TCM and SAD Seasonal Affective Disorder
Cool Info from Lunch with Lamar today, topic: SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)
It’s amazing how some of the symptoms: sleeping too much, gaining weight & craving carbs sound just like a Bear. We need to consider whether or not we are just following Nature OR if we have created a Disorder from trying to force humans to maintain the faster pace of Summer all year around. Why do we do this and not honor any down/slower time as Nature shows us to do?
Maybe it should not be considered a disorder at all unless it causes someone to not function in life.
Chinese medicine looks especially at the elements & relationships of:
Water & Fire (is the Yin Water getting so heavy it smothers the Fire?)
Earth & Water (is Yin Water getting so heavy we overeat sweets that are too much for our system to handle as a way to try & nourish Earth?)
Wood – doesn’t have enough forward movement & lack of sunlight to the eyes can throw it off balance.
It’s interesting that from a Western point of view, things like Substance Abuse, Depression, and unhappy relationships make a person more susceptible to SAD – But – these things are already a manifestation Water, Wood, Fire & Earth imbalance.
Warming foods are very important: ginger, cinnamon, chai, & foods cooked longer like stews and casseroles. Moxa and acupuncture to our Fire element to stimulate our natural internal sunlight are highly beneficial.
Vitamin D3 is important, and if you use a SAD light be sure to use it early in the morning to get actual results. (I personally think Hawaii can also be very important.)
