The main factor that causes the autumn blues is the decrease in vitamin D production. Svetlana Shokur, endocrinologist of the INVITRO group of companies, told socialbites.ca.
“In autumn, daylight hours become shorter and rainy weather begins. The sun leaking through the clouds often cannot provide the required amount of sunlight for vitamin D production. “A large part of the Russian population is chronically deficient in vitamin D,” the doctor explained.
According to the doctor, in autumn the concentration of melatonin in the blood increases, which makes you want to sleep more.
“The amino acid tryptophan is used to produce melatonin. Tryptophan also plays a role in the production of serotonin, known as the happiness hormone. Therefore, tryptophan is used to produce serotonin or melatonin. As a result, if more melatonin is produced in the fall, less serotonin is produced. For this reason, our mood may deteriorate. “In autumn, it is important to consume foods containing tryptophan: turkey, cheese, nuts (e.g. almonds) to synthesize it in your diet,” he said.
Shokur emphasized that in the summer it is impossible to replenish the body with vitamins for the coming year: they enter the body, perform their functions, are destroyed and excreted.
“In the fall, there may be more stressful situations: increased workload, the start of the school year, etc. Magnesium will be useful to support the nervous system. Magnesium deficiency may be suspected if there is a persistent depressed mood along with convulsions, muscle twitching. Also in the autumn period, chronic exacerbation and the development of infectious viral diseases are possible. At such times, it is important to add antioxidant vitamins to your diet. The most famous of them are citrus fruits, sauerkraut, peppers, currants, etc. Vitamin C is found in products. “Another antioxidant is vitamin E, which can be obtained from vegetable oils, nuts and liver,” he added.
The doctor did not recommend uncontrolled intake of vitamins and nutritional supplements. Different substances can increase or block each other’s effects, which can increase the risk of side effects. Therefore, your general health may worsen and an allergic reaction may occur.
“Abuse of coffee and alcohol will not benefit the body, as will energy drinks, which create additional stress and gradually deplete the body. Over time, “artificial” vigor can lead to extreme fatigue, called “withdrawal syndrome.” If we talk about sweets, then of course foods high in sugar “refresh”. Glucose is a readily available fuel; “With this diet, endocrine pathologies, including metabolic syndrome, vascular diseases and type 2 diabetes, may develop,” he said.
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