I've been raw for a little over 4 years now and every winter up here in south dakota (USA) is a struggle. The last two years I've switched to a lower fat diet, but as I struggle through the cold winter I get a strong desire to eat heavier and fatter foods and in a larger quantity. My mood slowly goes down the drain. My hands and feet become extremely sensitive to the cold. I developed a a twitch in my shoulder and eyes.

Because of the twitch I took a calcium supplement. In a couple days the twitch was gone. As this winter trudged along, I added a vitamin D supplement. Then, I added some b vitamins. Now I've added in some Kelp iodine. I've also taken up tanning that supposedly use UVB lamps, but on a very conservative basis. What would my punk friends think? Dios mio!

Some things I noticed about this year is that going into the cold season I was eating a very limited diet without much greens and I believe that was part of the problem. I might have been drinking too much water and flushing my system as well. I'd say I was drinking a gallon and a half of water a day.

Now, the weather has been much nicer the last couple of days and my demeanor has improved. There's a cycle here that I'm aware of. It's happened this way the last 4 winters. I need to get blood tests done and check my levels. I theorize about the balance of things and the role of a warm climate, not being stuck in an apartment breathing in furnace air, ocean breezes, and the sun.

Basically, I'm sick of these winters. I would like to move, but I'm not willing to make that happen for a couple years yet.

ANY THOUGHTS?



david

I would also like to say that I believe much of my dapper mood is related to the lack of greens and too much liquid. At this time I do not feel it is the result of a low fat lifestyle. I do feel, however, that a low fat lifestyle is not as conducive in this environment as, for example, California. Am I just making excuses?

david

the 3 or 4 winter months up here (vancouver bc canada) i have found in the past i have over-hydrated myself at times (to the point of being waterlogged) maybe you are onto something and flushing too many things out in your urine than you need too .. couple that with the lack of light and extra cold .. i too have felt pretty punky in the winter

i do find myself craving more greens in the winter thought .. although i have never really thought much about it more than that there is just not as much available fruit locally up here (free or cheap) without breaking my bank acocunt ... that i just tend to gravitate to greens ..over fruit

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

Winter sucks! I suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) regardless of how much daylight I get and methylcobalamine I take in the winter months. I am on the path to relocating soon. I have sold the business and will be selling house and goods and moving SOUTH to better weather.

My advice...

MOVE.

One thing that helps me in the winter is to turn of my heater at night and sleep with the window open. This means I have to wear extra clothing to bed, but getting all the fresh cold air at night when I sleep really helps me feel better.

OMG I'd rather pee the bed than get up in the middle of the night and walk to the bathroom in a freezing cold house! Bryan, how can you DO that?! BBBRRRRR!

coco Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> OMG I'd rather pee the bed than get up in the
> middle of the night and walk to the bathroom in a
> freezing cold house! Bryan, how can you DO that?!
> BBBRRRRR!

Lol i was going to say, making a cold situation colder you must be a man of steel Prana.

Takes me to get out of my covers here when its winter in the UK and thats with the heating on sometimes lol.

[www.amlaberry.co.uk]

Jodi - the last two weeks I've been craving and eating a tremendous amount of greens. I must be trying to balance things out.

Rocketship - long term goal for me is moving. I love hot weather which is the opposite of how I was prior to being raw. I also love the ocean (probably not too many people who don't like it).

Prana - I understand the idea of fresh air and in south dakota I imagine our air to be cleaner than most, but the cold weather is my bane. I bought an electric blanket this winter. Maybe that's messing with my hard drive.

Nice weather today!

david

I am wondering about produce availability in the Dakotas...

I also think it is more challenging to be raw in a cold climate. I'd love to move south to greener pastures, but I have no idea where or how at this point.

Before I got into raw foods I always wanted to move further north. Now the thought of it is rather depressing.

Is that raw tabouleh?

Banana Who - we have a good variety, but the quality definitely changes throughout the year and the prices get high. I'm a college student and some of the reason I was limiting my variety was because of money.

Well, mostly raw tabouleh. Bulgur isn't raw.

david

David,

Just do the best you can, with foods and supplements: in rereading your post, you will find you have already made an assessment and devised a long-term plan. File it away for the future and enjoy right now whatever sunshine you are starting to get out there in the Dakotas

What's the brown stuff at the bottom of the picture?

Do you drink your water heated? I have been this winter. It seems to help me. So does eating dry or semi-dry fruit like dates and dried apricots. They work better for me than fatty foods. Greens make very cold and need to pee more.

I have been eating lots of dates and beginning to think that it might be part of the issue or maybe that they haven't been organic. I keep my water at room temperature or warmer. Sometimes I heat it up. Thanks everyone!

david