Treating SAD, naturally

If you're experiencing mild depression, lack of energy, sleep trouble, and carb cravings, you might just be suffering from SAD or seasonal affective disorder. You're also likely not alone. Short days with little sunlight make SAD a somewhat common condition this time of year in some parts of the country, but there are a few steps you can take to treat and ward off this condition naturally:

• Consider getting a light box. Thirty minutes exposure every day may be all your body needs to bounce back.
• Eat healthy proteins at every meal and limit your carbs to the complex kind: whole grains, fruits, and veggies.
• If exercising outdoors gives you the shivers, find an indoor alternative.
  
• Add additional food sources of vitamin D to your diet to offset the loss of sunlight. Think fish -- cod, herring, sardines -- or milk and fortified cereal.
• If it's in your budget, get out of town and go someplace sunny.
  

How do you keep the blues away in the wintertime?