January can be a difficult time for many people who suffer from the effects of low light levels. The festivities are over and Spring is still tantalisingly out of reach. Personally I can’t wait to get back out in the garden and planting a few vegetables and every year I have to curb my enthusiasm for getting started too early. Anyway, I have some peas and broad beans which I planted in November safely growing away under fleece and a good supply of leeks and celeriac for eating now so I will just have to make do with those for the time being. I make sure I go outside and check on them every day — not that I can do anything really but it’s a kind of ritual just to remind myself that things are growing and the warmer weather and longer days will arrive soon.
The simple act of getting outside at this time of year is incredibly beneficial for both mental and physical health and taking a walk during daylight hours is the first thing I recommend to anyone suffering from mild depression. Food influences brain chemistry too and paying attention to what we eat during the winter months can really pay dividends. Whilst it is easy to understand that exercise is beneficial to the circulation it may come as more of a surprise that diet plays a part here too. Poor circulation decreases the level of oxygen in the blood and therefore impacts on the nutrients available to the brain. Low levels of nutrients can lead to depression and cravings for sweets and carbohydrates and so a vicious circle ensues. Circulation can be improved not only by exercising but also by eating plenty of the antioxidant vitamins A, C & E and the minerals selenium and zinc. Iron-rich foods are also essential as they are a major factor in the formation of the red blood cells which carry oxygen around the body.
Knowing which foods contain which vitamins and minerals isn’t really that important. What we need to do is eat variety with the emphasis on fresh local produce as much as possible. Listed below are some foods which can help us maintain good spirits in the ‘dark’ months. There are of course many more but choosing different options from the suggestions below can be a really good start to taking control over your own well-being and provide a springboard for ensuring that 2008 is a healthy year for you.
Green leafy vegetables including Brussels sprouts, kale and sprouting broccoli.
Peas, leeks, cauliflower, winter squashes, mushrooms and sweet potatoes.
Fresh parsley, cress and all kinds of sprouted seeds.
Pumpkin, sesame and sunflower seeds. Almonds, walnuts and Brazil nuts.
Brown rice, barley, wheatgerm and quinoa.
Citrus fruits, English apples and pears, bananas and dates.

A special mention for bananas here (which I know aren’t local produce) but please read on and then, if you like, check out the recipe section for some interesting ideas on how to incorporate them into your diet.
Not only are bananas rich in minerals, they are high in vitamin C and a natural antibiotic. They are readily available all year round, easy to prepare and eat, and contain several amino acids which are important for their mood-lifting qualities. Tryptophan for example is an amino acid which not only lifts the spirits but also helps to promote a good night’s sleep. As well as being present in bananas it can be found in cottage cheese and dried dates so an evening snack of any of these foods can be beneficial if sleep is poor. Another amino acid important for feelings of well-being is tyrosine and bananas, almonds, avocados, cottage cheese, pumpkin and sesame seeds all contain this substance in abundance.
Bananas are also high in potassium, an important mineral for promoting healthy blood pressure and for helping to control correct water balance in the body, and eating bananas after a bout of diarrhoea aids recovery by quickly replacing potassium lost through dehydration — moderation is the key here though as they also act as a mild laxative. What’s more, their high pectin content can help lower cholesterol and remove toxic metals from the body. Obviously, anything which makes us feel better physically will have a positive effect on our psyche and vice versa to a certain degree and bananas score highly in both categories.
When we are feeling down it doesn’t really help to think that there are other people somewhere in the world who are worse off than ourselves, although in more rational times this is obviously something which we can easily take on board. You may be interested to know however that buying bananas from local independent grocers can have a positive knock-on effect in some of the world’s poorest communities.
Bananas are the best-selling and most profitable item sold in Britain’s shops today and like bread they are classed as one of a core number of products whose value is known to shoppers and on which they base their comparisons when deciding at which shop they get the best value. Certainly there is no reason why we should not shop astutely but in the case of bananas the cheapest price at the supermarket often means a poor deal for farmers struggling to make a living in the remoter parts of the world. In order to increase production these farmers rely on the use of pesticides and chemical fertilisers which not only affect their health and that of their families but also our own as the residues are passed down through the food chain. The might of the supermarkets not only works detrimentally against the farmers but also affects independent grocers in the UK who are unable to buy in large enough quantities and therefore cannot compete on price. To secure stocks these grocers buy from wholesalers who deal with the smaller more specialist producers — the quality of the product is often higher and just as importantly more profit is channelled directly back to the growers. By supporting these local small businesses (even though we know we may be paying a few pence more) we can help ensure their survival which is crucial in rural communities, for the elderly and for those who do not have transport.