Beating the Winter Blues - CulinArt Group

Eat Well Blog

Beating the Winter Blues

As we approach the dark cold winter months, our mood can turn grey like the gloomy icy weather outside (unless you live in a warm climate all year round). During the colder seasons, we tend to stay inside and become less active while the freezing weather keeps the sun away. Our bodies start to feel sluggish, lethargic and some people can even experience depression. We all know and understand how easy it is to stay at home and be cozy on the couch, but have no fear! We can help with that.

Did you know you can overcome the winter blues by staying active? Exercise or any form of physical activity is extremely important for our body, mindset, and overall health. It can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases, release endorphins that improve our mood, build up our self-esteem, relieve stress and improve sleep habits. Find activities you enjoy and keep you warm!

In terms of food – what we eat can also help scare away the winter blues. There is a link and relationship between our brain and stomach, and how they communicate affect our mood. Complex carbohydrates are a tasty base for a warm and nutritious meal. Whole grains and legumes are high in fiber to maintain digestive health and produce the neurotransmitter serotonin that helps maintain mood balance. So if you’re craving carbs during these dark months, there may be a reason! Eating foods high in omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids keep our brain healthy and reduce inflammation in the body. Top your whole grains with salmon, beans, avocado, or eggs for a serving of protein and omega fatty acids. As always, we also want to make sure to consume plenty of colorful fruits and vegetables. The vitamins, minerals, and fiber in fruits and veggies also benefit our digestive tract and reduce inflammation. They are usually rich in magnesium, which helps fight anxiety and depression by producing and supporting serotonin.

Unless we have a sunny vacation planned, vitamin D is another important vitamin to include in our daily diet. Low vitamin D has been linked to an increase in depression and seasonal affective disorder. Foods like milk, eggs, cheese, yogurt, and dark greens are high in vitamin D. Calcium and vitamin D are good friends – increasing calcium while also increasing vitamin D can optimize vitamin D absorption.

Use these tips, tricks, and dietary recommendations to improve your mood and beat those winter blues!

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  • January 29, 2020

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What our clients are saying

“What a wonderful dinner we had tonight for our international families. The food was delicious and well presented as well.”

“Thank you for including me today in the food waste demonstration/[chef competition] and flattering me with the role of “judge.” I will proudly don the [Stop Food Waste Day] apron the next time I plan an “event” in our own kitchen. I think this is a very worthwhile cause and the statistics you read off are staggering. They, alone, can intimidate a home chef, let alone be the “driver’ for a professional one.”

“Thank you and your staff for all the care and thought you give CSW adults and students. You approach events with such care and elegance- I don’t know how you do it! Especially day after day. Please thank all your staff for their wonderful work and kind manner with all of us. Here is to a great year!”

“Many, and I do mean many, thanks for a great Parents Weekend.  I heard from so many happy parents and you all work very hard to make it happen.  In gratitude and kindness…”

“We are so thankful and so impressed by your immediate attention to our power outage. It was such a relief to see all the equipment and workers coming in within a few hours of the outage. Thank you for serving dinner to all [the] students in a very difficult circumstance. Please extend our thanks to your workers who braved cold weather to grill hamburgers and hotdogs.”

“With all the prep work from Winterim ramping up and classes continuing as usual, it's a busy time to be a Forman teacher. Imagine my delight, tired as I was, when I delved into the upscale-restaurant-quality chicken parmesan our dining hall served last night. Forman is all about support, and providing our students with a dinner of that quality is just as important a measure of support as anything that happens in a classroom.”

“I can’t thank your entire team enough for the outstanding service, food, displays, everything!  You are a master at detail, and because of that Adam and I were able to focus on the parents.  I know what a sacrifice pulling off a weekend like this means, we are so appreciative and grateful to you all for your talent and generosity.”

“I ALWAYS feel spoiled by the meal offerings at CSW (The Cambridge School of Weston) and am entirely grateful for it. As I eat today's delicious and lavish lunch (and think about yesterday's as well), I can't tell you how much I feel so well cared for here, both with the food and by the dining hall staff. CSW cares for us in so many ways, both big and small.”

“Thank You! Chef Budd [and team], you overcame a new online ordering system (and hundreds of labels daily!), provided creative and healthy menus, continued to connect with local farmers to incorporate locally sourced ingredients, and worked tirelessly to serve the school community on three campuses.  While it feels like you are all a little like the Wizard of Oz right now, working behind a curtain in a kitchen far away, we sense your smiles and your passion to deliver the best possible service during these trying times. We are all so grateful!”

“I will say that CulinArt has always been a very collaborative partner to T. Rowe Price, listening to our current needs and future goals and suggesting realistic and achievable strategies to meet those goals.  2020 was obviously no exception.  CulinArt also altered other areas of our OCS and pantry programs to create safer environments for all our associates. We can only thank you for your continued flexibility and innovative ideas through these difficult times.”

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