28 THE QUEENS COURIER • HEALTH • JANUARY 4, 2018 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
health
Say goodbye to winter blues with vitamin D-rich foods
Winter got you down? Seasonal
Aff ective Disorder (SAD) is estimated to
aff ect 10 million Americans, according to
Psychology Today. Another 10 percent to
20 percent may have mild SAD.
Even if you don’t have diagnosed SAD,
it’s not uncommon to have bouts of the
winter blues. Th ere are many reasons
people experience a “winter funk:” cold
weather, little sunlight, shorter days, limited
outdoor activity, etc.
Additionally, between the months of
November and March, the lack of vitamin
D absorption from the sun can be
taxing on your immune system and may
also be contributing to your winter blues.
Dubbed “the happy vitamin” bay some
researchers, vitamin D could be the key
to turning seasonal frowns upside-down.
Maintaining vitamin D levels during the
cold winter months may help keep you
healthy during cold and fl u season while
also boosting your mood.
What’s more, vitamin D may help you
maintain a healthy weight. It’s no secret
that many people experience weight gain
due to the fl ood of comfort foods available
during cooler months. Th is, paired
with lower physical activity, causes many
people to put on a few winter pounds.
According to a study quoted in Men’s
Health, a University of Minnesota doctor
found that people with adequate vitamin
D levels lost more weight than those with
low levels, even though all study participants
reduced their calorie intake equally.
To get all the benefi ts of vitamin D,
start by adjusting your diet. Vitamin D
occurs naturally in eggs and oily fi sh
like salmon, tuna and mackerel, but it’s
important to look for foods that contain
even higher levels of vitamin D to naturally
boost your intake, especially in the
winter.
“Food is quite literally one of the best
medicines out there when it comes to
improving your mental and physical
health,” says registered dietitian nutritionist,
Dawn Jackson Blatner. “One of
my favorite tips for boosting Vitamin D
intake is to simply swap out ordinary eggs
for Eggland’s Best eggs, since you’ll automatically
get six times more vitamin D -
it doesn’t get any easier than that!”
In addition to added vitamin D,
Eggland’s Best eggs provide superior
nutritional benefi ts such as 10 times more
vitamin E, double the omega-3s, more
than double the vitamin B12 and 25 percent
less saturated fat than ordinary eggs.
A healthy diet that uses mood-boosting
ingredients doesn’t have to be boring. Get
creative in the kitchen and try new recipes
featuring vitamin D-rich ingredients
like this BLT Salmon Caesar Salad from
Eggland’s Best and Th eAlmondEater.
com.
BLT Salmon Caesar Salad
Makes two servings
Ingredients:
1 salmon fi let, baked and seasoned to
your liking; 2 slices bacon; 1 Eggland’s
Best egg (large); 5 cups lettuce; 1/2 cup
tomatoes; 1 avocado, sliced; 1 cup croutons;
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese;
2 tablespoons Caesar dressing
Directions:
Heat bacon in a skillet and cook completely;
set aside and then cut or break
into bite- size pieces once cooled.
Soft boil the egg over the stovetop.
While egg is cooking, place lettuce in a
large bowl and add tomatoes, avocado, croutons
and cheese to the bowl; stir to combine.
Next, add the baked salmon to the
salad, along with the bacon; add the
Caesar dressing and stir to combine.
Last, add the soft -boiled egg and enjoy!
Courtesy BPT