Feeling down? I’ve been sick and feeling irritable lately, so I found a helpful article from Discovery Health on beating the winter blues. Here are my favorites from the list of 27 Home Remedies for Seasonal Affective Disorder:

• Soak up the morning light. Get as much natural light as possible between 6:00 A.M. and 8:00 A.M. Engage in regular aerobic exercise. The perfect solution to kill two birds with one stone- go for a morning run outside!
• Let the sun shine in- keep your curtains raised!
• Vacation in a warm, sunny place- this works out for me considering my upcoming trips to Israel and Florida!
• Eat good foods, including the following:
  • Bouillon- drink some hot bouillon or broth to warm you up and fill you up
  • Herbal teas- opt for herbal; chamomile and peppermint are my favorite!
  • Legumes- apparently these help you “maintain an even serotonin level throughout the day and night.” Some good options are lentil butternut squash soup or black bean soup

My other go-to tips:

• Read a good book- I just picked up Jurassic Park!
• Buy fresh flowers- Trader Joes stocks cheap and beautiful flowers all year. I love peonies and hydrangeas
• Plan fun friend dates- try a winter walk with peppermint coffees or going to a new restaurant. I have a dinner date at the new Bayou DC this week!
• Pick up a fun new hobby- my new photography class forces me to get out and see the beauty in winter
• Get friends together for a fun outdoor activity- snowball fight, volleyball game, tag?
• Blog! As I’ve mentioned, blogging makes me see positivity in everyday life because I know I’m “accountable” to my blog readers

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