It happens every year. You’re tired, stressed out, and feeling down in the dumps. It happens every winter almost like clockwork. Don’t stress it. I’m going to show you how to boost your mood and beat those winter blues with the ketogenic diet…

In winter months, we Canadian’s tend to feel depressed which generally leads to fatigue, oversleep, and craving carbohydrates in a chase for the dopamine release in our brain from consuming sugars. We also need to consider that the problem is not entirely that we feel depressed in the winter, but equally important to note that the low mood is amplified by feeling elated and overstimulated in the summer months. The best way to curb these seasonal highs and lows is to stabilize mood and establish a feeling that is balanced. This way, we can maintain feeling ‘normal’ all year long rather than fighting the mood swings from one season to the next.

Low mood from SAD is ultimately the result of a hormonal change in the body. The pineal gland sees a reduction in melatonin secretion which is responsible for the regulation of circadian rhythm, while the adrenal glands see an increase in cortisol secretion which puts the body under increased stress. As humans are creatures of habit, these hormonal changes tend to lead to one of two consequences: responding to the increased hours of darkness by going to bed earlier and throwing off regular sleeping patterns resulting in oversleeping, or staying awake the same amount of time all year around but feeling more stressed in the winter trying to keep up with our busy schedules.

So what specific ketogenic foods should you eat to keep your mood at its best all year long? As you can imagine, there are too many to list in one article… My top food pick for lifting mood would be wild Atlantic salmon.

Wild salmon is loaded with the nutrients you need to beat the winter blues. Here’s a small list of what this one fatty fish can do for you followed by an easy recipe to implement.
• Omega-3 fatty acids are proven to reduce depression
• Vitamin B6 helps metabolize protein and fat
• Vitamin B12 helps to boost your energy, mood, and concentration
• Niacin (vitamin B3) helps you relax and get to sleep at night
• Tryptophan is a precursor to serotonin which helps you feel happier
• Selenium helps decrease anxiety

Perfect Wild Atlantic Salmon

Preheat oven to 275-325 degrees (dependent on thickness of salmon cut).

Cover a baking pan with parchment paper and place fresh wild salmon on top.

Season with freshly chopped ginger, turmeric, cayenne pepper, Himalayan pink salt, fresh black pepper.

Bake in oven for 10-15min or until desired texture.

Melt grass fed butter and squeeze fresh lemon on top of warm salmon.

Enjoy a delicious mood boosting meal.