Anyone know a good cure for S.A.D.?

What’s the alternative? Scientists are constantly changing their minds, research is conflicting, and there is too much variability between people for a reliable prescription.

There could be psychological associations with comfort food or there could be nutritional.

Actually dirt is very iron-rich, especially the red and yellow clays which are mostly iron oxide, but iron isn’t the issue; it’s calcium and why dirt is consumed mostly by pregnant women and children (developing skeletons).

[i]In Africa, kaolin, sometimes known as kalaba (in Gabon[10] and Cameroon[11]), calaba, and calabachop (in Equatorial Guinea), is eaten for pleasure or to suppress hunger.[11] Kaolin for human consumption is sold at most markets in Cameroon and is often flavoured with spices such as black pepper and cardamom.[12] Consumption is greatest among women, especially during pregnancy.[13] Another example of geophagia was reported in Free State Province in South Africa, where the practice was geochemically investigated.[14]

In Haiti, poor people are known to eat biscuits made from soil, salt, and vegetable shortening. These biscuits hold minimal nutritional value, but manage to keep the poor alive.[15] However, long-term consumption of the biscuits is reported to cause stomach pains and malnutrition, and is not recommended by doctors.[16]

In the United States, cooked, baked, and processed dirt and clay are sold in health food stores and rural flea markets in the South.[17] In the rural areas of Mississippi and other southern states, the consumption of clay-rich dirt has been a common custom and has been practiced by poor white and black people for generations.[18] However, geophagia has become less prevalent as rural Americans assimilate into urban culture.[7]

Bentonite clay is available worldwide as a digestive aid; kaolin is also widely used as a digestive aid and as the base for some medicines. Attapulgite, another type of clay, is an active ingredient in many anti-diarrheal medicines.[7][/i] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geophagia

In the southeast US, calcium is hard to find in locally grown food because of the deluge of rainfall annually. Calcium and sulfur are the main elements leached from dirt in rain; hence why the soil is acid and why the people are stereotypically toothless.

William Albrecht noted 7 out of 10 men were drafted into WWII from the midwest compared with 7 out of 10 rejections for the southeast, which he attributed to the rainfall differences designerecosystems.com/2014/10/1 … -albrecht/

William A. Albrecht (1888–1974) PhD,[1][2] chairman of the Department of Soils at the University of Missouri, was the foremost authority on the relation of soil fertility to human health and earned four degrees from the University of Illinois. As emeritus professor of soils at the University of Missouri, he saw a direct link between soil quality, food quality and human health. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Albrecht

It’s fascinating to read his research.

For instance the world’s foremost expert on soil said:

“Here was a case where we as researchers—who are merely trying to learn more—discovered that the cow was a better soil chemist and biochemist than we are.” soilandhealth.org/wp-conten … health.pdf

He was referring to the fact that cows were able to discern that grass was merely goosed with nitrogen and is otherwise void of nutrition, so the cow refused to eat what looked lush and green to us and we would need laboratory equipment to determine what the cow can see plainly. He noted that animals have a remarkable ability to instinctually self-medicate.

The instincts of animals are compelling us to recognize soil differences. Not only do dumb beasts select herbage according as they are more carbonaceous or proteinaceous, but they select from the same kind of grain the offerings according to the different fertilizers with which the soil was treated.

If animals can do it, no doubt we can too.

As far as I know, greenhouse lights are high-pressure sodium and metal halide.

There are spectrums here

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal-halide_lamp
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium-vapor_lamp

HPS is a bit redder.

Then there are fluorescents which come in various color temperatures.

There are some example spectra here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluorescent_lamp

On down the page it says “A 1993 study in the US found that ultraviolet exposure from sitting under fluorescent lights for eight hours is equivalent to one minute of sun exposure.”

Then there are leds, which are tuned for optimal plant growth by including so many red bulbs and so many blue with a few UV. (I’ve read a couple reviewers on amazon attributing these lights to cataracts, so always wear glasses around them)

With leds, you can pick any bulb you want and solder it onto the board, but each led only outputs a narrow spectrum, so you’d need a lot to mimic sunlight.

Here is a typical led setup: 410nm, 430~440nm, 450~475nm, 620~630nm, 650~670nm, White, IR(730nm) amazon.com/Light%EF%BC%8C18 … B075XCSHHW

Tanning beds are notorious for adverse effects. aad.org/media/stats/prevention-and-care

Who knows what bulbs are inside?

I suspect the problem is imbalance of UVB/UVA.

UVA gives a quick tan that lasts for days by oxidizing melanin that was already present and triggers the release of the melanin from melanocytes. UVB yields a tan that takes roughly 2 days to develop because it stimulates the body to produce more melanin.

Several studies suggest that the absence of UVA filters may be the cause of the higher incidence of melanoma found in sunscreen users compared to non-users.[64][65][66][67][68] Some sunscreen lotions now contain compounds including titanium dioxide, zinc oxide and avobenzone which helps protect against UVA rays. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultraviolet

So, blocking UVB results in more cancer than not blocking anything.

I can’t find it succinctly said, but I know I’ve read somewhere that UVA and UVB antagonize each other such that the harmful effects of each are cancelled. It’s been a few years since I’ve studied this.

Here’s this sciencedirect.com/science/a … 2X15335491

The observations suggest that UVA reduces UVB-induced DNA damage

And here sciencedirect.com/science/a … 2X15402362

The incidence of skin cancer detected in human populations submitted to high levels of solar radiation seems to be less than what would be expected taking into account the amount of damage inflicted on cellular DNA by solar UV fluence and the repair capability of the cells (Sutherland 1996). This means that (i) the solar UV damaging potential has been overestimated, (ii) the repair potential of the cells has been underestimated, or (iii) the effects of UV in a polychromatic light beam are not the same as those of monochromatic UV, due to as yet unknown antagonistic effects. Although sunlight is polychromatic, its final effect on human skin is the result of not only the action of each wavelength individually, but also the interactions between these wavelengths.

Anyway, I have it in my head, from prior research, that one should not be exposed to sun outside of the 10am to 2pm band due to over-expression of UVA without supporting UVB. One should avoid tanning beds for the same reason. And tinkering with artificial lights is risky.

The sun will never give too much UVB because UVA always exceeds UVB, but artificial lights can. However, most lights will be UVA without much UVB. Rather than all this head-scratching, it’s easier to just go outside around lunch time :slight_smile:

Speaking of imbalances, here is the vitamin D paradox

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9H7tbWVNrXQ[/youtube]

Vitamins A, D, K2 must be in balance. Too much D without regulatory K2 will cause soft-tissue calcification (atherosclerosis, kidney stones, maybe even cataracts).

Cod liver oil usually comes in 10:1 ratios, but who knows if that is appropriate. And sometimes CLO is fortified to meet the ratio requirements and it’s questionable how beneficial those fortifications are.

Gaining a full understanding of nutrition with all the overlapping variables is an exercise in futility which is why I’ve abandoned trying to understand it and have resigned myself to being responsive to cravings.

This hit the news the other day:

nytimes.com/2018/11/07/maga … icine.html

Simply believing it works, works.

It’s been available at Holland and Barratt for many months now, which eliminates the need for sourcing it online and trailing through hundreds if not thousands of products.

I’ve been told by those that use it, that it is nothing like smoking it… I’ve taken it on occasion myself, and felt light and elated, but not in a high way, so a real mood-lifter, as well as aiding with digestion, pain, and so many other ailments all at once.

…probably why I’ve never had a problem with low vitamin D then :wink: but other deficiencies, yes… mainly calcium and iron.

Sugar piils don’t work on everyone… perhaps it depends on the cause of the symptoms, which needs more than a pill to resolve them, and alcohol is not a depressant to all… as it has the opposite effect on those with certain symptoms, and helps those types relax.

I’ve also tried mushrooms, which really are a native species, but again, they had little effect.

CBD oil really works really well… I thought it would have a negligible effect, so was very pleased when it instantly melted away my fibromyalgic/muscle pain, fatigue, eased my digestive woes, and relaxed my whole being. Now I know why there was a huge push to legalise it… fantastic stuff!

I do regret not trying it sooner, but hey! better late than never lol.

Maybe I’ll try it, but my worry with all drugs, even natural ones, is that I’ll become dependent on them. Not necessarily addicted, just dependent. What I would really like is to do something active, which I’m sure would help (at the moment my evenings are active, at work, and my days not). At school I really enjoyed the various team sports they had, in particular, ones called goalball and squatball, specifically designed for blind players, and also an adapted version of field hockey, but there are no clubs round here I could join, since there are never enough people to form a team.

Perhaps doing some squats and push-ups in your garden might work for you then, followed by running a few lengths of your garden and doing a squat as you reach each end? doing the whole process mentioned for a total of 20 minutes… the recommended time for reaping the benefits of heart-rate-raising exercise. A few times a week would suffice, and give your body time to recover inbetween workouts.

This should be a real mood-lifter, and is free… you could also add skipping, jumping jacks, burpees etc. to your workouts, to mix it up.

I very much agree that I need a regular exercise routine, but 20 minutes really doesn’t sound like much though. When I’ve attempted things like this in the past, I’ve started off with one hour in the morning, gradually expanding to three hours.

If I could go for a 5 min run each day I’d consider that a monumental achievement lol. Just getting my heartrate up is all I need to do.

I’ve given myself a minimum of 3,000 steps per day + any activities I need to do/feel I am capable of… tomorrow is a new dawn a new day, and I don’t think about it until then, so I check my e-calendar before bed and then so to sleep I go.

I set my alarm for 5.45 this morning and did an hour of squats outside. Getting back into this routine will also help me get up and go to bed at something approaching normal times, which is always a serious issue for me. Left to my own devices I would simply sleep and get up when I felt like it.

You could set progressive goals doing a bit more each day :slight_smile: That’s my plan, if I can get started lol. I’m always surprised how quickly I come back into shape… if I can get started. The hardest part of any journey is the first step.

Wow an hour of squats? Seems like you’re already in good shape lol. I know what you mean with sleep and sometimes I feel like I’m on a 25-hour day.

I remember reading somewhere that a 25-hour day is what humans default to, on average, if all external light stimuli are taken away.

A 3000 step minimum works for me, as I also have to take other factors into account on a daily basis of total energy expenditure, and now having added fortnightly weights sessions to my output (and more importantly… recovery) even more so.

Having said that, my average weekly output varies from anywhere between 20 to 35 thousand steps, so more dependent on necessity of moving, than adherence to a self-designated dogma.

It’s about self-optimisation… energy available, converting to pertinent output only.

I recommend starting with autosuggestion telling yourself you’re ok, you feel good and it will pass.For me I feel that changes the biochemistry inside and not vica versa but maybe doing it from both ends is most plausible and effective.

I think that would and can set the mind up in a positive place, for receptivity, but the mind cannot cure all ills and ails, but it is a good starting point for what we know we need to do to help/cure ourselves.

Autosuggestion will not make my body create more iron, or any other deficiencies I may have, but it will make me focus on what I need to do inorder to rectify it. Grief cannot be willed away either, even though our loved ones wish we could will it so, but yes… autosuggestion is a good place to start.

I’m still on an hour of squats each morning but am thinking of increasing it now.

I walk an average 2 - 3 miles a day 8 days a month
So my total step number at approximately I 500 steps a mile is 30 000 which is on average I 000 a day
However I measure distance walked in either miles or hours as steps are both too small and too many