Holiday Celebration: Depression Served On A Platter

Star Trek fans are familiar to the scenes of the alien food eaten by the Klingons that moves and breathes and would disgust you at your own dinner table. There is a possibility that the alien living gumbo might be infinitely more healthy for you that what you consume celebrating the holidays. When you begin to examine what we traditionally eat and how it affects your body, you might think twice. It is a widely publicized that cases of reported depression escalate during this period. The Christmas season records show that the suicide rate for the year double at this time. A player in this scenario is the food served to bring joy can actually be doing just the opposite.

Sugar, caffeine and alcohol are the standards that most celebrations interweave the event around. This combination to a person who experiences depression or has been susceptible to the disease is like Kryptonite to Superman. Except they won’t turn glowing green, they become moody and dark instead. The reason is they inhibit the production of serotonin in the body. Serotonin is the “happy hormone” the body produces to enhance mood. To manufacture serotonin the body uses a variety of B vitamins. Sugar, caffeine and alcohol consumption is broken down by the body using the same vital vitamins. This causes a depletion of these crucial vitamins. The chain of events significantly lowers the body’s ability to create serotonin. Stir in the pressures and stresses brought on by the season’s demands and you have a recipe for cooking up a bout with depression.

Still, you don’t have become a cloistered hermit to survive the holidays. Here are ways to counteract those moments of over indulgence that are an inevitable occurrence of this holiday season:

An aerobic exercise even if it is a fifteen minute walk soon afterward will help your body burn off some of the sugar. For those of you that are like me and have knee or leg problems there are Pilates programs that can take the place of the full blown aerobics. I would recommend the routine for beginners by Gaiam, “Pilates Beginning Mat Workout.” In addition, there are low stress “air walkers” such as Tony Little’s “Gazelle.” Another low cost resource to up the body metabolism would by a pair of light hand weights. By mimicking striking and or large circular arm movements, you elevate you heart rate which served to burn off the sugars and the caffeine from your system. I keep 6 lb hand weights that are shaped like a handle on hand. The idea is not to hurt yourself, but to be proactive in your self-care about counteracting sugar, caffeine and alcohol ingested.

Sugar can be balanced with high protein foods including vegetables. Commonly used dried herbs and spices will to a small extent neutralize some of the consumed overabundance of sugar. Ground ginger, basil, curry powder, paprika, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, ground cinnamon, cloves and caraway seeds are some of these anti-sugar agents that may be on hand in many households. Add to your arsenal bitter melons another way shown effective to breakdown body glucose. Be aware these are recommended nutritional ingredients of a diabetic diet.

Caffeine is a natural diuretic that can dehydrate the body. Simply, drink water to flush it from your system. Studies show because caffeine draws water from the body and in excess can damage the liver and kidneys.

Alcohol is a staple of all forms of holiday celebration. First of all don’t fall for the myth that you counteract alcohol with the caffeine from coffee. Secondly, be aware that alcohol is classified as a depressive drug. To flush alcohol out of the system drink water and resort to the moderate exercise approach I have described prior. Alcohol is a form of sugar. A suggested unproven method of protection is to take slow release low dosage B complex vitamins a few hours before and after the period of consumption. As I noted before, your body burns off its B vitamins when metabolizing alcohol. There is not enough hard fact from any studies that sufficiently confirm or deny this method works. The possibility of the vitamin supplement working is based in the fact that studies show most people lack sufficient daily vitamin intake. In other words you would not be boosting your B vitamin stores, but raising them to the levels they should be. In any event be aware that the body rejects high dosages of vitamins because it will only absorb small amounts at a time. Have you ever noticed your urine to be a more intense yellow or even orange after taken vitamins? That is your body flushing out the excess. Lastly refer back to sugar the counteracting agents discussed earlier. Alcohol is formed from sugars or glucose.

The bottom-line is restraint and moderation are the means to get you through the holidays in good shape. Add the words, “I’ve had enough” to your vocabulary. Learn that when you say “just one more” in actuality means that you already had more than enough. If you are attending parties and events to escape for your own trials and tribulations, rethink your motives. The combination of sugars, alcohol and caffeine can be initially uplifting. The after effect can open the door to depression, especially if you’ve worn yourself down. Confront your feelings and seek support. There is nothing wrong with venting as long as it is not habitual. Don’t try to race around each and everyday trying to cram in everything you can. Take time, even if it is only fifteen minutes, to spend with you for you. Finally, don’t end your holidays with a New Years toast to some unrealistic resolution. Instead, look within yourself and toast something positive about yourself and pledge to add to that something throughout the upcoming year. Think about considering the quality of food you will be putting on your plate the rest of the year. By ending your holiday celebrations on a happy note, you set the table for the new year with a positive tone.