KEEP MORALE AND GOOD MOOD

IN WINTER

Lack of brightness, greyness, cold, the daily grind, everything is there to make you tired and perhaps depressed. Good news, we can act on our emotions and boost our morale, even in the heart of winter.

1° Joy in your daily life

What color are the clothes you are wearing today? Forget black and gray for a while to bet on color. We play with color via a blouse, a scarf, a stole. Think about it in the morning when you get dressed and bring out all the most colorful things you have.

Surround yourself with music as often as possible: at work, in the kitchen, in the car, on public transport, in the street… The beneficial effects of music are recognized and even used to help fight against certain diseases.

Don't hesitate to express yourself verbally either: discuss and open up a dialogue with others (children, spouse, colleagues, friends, neighbours, parents, etc.), face to face, on the telephone or on Skype. Express yourself physically too: dance in your living room, improvise alone or with your children.

2° Positive on all subjects

Change your reflexes! All events, no matter how insignificant or important, can be positive. It is often enough to make a little effort to quickly take this reflex which encourages to see the positive side of each action. Being positive is contagious, seeing you take things on the bright side, and even those around you will change their attitude.

3° Physical activity

Move as often as possible. There is nothing like physical activity for morale and for coping with the gloom. If you can't oxygenate yourself skiing, if it gets dark too early, the weather is cold or too rainy for a jog, fall back on indoor sports. Depending on your tastes, you can participate in all kinds of group lessons or set up a personalized solo program.

The important thing is to spend your energy and therefore your calories, gain muscle and firmness, reduce your stress level and improve your morale.

4° High color food

Indulge yourself with fruits and vegetables and color your dishes.

Stop with Savoyard fondues, raclette and other tartiflettes. These dishes are tempting when it's cold but they are heavy and should therefore be reserved for special occasions. Simmer good little dishes rich in vegetables, compose soups and salads made up of fruits and vegetables (walnuts, endives, arugula, avocado, raw ham, slice of tapenade, grapefruit, etc.).

5° Vitamin D on the terrace

This vitamin improves mood. Indeed, vitamin D deficiencies have been linked to an increased risk of depression. At the slightest ray of sunshine, sit on the terrace because this vitamin is synthesized in your skin. And if not, before resorting to food supplements, boost certain foods, especially fatty fish, which are particularly rich in vitamin D… and omega-3.

6° Fish omega-3s

The other great nutrient to focus on because it improves our mood is represented by omega-3s. These polyunsaturated fatty acids are mainly found in oily fish but also in rapeseed oil and in nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, etc.). Be careful, however, increasing your omega-3 intake will not be enough. It is also necessary in parallel to reduce omega-6, provided mainly by industrial food. It is therefore an incentive to cook "home" from basic products!

7° St. John's wort

It is the anti-depression plant par excellence which would even do better than antidepressants. Caution, this plant is contraindicated with certain drugs, including chemotherapy. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor first.

Finally, be careful, in case of "real" depression (continual sad mood and loss of interest that lasts over time), you must consult quickly.