With the onset of Autumn and the rapidly approaching Winter, SAD or Seasonal Affective Disorder sufferers might already be starting to feel the effects of a dull wet end to the Summer and increasingly shorter days and poor light.

This all sounds a bit negative but even if you have not prepared for the effects of SAD in the late Summer, which is always advisable, there are a lot of effective things you can do to try and alleviate those blues feelings.

If you have not already got them get some Full Spectrum Lighting in your home even if it's only where you spend most of your indoor time...so if you read a lot get a FSL reading light bulb...if you're in the kitchen a lot get one here and a good place is in the bed room on a timer to come on at an appropriate morning time to kick start you into the day. Some people swear by them in the bathroom that helps them when showering and making up for work etc

In addition to indoor light exposure make sure you plan to spend quality time outdoors everyday even if it's overcast....even overcast light is better light than indoor light...as Christmas time is sometimes a peak time for SAD plan outdoor activity over the festive period too.

Your diet may also be a major player in SAD....try to keep "junk" food to a minimum...simple carbs like biscuits, cakes, pastries, breads and sweets don't help much except if you want to gain unwanted weight....and its a good time to consider your wheat intake as this Winter wheat products are expected to sore in price due to poor global wheat harvests resulting from climate change effects.

You probably already know that serotonin levels in the brain are important for regulating mood, sleep and appetite and to maintain levels be sure to have plenty of complex carbs such as fresh fruits and veg and wholegrains and other foods associated with serotonin levels such are chicken, turkey, cottage cheese and peanuts (so long as you are not intolerant to any of these)...a good time to eat these foods strategically are mid day to late afternoon... then to push the resulting tryptophan increase through the blood brain barrier try a little mash or small jacket potato for supper. If you are taking Serotonin Re-Uptake Inhibitors check with your GP about increasing these types of foods.

If you are often dull and sluggish it might help to maintain good protein levels as these boost dopamine and norepinephrine levels that help to keep you alert and active....be sensitive to protein at breakfast as we notoriously neglect protein at this meal favouring packet cereals and toast like breakfasts...try omelettes, poached or boiled egg...cottage cheese...bean pate or nut butters on wholegrain toast....or bacon or turkey rashers. Top up at lunch with sensible protein intake. As the day recedes you protein intake is less useful....this is interesting when you consider that many people have a thumping big protein driven meal in the evening when their bodies are preparing for approaching sleep.

Remember, you don't want to add to your stress levels by making drastic dietary changes all at once and if you really fancy something naughty but nice it might be important that you have it occasionally so long as you are eating well for 90% of the time. So if you are always thinking about chocolate cake or hob nob biscuits then to resist this desire can often make things worse...just keep things in proportion.

If you are not on medication and want to use supplements remember that supplements are what they say they are... they only supplement a good or appropriate diet and ask your GP if they are safe with any medication you might be taking....

So what supplements might help with SAD? There are many claims for many supplements and you may have to try several to find one that works well for you but the following have been shown to be helpful in nutritional circles.

1.Essential Fatty Acids help with normal brain function and many other things these days so they are worth considering

2. Vitamin B Complex helps maintain normal brain and nervous system functioning and can help with stress.

3. The mineral zinc has been found to be deficient in people with depression...use the lozenge type and do not exceed stated dose.

The thing about natural products and supplements is that it's often horses for courses and some people discover one that really helps them while it might not help a friend they know who also has SAD so it may help to work with a Nutritionist who can steer you throught the jungle with both foods and supplements.

If you are on any medication consult with your GP or a health professional if you are thinking of taking supplements or making considerable changes to your diet.

May I wish you good Winter health and well-being

Barry Todd |(Nutritionist)

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What we vividly imagine.

ardently desire. enthusiastically act upon.

must eventually

come to pass.

Colin P Sisson

It is only an illusion

that you do not have

what you want.

Sanyana Roman

The two statements above appear at first glance to be directly in conflict with each other.  Is there room for some kind of understanding between the two.

The first statement seems to say that if you want something enough and are prepared to put a lot of emotional energy into that desire it will eventually come to you.  It is not suggesting that you are industrious - just determined in your wishes.  This is not the first phrase to reflect the sentiment someone famous from long ago believed that what the mind could imagine would eventually become possible.

Who was it and what was the exact quote? (Prize for the first correct answer)  Just respond to the blog with your answer.  All replies are authorised before being published and each reply is timed and dated.  So make sure you get there first for the prize.

The second statement could be encouraging you to reflect on what you have and be contented with it.  That's not a bad thing.  Often comstamtly wanting more out of life is a sign of an underlying problem and no matter what you achieve you still want more. 

The world would be a very different place if we didn't have people who acted on that need and achieved great results.

So you have to decide whether it is an unsatisfied and burning ambition that you ae holding on to but not doing anything about or just a way a thinking that has got a bit warped and there a few emotional issues that maybe need looking at to enable you to truly appreciate and feel contended with what you have.

By the same token it could be a bit of a kick in the derriere as it is reminding you that if you are discontented with your life, you are accepting your life as it is and unless you start to really want something more you are constantly reaffirming your acceptance of your life as it is.  Possibly not even acknowledging or clearly knowing what you really desire.  Then it's time for a bit of soul searching and rethinking to get your desires aligned.

Please let us know your thoughts on this and any examples of inspiring life stories relating to the above. 

One of the notable contadictions in yoga class attendance these days is that while something like 90% of students admit to attending yoga classes for help with stress and as an aid to relaxation, only 10% admit to an interest in yoga meditation.

This is interesting because when the great yoga master Patanjali codefied his legendary Yoga Sutras on which most of today's yoga is founded, he only gave scant emphasis to asana and stated throughout his 196 sutras that the answer to mastery of the restless turbulence of the human mind lay in the practice of meditation.

To Patanjali, yoga was a science of the mastery of the mind through meditation and not the body although this is not to say that he was not concerned with the health and purity of the body just that a range and sequence of asanas had not developed at that time.

 Having said all that, in hatha yoga we do recognise that it is possible to get to the mind through the body so all is not lost by those who insist they prefer to practise a weekly variety of poses with a view to moving ever closer to tranquility, serenity or peace (shanti) without the contemplative addition of meditation.

Of course it is still important not to reduce our practice to one merely of posture and movement...but to also synchronise our posturing with our breath and be ever mindful of cultivating our sense of physical awareness in order to bring more lasting meaning to our routine....

The amazing magic of yoga is that if you only practice the asanas with the breath and some degree of closing down relaxation you will in time begin to notice positive changes in your physical comfort, as well as your thoughts, feelings and emotions. and this is even without meditation. So just imagine what an added bonus meditation can bring on your journey to tranquility.

If you are reading this and thinking that you are perfectly happy with your yoga asana practice and the end of class Savasana or relaxation is enough for you and if you practice daily in addition to your weekly extended classes then you are on the road to moving ever closer to that serenity.

If meditation is something that you would rather avoid or ignore if and when your teacher adds it on at the end of class* there are other techniques that you can add to your practice that can help you in your daily life with more pressing worries, problems or weaknesses if your asana is not addressing those issues quickly enough for you.

One technique relates to a concept in yoga known as sankalpa and this simply is a resolve to do something. The sankalpa is often used in Yoga Nidra or yoga sleep, a practice that involves gentle rotation of consciousness directed by your teacher when you are relaxing in savasana...at the outset and near the close you make a resolution or sankalpa to make a positive improvement in some area of your life that is currently bothering you...it does not have to be complex and is in fact better if kept simple....it is remarkable how effective sankalpa can be even after one nidra although sometimes several nidras are required...there is a saying in nidra "be careful what you ask for as you are likey to get it!".

For those who believe that Nidra comes dangerously close to meditation there is a way to incorporate sankalpa into your asana practice not so far removed from Nidra.

At the beginning of your practice whether you begin with a short savasana or sitting to centre yourself become introspective and think of what might be bothering you right now. It can be a long standing weakness that you wished you could turn around, a worry or negativity that you would like to turn into a positive. Think of this issue and then resolve that while you are practising your asanas and becoming aware of the energy and power of the posture together with the energy of the breath, you will bring this issue to mind while you experience that strength and energy.  Over time this practice will begin to melt away that weakness and it will be a powerful experience to notice it gradually fading away.

While this is not meditation and will not work miracles it is adding strength to your preferred practice to help you deal with and come to terms with some of the every day turbulance and distractions of the mind. It may help in the war on stress and tensions and could make a difference to the quality of your day to day experiences off the mat in every day life.

Barry Todd (Hatha Yoga Teacher, Bury Mind and Body Studio)

*I came across a story from a yoga studio in California recently where teachers commented that some of their more "physical" students actually leave the class quietly just as meditation is about to start saying they have no time for that part of the practice...while teachers felt disappointed that some students were potentially missing out on some valuable practice it has to be bourne in mind that while there are some students that could benefit from meditation yet feel for some personal reason it is not for them possibly out of some misconception of what meditation is really all about, there are also some students whose needs are better served by more physical practice at that time in their life.

Barley is a grain and best as a wholegrain so avoid the pot barley.  Barley does not contain gluten as wheat does.  It is a lot easier to digest and is very soothing to the stomach.  In fact you can use Barley water to calm a sick stomach and it is quite surprising how effective it is.

Barley Water is very easy to make , simply cover the base of a saucepan with Barely grains, add about 1 - 2 inches of water and simmer for a while until you see the water change.  It's not ewxactly a pleasant drink but it's not repulsive and if you are feeling queezy it usually does the trick.

Barley side dish
If you are planning to use Barley for a meal here is an idea.  Boil the barley until it is soft and edible use similar portions to rice.  In the meantime take  some flavourful mushrooms and an onion and gently fry in good quality oil (coconut oil is a good choice) until all ingredients are softened.  Add the drained and cooked barley to the pan and stir in.  Add Soy sauce and serve warm or cold.  You can also throw in some home sprouted seeds and beans  just before adding the Soy.  Extras: Add garlic to the ingredients.

For a more piquant  taste use Balsamic vinegar instead of soy sauce.

To make this into a full meal rather than a side dish add vegetables of your choice to the mushrooms and onions.  Depending on your choice some may need a little steaming before being added in.

Barley soup/broth

This is very easy to make.  Start off with one onion cut and chopped and fried in a saucepan.  Add a selection of vegetables of your choice (about one cup full per person in total) and toss in the oil with the onions.  For instance potatoes, carrots, any root vegetable, peas,beans, cabbagle, green beans etc. If you are using meat add the meat at this point and seal by tossing in the oil.  Add home made stock or water and a stock cube.  Use two cups of liquid per person. If you are not adding meat add red lentils or presoaked and cooked beans of your choice.  Lentils are good as they break up and thicken the soup.  Cook until all ingredients are well cooked and soft.  Top up the water if you need to.  Add herbs fresh if you can right at the end of the process or if using dried ones anytime during the cooking.  Add about 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs of your choice or 1/2 teaspoon of dried herbs per person or to your taste.

To serve liquidise some of the soup to create a thick soup leaving the remainder to be added back into the soup to make it chunky.  Season to taster.

Tip:  If you use a steamer to prepare your vegetables, don't throw away the water from the boiling pan, pour it into a jug and after it is cool save it in the fridge to use next time you are making soup or gravy (don't leave it too long though).  The water will be full of nutrients that have been absorbed from teh vegetables you have been cooking.  You will still need to add extra flavour though.

Barley and You

According to the FDA, the soluble fibre in Barley reduces the risk of coronary heart disease and can help to lower cholesterol.  Barley also contains insoluble fiber, which reduces the risk of Type 2 diabetes and colon cancer. One cup of cooked barley provides 193 calories, 6 grams of fiber and 3.5 grams of protein. Barley is  virtually fat-free  and is also cholesterol-free.  So what are you waiting for?

Please let us know if you try these and how you find it.