What is it about the cold gray skies, wind whipped snow and temperatures below freezing that make you sick or feeling horrible? Does the environment have a serious impact on health? Well of course it does, but I am not talking about smog or UV radiation or horrible weather events I am talking about the plain old every day average weather for this region having enough of a negative impact on your brain to reduce your immune systems fighting capability.
I think this is so. We can all talk about the actual loss of vitamin D from our bodies because we live at latitude 43 and the the Sun is gone until April but we eat cheese, tofu and drink almond or soy milk so no problem. We also take supplemental vitamin D and B12 if we think our diet is off the rails. So assuming our blood has the proper stuff to remain healthy (last blood letting proved it was) then the reason we feel so shitty is because the weather negatively impacts our brain. We get depressed and lazy. We eat pizza. We drink too much. We don't wash our hands for the minimum 30 seconds. We catch a germ.
This morning I woke up after a weird nights sleep. I was all stuffed up and coughing myself awake most of the night. Besides all the cold symptoms I had bizarre dreams that I am afraid to describe, but of course I will. Sometimes I tell Deb these dreams and she just looks at me wondering what she ever saw in me some thirty years ago.
Last night in my dreams my Dad was giving me the "straighten up and fly right" speech while he towered over me as I sat on my bed. I told him I am moving out and I refuse to listen to any more of his horse shit. Dad got really pissed. Dad was a Centaur. I felt bad after saying it and I wanted to apologize but there was a lot of yelling, stomping and tail twitching. He reared up but I threw some sugar cubes to distract him (I kept those in my pockets just in case) and ran out of the house after grabbing my Farah Fawcett poster and some underwear. I drove away in my Pinto. I felt bad about the horse comment and wanted to turn the car around and say I was sorry but then I woke up. That's all I remember about the whole thing but it was enough to force me get up and have some tea to clear my head.
Weird eh? Deb never remembers her dreams like I do. I should keep a notebook next to the bed and start writing them down because they fade within hours. Before I die I would have to burn the notebook of course.
I dragged ass across the cold floor to the bathroom. In the living room I turned on the fake fireplace. I warmed some water for tea and then sat by the electric fire staring at the fake flames hoping the bags under my eyes will vanish as another dreary ass day continues.
The SUN! The Sun came out! Holy shit the Sun is out today and it's shining into the cottage. It's cold as hell out, the Bay is freezing and the snow has a hard layer of ice over it but the Sun is reflecting off all of it! Amazing! Can I get any more exclamations!!!!
Hours later I am in a chipper mood. I am caffeinated, full of sugar and sunshine. We are heading out to the grocery store to restock and then heading over to friends to visit and spread germs. Deb is looking more alive today with the Sun on her and I am actually considering going for a walk. Scratch the walk it's friggin 19 degrees.
If you are ever in this area and are wondering why people are so unfriendly, moody, sarcastic and boring to talk to just wait around for the Sun to come out or better yet, visit in July.
Two weeks left until we fly home. Mixed emotions.
Cheers!
P
I drove a Pinto because my Dad thought a Chevy Nova SS was too cool for a nerd like me. He also knew I would use all of the horsepower available to do something extremely stupid.
I think this is so. We can all talk about the actual loss of vitamin D from our bodies because we live at latitude 43 and the the Sun is gone until April but we eat cheese, tofu and drink almond or soy milk so no problem. We also take supplemental vitamin D and B12 if we think our diet is off the rails. So assuming our blood has the proper stuff to remain healthy (last blood letting proved it was) then the reason we feel so shitty is because the weather negatively impacts our brain. We get depressed and lazy. We eat pizza. We drink too much. We don't wash our hands for the minimum 30 seconds. We catch a germ.
This morning I woke up after a weird nights sleep. I was all stuffed up and coughing myself awake most of the night. Besides all the cold symptoms I had bizarre dreams that I am afraid to describe, but of course I will. Sometimes I tell Deb these dreams and she just looks at me wondering what she ever saw in me some thirty years ago.
Last night in my dreams my Dad was giving me the "straighten up and fly right" speech while he towered over me as I sat on my bed. I told him I am moving out and I refuse to listen to any more of his horse shit. Dad got really pissed. Dad was a Centaur. I felt bad after saying it and I wanted to apologize but there was a lot of yelling, stomping and tail twitching. He reared up but I threw some sugar cubes to distract him (I kept those in my pockets just in case) and ran out of the house after grabbing my Farah Fawcett poster and some underwear. I drove away in my Pinto. I felt bad about the horse comment and wanted to turn the car around and say I was sorry but then I woke up. That's all I remember about the whole thing but it was enough to force me get up and have some tea to clear my head.
Weird eh? Deb never remembers her dreams like I do. I should keep a notebook next to the bed and start writing them down because they fade within hours. Before I die I would have to burn the notebook of course.
I dragged ass across the cold floor to the bathroom. In the living room I turned on the fake fireplace. I warmed some water for tea and then sat by the electric fire staring at the fake flames hoping the bags under my eyes will vanish as another dreary ass day continues.
The SUN! The Sun came out! Holy shit the Sun is out today and it's shining into the cottage. It's cold as hell out, the Bay is freezing and the snow has a hard layer of ice over it but the Sun is reflecting off all of it! Amazing! Can I get any more exclamations!!!!
Hours later I am in a chipper mood. I am caffeinated, full of sugar and sunshine. We are heading out to the grocery store to restock and then heading over to friends to visit and spread germs. Deb is looking more alive today with the Sun on her and I am actually considering going for a walk. Scratch the walk it's friggin 19 degrees.
If you are ever in this area and are wondering why people are so unfriendly, moody, sarcastic and boring to talk to just wait around for the Sun to come out or better yet, visit in July.
Two weeks left until we fly home. Mixed emotions.
Cheers!
P
I drove a Pinto because my Dad thought a Chevy Nova SS was too cool for a nerd like me. He also knew I would use all of the horsepower available to do something extremely stupid.
posted from Bloggeroid
When the sun comes out around here it's like a holiday. People come out of their houses and look up from the ground. I will swear that there is a connection between cold temperatures and getting sick. I know it's not 'scientific', but that's only because they haven't discovered it yet. Stay warm. Maybe go tanning. My daughter swears it makes her feel better. She was in Guatemala for several months. She, too, got used to the daily dose of vitamin D. And being warm to the bone.
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