Mood.

Many people don’t realize that we can boost our moods with food! I recommend eating more mood-boosting foods throughout the winter months (or when you’re generally feeling unwell mentally).

The Academy of Culinary Nutrition has a fantastic and thorough article about what foods are best for boosting moods.

A few of them are:

  • Wild salmon
  • Dark leafy greens
  • Chia
  • Turkey
  • Lentils
  • Eggs (pastured or organic are preferred for maximum benefits)
  • Sardines
  • Avocado
  • Bell peppers
  • Fermented foods

Get the complete list and info about mood-boosting foods here.

Embrace Winter.

This is a hard one for many of us, but it’s necessary for getting through the winter in a decent mood. I believe it can happen in one of two ways:

Inside: Practice hygge (pronounced hue-guh) by sitting in front of a fire, getting a pair of big cozy socks and sweater, sipping warm drinks, playing more board games, reading more books, listening to jazz (my favourite!) or a cozy podcast, having people over. Genuinely try to create a cozy space in your home so you can enjoy being inside during the colder months. It will help get you through the winter months I promise!

Outside: Go for hikes in nature, get away from the city (not everyone can afford a week away in the sun, but perhaps you can afford to get away from the city for a day trip or overnight somewhere), skate on a trail, get cozy by an outdoor fire with a warm drink.

This year we’re going to try snowshoeing at our cottage and I tried cross-country skiing once and loved it. Try something new!

One thing I keep telling the kids these days is to “Dress for the weather!” (they don’t listen to this advice all the time!). When we dress for the weather we’re more apt to enjoy being outside. If you can, invest in a good pair of boots, coat, mitts and hat so you’re always warm outside.

I hope these tips help you beat the winter blues! Try choosing just one of these tips to see if they make a difference this season.

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***EDIT: These are RAMPS! Oops. But you can still ***EDIT: These are RAMPS! Oops. But you can still read about all the benefits of garlic and green garlic below. Also, you can use ramps in the recipe I gave you!***

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This week I got my first batch of green garlic in the veggie box!⁠
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Green garlic, or spring garlic, is a younger version of the garlic we know well and use in our cooking. It’s milder and can be used in many recipes. You can eat the white and green parts.⁠
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It has a white base like a green onion although it’s a bit bigger and its green stems are more flat than rounded. ⁠
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The younger version of this garlic has the same amazing health benefits as its older version making it an excellent addition to your recipes.⁠
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Not to mention it’s local and can basically be grown anywhere which is fantastic news for our environment.⁠
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Health Benefits of Garlic:⁠
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⚡️Helps to reduce cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure⁠
Garlic’s sulfur-containing compounds can be beneficial to the upper digestive tract.⁠
⚡️We need to eat garlic in our meals at least 2-3 times a week in order to see these health benefits.⁠
⚡️Use it raw and cooked. Raw garlic retains its health benefits more so than when it is cooked.⁠
⚡️Dried garlic doesn’t have the same effect as raw or cooked. Tastes good though!⁠
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⚡️A Quick Recipe: Quinoa (or rice or millet) with Green Garlic⚡️⁠
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Slice the ends off of the green garlic and thinly slice the entire vegetable including the green parts.⁠
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Put a tablespoon of olive oil into a pan and sauté the green garlic for 1-2 minutes. Add quinoa (about 1-2 cups) and stir. Add a bit of salt and pepper and voila! You have a flavourful side dish. ⁠
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#recipe #springrecipes #simplerecipes
My brother-in-law Steve spent a large portion of o My brother-in-law Steve spent a large portion of our Christmas dinner sharpening my knives. I was so grateful, but also hesitant that I would cut myself.⁠
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When I started cooking with my newly-sharpened knives, I was in awe.⁠
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Sharp knives make all the difference when it comes to enjoying cooking. It's also safer if you can believe it.⁠
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With a sharp knife, you're less likely to push down harder on the knife trying to get it through an onion, for example.⁠
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It just slices through with little pressure. ⁠
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Dull knives leave room for error and slicing fingers (listen, I've cut a few fingers over the years...).⁠
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If you're having trouble enjoying cooking at home, I encourage you to either get a new knife (it doesn't have to be expensive), or get someone to sharpen your knives for you (call a Steve in your area!).⁠
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Take care of them with a little holder and treat them kindly. Having a sharp knife will bring you one step closer to love cooking at home.⁠
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xo⁠
Steph⁠
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#kitchenskills #cookingtips #easycooking #enjoycooking #inthekitchen
Keep Meals Simple Friends! I’ve said this befor Keep Meals Simple Friends!

I’ve said this before: keep your meals simple. 

Pick meals that take fewer than 20 minutes or less to cook so you’re not scrambling during the week to make dinner and keep the elaborate meals for the weekend.

Another idea is to choose a couple of veggies to roast on Sunday that you can use for various meals during the week. 

Roasted sweet potatoes are great with chicken thighs, but also taste fantastic in a frittata or taco. 

Cook once, eat twice (or three times).

Meal planning doesn’t have to be complicated. Keep it simple and nourishing and it get easier over time.

I’m accepting new clients at @onehealthservices! DM me if you’re looking for meal planning and prep help. 

#mealprephelp #mealplanhelp #springrefresh #
Mondays are our busy nights. I have tennis (so fun Mondays are our busy nights. I have tennis (so fun!) and my son has soccer. ⁠
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That's why I make sure to make Mondays an easier night for dinner. ⁠
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Enter salads and bowls!⁠
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Last Monday, I made a salad bowl with arugula, leftover rice, olives, tomatoes, chicken, and feta, and wowee it was yummers!⁠
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By prepping ingredients, the kids can take what they want and leave what they don't want (eh-hem, tomatoes) and we have a meal full of elements that will keep us satisfied and nourished.⁠
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Need meal prep and meal plan help?⁠
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I'm currently accepting new clients @onehealthservices! DM me or visit the link in my profile here @lealoucooks to chat about custom meal plans.⁠
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#mealprep #mealplanning #health #naturopath #virtualappointments #realfood #wholefood #foodmatters #holistichealth #culinarynutrition

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About Stephanie

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Hey! I'm Stephanie. I'm a Writer, Culinary Nutrition Expert and Cooking Instructor helping families cook nourishing meals. Read more about me {here}.

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