3 Nutrients to Test on Blood Work If You Are Feeling Down This Winter
As Canadians we are no strangers to some of the struggles of winter. As the temperatures drop and the days gets longer, we often see a shift in both our mood and our activities. We spend more time cozied up in the house and are more likely to press that snooze button an extra time. As high as 35% of Canadians may experience the winter blues, and an additional 10% likely suffer from a mild form of seasonal depression. While we often jump to the lack of light and the longer days as the main factor for symptoms such as feeling more fatigue, the excessive need for sleep and trouble with concentration, other contributing factors should be investigated.
Asa naturopathic doctor in Ontario, an important part of my practice is runningblood work for my patients to help get to the root cause of their symptoms.
Here are three important tests to investigate if you are feeling low this winter:
1. Vitamin D
We have all heard of the importance of the sunshine vitamin! The main way we get vitamin D is through the sun hitting our skin.Unfortunately where we live in the world the sun is not strong enough to synthesize vitamin D for almost half the year. How I see this impact my patients is that they present with a Vitamin D deficiency, often even if they are supplementing. These low levels can impact both mood and energy (among many other things!). The great thing about vitamin D is that we can test the levels, and then provide specific recommendations for dosage to improve the numbers! I recommend patients test their vitamin D at least 2x a year, ideally in the fall and in the winter.
2. Ferritin & CBC
Low iron stores and anemia can have a big impact on how we feel. Menstruating women often present with low ferritin due to their monthly cycles. Optimal numbers for ferritin present on a range, so testing the numbers in blood work is an important step for optimizing how you are feeling.
3. Full Thyroid Panel
The thyroid is an important gland for producing hormones to regulate our metabolism. While our TSH numbers are often investigated, what is more important is running a full thyroid panel, including both hormones T3 and T4, to see how everything is interacting.Improving thyroid function through vitamin and mineral support, as well as medication if needed, can make a huge impact on mood and energy.
To dive deeper into other tests that may be helpful to fight your winter blues, as well as easy and manageable things you can start today to improve your mood, watch my webinar in the Optimal You Membership Community!
Through my unique processes of a full assessment, intentional testing options and individualized and manageable treatment plans, I've helped hundreds of men and women take the next step and make small changes for dramatic shifts in their health and wellness. If you would like to discuss which tests might be right for you, book a FREE discovery call here.
Resources:
- Levitt, A.J., Boyle,M.H., Joffe, R.T., & Baumal, Z. 2000. Estimated prevalence of the seasonal subtype of major depression in a Canadian community sample. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 45(7), 650-654.
- https://www.camh.ca/en/health-info/mental-illness-and-addiction-index/seasonal-affective-disorder
Disclaimer: Any information is forinformational purposes only and is not intended to be used in place of professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of a qualified health carepractitioner with any questions or health concerns you may have.
