Natural health: What can I take to beat SAD? 

And how to help teens beat pre-menstrual headaches

Woman in mountains on Lofoten island in snow

My mood tends to dip during winter — it’s probably a mild version of SAD. Is there a remedy I could take?

Light therapy has been shown in studies to be beneficial for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), and it is recommended to help improve energy levels and helps treat mood, sleep, and stress disorders. Researchers have found that the hormones and brain chemicals in charge of mood and sleeping patterns are linked with SAD — the lower the levels, the higher the risk of developing this condition.

SAD is thought to affect up to a quarter of the adult population, with the main symptoms being depression or low mood and a lack of energy or motivation. Other common signs include increased appetite with intense cravings for carbohydrates and sweets, weight gain, and wanting to sleep for longer and get up later.

Vitamin D is a crucial nutrient in warding off and treating SAD. Since our bodies are designed to make vitamin D through exposure to sunlight, it makes sense that we are more likely to experience SAD throughout the winter months as we spend more time indoors with artificial lighting.

The body can store vitamin D to help ward off SAD during the months when daylight hours are shorter. The weekly minimum target is around two hours of sunshine exposure. If you are not meeting this target or are very sensitive to the sun, you can supplement with vitamin D3.

Vitamin D is essential for maintaining strong, healthy bones and plays a vital role in the regulation of skin cell growth. Butter, raw milk, sweet potatoes, oily fish (sardines, salmon, herring, and mackerel), oats, cold-pressed vegetable oils, and eggs are all excellent sources of vitamin D.

While getting your daily dose of natural light is crucial to your emotional, mental, and physical wellbeing, you can also use a specially developed lightbox or lamp to trigger the biochemical responses in the body necessary for lowering cortisol levels and increasing melatonin levels, an important precursor to a good night’s sleep. Lightboxes developed to treat SAD are available from brighterday.ie — priced from €175.

My teenage daughter has started to get headaches just before the start of her period. She is taking paracetamol which is helping. Is there anything else she can do?

Headaches can be quite a common PMT symptom and are thought to be related to the drop in oestrogen that occurs just before menstruation.

Seed cycling is one of the holistic methods used to help support hormone balance throughout the menstrual cycle. It involves eating specific seeds daily throughout your cycle to manage oestrogen and progesterone levels. The seeds need to be freshly ground and can be added to smoothies, wholefood ‘bliss balls’, or sprinkled on cereals and salads.

The first or follicular phase occurs during weeks one and two of your cycle (day one being the first day of your menstrual period), and it is recommended you eat a tablespoon of flaxseeds and pumpkin seeds daily for these 14 days. The second phase is the luteal phase, beginning with ovulation and ending when your menstrual period returns. You take a tablespoon of sunflower and sesame seeds daily during these two weeks.

It is thought that seed cycling can help not only by supporting hormone levels but also by providing the essential minerals needed. Of course, menstrual cycles are not quite so simple in terms of dates. If your daughter knows her timing around follicular and luteal phases, she can adjust the seed cycling accordingly.

Boswellia is a natural supplement that can be used for headaches and menstrual cramps, as the active ingredient — boswellic acid — supports the vascular system and helps to relieve inflammation and help reduce vessel constriction.  The usual dosage recommendation is 450mg of Boswellia daily, taken in three doses of 150mg each. It is best to take Boswellia at the onset of pain for it to work most effectively. 

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• NOTE: The information contained in this column is not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult a doctor.