the short days and long nights of winter - a whole heap
of extra pounds we could do without. And it's not all due
to overeating during the festive season. It seems that
whether we have lots of parties to attend or not, we are
all programmed to eat more in winter.
It's all to do with our brain chemistry and especially the
feel-good hormone we produce called serotonin. This
hormone helps us feel calm, balanced and in control of
our emotions and without it we start to feel down and
depressed. But levels of this hormone drop in the
population as a whole in winter and as the nights draw in
and the amount of daylight we all receive diminishes, we
are increasingly attracted to eat sweet and starchy food
in an attempt to raise serotonin levels.
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insulin levels to peak and we actually experience a rapid drop in blood sugar as
insulin does its work and reduces the glucose level in the blood. As a result, we
crave sweet and starchy food even more!
Whereas all of us experience this drop in serotonin levels to some degree, some 5
to 10% of the population - those who suffer from seasonal affective disorder (or
SAD) - have an acute form of this problem and may gain anything up to 30lbs
in weight each winter. It's also thought that some 25% of the population suffer a
milder form of the disorder. SAD affects not only your eating patterns but leaves
you feeling depressed, lethargic and sleepy - none of which contribute to anyone
maintaining their summer shape.
It's all very well, knowing why we gain weight each winter, but what can you do
about it?
During winter it's important to maintain a balanced diet, keeping blood sugar on
an even keel, even if you find you need to eat a bit more than in the rest of the
year. If you choose your carbohydrates in the form of whole grains and
vegetables and always eat some lean protein with every meal or snack you will
take yourself out of the high-low blood sugar trap and will gain less weight.
You will probably also find that with the arrival of spring, the pounds drop off
more easily because you will be less attracted to heavy winter foods and are
happier to eat salads, fresh vegetables and lean proteins so the start of spring is a
great time to lose weight for summer.
Copyright 2006, Janice Elizabeth Small
Janice Elizabeth Small - EzineArticles Expert Author
Janice Elizabeth Small is a health and wellness writer and slimming coach. She
became interested in seasonal affective disorder after seeing the effects of winter
on herself and her clients.
For more information about Seasonal Affective Disorder symptoms, causes and
treatment see her site at http://www.allaboutSAD.com
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