3 Natural Ways to Avoid the Winter Blues

Winter, especially if you live in a cold climate, is often a time when people feel "blue" or get depressed. Your choices are not putting up with it or taking drugs - legal or illegal. Natural remedies can help you avoid winter depression.

If you live in the upper reaches of the Northern Hemisphere, winter can often mean a seemingly interminable period of cold weather and short days. For many, the lack of sunshine, combined with life stress factors, can lead to depression.

Often people fail to recognize depression for what it is, treating it as a weakness or personality flaw rather than an illness. A "suck it up and get on with it" attitude often keeps people from labeling themselves as depressed, but this approach is counterproductive; failing to treat the disease only prolongs it.

Some of the signs of depression include: difficulty concentrating; persistent sadness or anxiety; inability to experience ordinary pleasure and enjoyment; irritability; change in appetite; ongoing fatigue and feelings of hopelessness. Learn how to cope with dark days naturally, without recourse to pharmaceutical anti-depressants which can cause serious side-effects ranging from nausea to reduced sex drive. Read more