During these cold months it can be challenging to keep our pets healthy and happy. The cold weather often brings a slew of things to watch out for when it comes to keeping Fido and Fluffy out of trouble.

Six Tips For Healthy Pets in Winter

Dr. Carol Osborne, DVM offers a few essentials to get your furry friend through these frigid months without a trip to the vet’s office.

• Pick Pet Safe Ice Melting Products

  When using ice melting products like Rock salt and De-icing chemicals, spritz your pet’s feet with water when they come back inside to avoid irritation of their skin and paws. Signs of ingestion include excess drooling, depression and vomiting.

• Antifreeze + Pets = A Deadly Combination

  Antifreeze is deadly for pets. Clean up spills/leaks immediately and make sure that it is stored in a sealed container locked in a secured cabinet. If you think your pet has consumed antifreeze, this is a true life or death emergency! Go to your vet ASAP and call ahead while you are on your way!

• Protect Your Pets Form Cold Temps

  Keep your pets protected from the frigid temperatures (if it’s too cold for you, it’s too cold for your pet. Offer a little extra food during the winter months because more calories are burned trying to maintain body heat).

• Safeguard Your Pets From Frostbite

  Frostbite risk areas include your pet’s ears, nose, tip of the tail and ears. Frostbitten areas of skin initially turn a reddish color then become gray.  To treat frostbite: give your pet a warm bath and wrap him or her up in warm towels. Don’t rub an area that has frostbite!

• Serve Up Homemade Meals for Your Pets

  Homemade meals for your pet are a healthy and cost effective way to ensure your pet is getting essential nutrients without the risk of indigestion, weight gain due to over eating and the high caloric intake of processed foods. Cuisine made of equal portions of a lean protein (chicken, turkey, beef, veal, duck, fish or eggs), long-acting carbohydrates (potatoes, rice, pasta or oatmeal) and fresh vegetables (broccoli, spinach, green beans, lima beans, peas and carrots) are ideal. Cats require more protein than dogs, so 80 percent lean protein and 20 percent veggies is perfect.

• Cover Your Bases, Place Rat & Mouse Baits in Safe Places

  Rat and mouse baits are usually used more often in cold weather. Place baits in areas inaccessible to your pets. Peanut butter baits smell good and are tasty to pets. Save labels, and if you think bait has been eaten by your pet, get to your vet ASAP. Call ahead while you are on your way! Most pets are treated with Vitamin K therapy and recover.

Gone is the sunny warmth of summer. Breezes carry a chill that provokes a gloomy feeling in you. What gives? You may have seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

What is Seasonal Affective Disorder?

SAD is a depression that typically occurs during the winter, when there’s less sunlight.

“SAD is one of the most common types of depression,” says Amy Rothenberg, ND, a naturopathic doctor in Enfield, CT. “It’s both very preventable and treatable, and responds well to natural-medicine approaches. And the earlier you seek care, the better.”

Symptoms of SAD

Start by knowing what to expect with SAD.

• Depression

  You may feel a general sadness and be fatigued and easily agitated.

  Hopelessness may creep in and, at the worst, despair and suicidal thoughts.

• Loss of Focus and Energy

  Other symptoms include low energy and less interest in things you usually enjoy. Maybe it’s hard for you to concentrate.

• Changes to Sleeping Patterns

  You might also have trouble sleeping, or you may sleep too much.

• Food Cravings

  You may crave and eat more simple carbohydrates and sweets, and gain weight.

• Physical Aches and Pains

  Some people get headaches and muscle and joint pain.

Be sure to discuss your symptoms with your healthcare provider, in case they’re due to something else.

What Causes SAD?

• Hormonal Imbalance

  SAD “occurs more often in females between puberty and menopause, telling us it has something to do with the sex hormones,” says Alfred Lewy, MD, psychiatrist and a SAD specialist, in Portland, OR.

• Vitamin D Deficiency

  “You’re also more susceptible if you live far from the equator, and there’s a history of depression with yourself and/or within your family," Lewy continues. "Or, maybe you’ve got too little vitamin D, which your body makes with the help of the sun.”

Preventing or Treating SAD

“It’s both very preventable and treatable, and responds well to natural-medicine approaches," says Rothenberg. "And the earlier you seek care, the better.”

Adjust your Body Clock

During the longer nights of winter, you naturally produce more melatonin, the best biomarker for your 24-hour body clock. Come morning, sunlight helps you wake up. When those rays hit the retina, they activate cells there to tell the brain’s hypothalamus to stop the pineal gland from producing melatonin. But what if you have to get up before dawn? Winter’s short days may disrupt your body clock, leading to SAD.

• Face the Morning Sun

  To shift your body clock earlier, face the morning sun, but without looking at it. “You’re safe getting about 20 minutes without sunscreen,” says Dr. Rothenberg.

• Try Light Therapy

  Also helpful (and evidence-based) is a medical-grade light-therapy box. Light from its cool fluorescent tubes is diffused by a clear Plexiglas cover that blocks any (minimal) harmful ultraviolet rays.

  “Right when you wake up, for 30 minutes to two hours a day, sit in front of the light box at the distance recommended by its manufacturer, usually within two feet, to get 2,000–10,000 lux [a measure of illumination]. But don’t stare directly into the light,” says Dr. Lewy. “If you’re among the small percentage whose body clocks need more light in the evening, use the box then, instead, ending one hour before bedtime.”
  
  
  
  If you take medications that make you sensitive to sunlight or have certain eye conditions, you may need to avoid this treatment. 

• Supplement with Melatonin

  You can also shift your body clock with melatonin. “A low dose (0.3–0.5 milligrams) presents a more precise time signal,” says Dr. Lewy. “If that amount doesn’t make you sleepy, you can take it earlier than bedtime, otherwise right before sleep.”

Other Remedies for SAD

• Vitamin D

  Dr. Rothenberg cautions that too much vitamin D can cause toxicity. In addition to getting the vitamin from the sun and a supplement, it’s found in cod, salmon, sardines, herring, and other fatty, coldwater fish.

• B-Complex Vitamins and Omegas

  “A diet high in B vitamins and omega-3 essential fatty acids also helps with SAD,” she says. “So does St. John’s wort, 500–1,000 milligrams a day.”

• Lifestyle Changes

  She adds exercise, a good night’s sleep, and the company of others to the list.

  “Even if you don’t have SAD,” Dr. Rothenberg says, “you can benefit from these healthful choices that only improve your overall well-being, no matter what the season.”

You're green at heart. You love the idea of a potted, live Christmas tree you can reuse year after year. It's just that—for whatever reason—you bought a regular Christmas tree this year. And you’ll need to dispose of it soon.

Take heart. Most Christmas trees can be recycled into mulch. Try to find a drop-off location in your community. Some towns offer curbside pickup and free mulching because they use the mulch for municipal landscaping or sell it at a discount to gardeners.

Christmas Tree Recycling

If your community doesn’t offer curbside pickup—or some other recycling option—there are other ways to reuse your tree.

• Provide Shelter for Wildlife

  Consider placing the tree at the edge of your property to create a winter shelter for birds and small animals.

• Create a Winter Mulch

  Cut off a few boughs and spread them over your garden as a protective winter mulch.

• Create a Birdfeeder

  Spread small branches with an edible, naturally sticky substance like peanut butter or shortening. Dip the branches in birdseed, and you’ve created a natural bird feeder. Tie the nourishing branches to other trees in your yard.

• Save It For Firewood

  Cut the trunk of your Christmas tree into small logs, and store them in a dry place. They’ll be ready to burn next year. If you don’t have a fireplace, gift the logs to someone who does!

Back in 1981, Norman Rosenthal, a researcher at the National Institute of Mental Health, thought he’d identified a very rare syndrome.

He determined that some people were plagued by severe depression that came on in the fall as daylight hours dwindled, and lifted with the arrival of longer days in spring.

He was half right: Rosenthal was indeed homing in on a type of depression with a specific trigger—he named it “seasonal affective disorder,” or SAD. But a call for people experiencing the symptoms drew 3,000 responses rather than the handful he expected.

Today it’s estimated that more than 10 million Americans suffer from SAD.

Seasonal Affective Disorder

When daylight hours drop, so does your mood if you’re affected by SAD or its milder sibling known as the winter blues.

What Causes SAD?

Researchers believe the decrease in exposure to sunlight slows the release of serotonin, a brain chemical that regulates mood. The hormone melatonin, which modulates your circadian rhythms, plays a part too. The body secretes melatonin when the sun goes down, making you sleepy.

Who is at Risk of SAD?

People who are more susceptible to SAD include women, those aged 15 to 55, and those who:

• have a family history of wintertime depression
• live in places where days are short in the winter months
• have been diagnosed with depression or bipolar disorder

What Are The Symptoms of SAD?

If you have SAD, you’re likely to feel down and hopeless, have trouble concentrating and interacting with others, and crave carbohydrates.

Treating and Managing SAD

Check with your physician to determine the best course of action, and make this winter a happy one.

• Light Therapy

  To combat depression brought on by the dark days of winter, the first step is light therapy—treatment with fluorescent or incandescent lamps that replicate sunlight or a brightening sunrise.

  2,500 to 10,000 lux for 30 to 60 minutes a day is usually effective. Talk with your physician about the best approach.

• Alternative Therapy

  Some people also benefit from acupuncture, yoga, meditation, guided imagery, or massage.

• Supplements

  A number of supplements are used to beat back the winter blues and SAD. Try these to keep SAD at bay.

  Remember, supplements can sometimes interact with medications, and severe depression should be treated by a doctor.

  • Vitamin D

    Vitamin D supplementation is helpful for some SAD sufferers: Taking 2,000 IU daily can keep neurotransmitters in balance.

  • St. John’s Wort

    Long used to treat a range of conditions including nervous system disorders, St. John’s wort has been shown to help people with mild to moderate (but not severe) depression.

    Studies show it may work as well as prescription medications, without some of the side effects.

    Research also indicates that St. John’s wort is even more effective in treating SAD when paired with light therapy.

  • SAMe

    A compound found in the body, S-adenosylmethionine, or SAMe, may be as effective as antidepressants without some of their side effects—and it may work more quickly.

    SAMe aids in the production and breakdown of brain chemicals like serotonin, melatonin, and dopamine. Scientists think it works by increasing the amount of serotonin in the brain.

  • Melatonin

    When summer changes to fall and fall transitions into winter, the levels of melatonin in your body may change as well.

    More studies are needed, but supplementation with melatonin may provide relief to some people with depression that comes on in the cold months.

  • Omega-3 Fatty Acids

    Supplementing with omega 3s could reduce mild to moderate depression.

    Omega 3s are key to brain function, and people with depression may have low levels of the omega 3s eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

    Some studies indicate that people who take prescription medication for depression may find increased relief if they also supplement with omega 3s.

As winter approaches and temperatures start to drop, it’s a good time to consider enhancing your beauty routine with collagen. The lack of humidity in the cooler months means skin can be starved for moisture, leading to dryness, chapping, and cracking. Topical solutions can cover the damage, but collagen supplements can help you fight back from the inside out.

Three Types of Collagen

Collagen is ubiquitous in the body, and is a key component of skin’s structure. Different types of collagen—identified by roman numerals—perform unique tasks, so it’s helpful to know what to look for in a supplement.

• Collagen Type I

  Collagen type I, found in bones and skin, is the most plentiful and is commonly used in scientific research.

• Collagen Type II

  Collagen type II is present in cartilage, and may be helpful for relieving symptoms of arthritis.

• Collagen Type III

  Collagen type III appears in skin, muscles, and the walls of the intestines.

  It is often combined with type I in supplements that help maintain healthy bones, muscles, and skin.

Read on to learn more about how collagen supplements can help maintain healthy, youthful skin, regardless of the season.

How Collagen Can Help Skin

• Fight Dryness

  Winter skin is prone to dryness, but collagen supplements can keep skin looking soft and supple no matter the weather.

  In a study of healthy women with visible signs of aging, daily supplementation with collagen for 12 weeks dramatically improved the appearance of participants’ skin, decreasing visible lines and wrinkles, and beating back dryness and scaling.

• Stop Wrinkles

  Crow’s feet and laugh lines are cutesy names for natural signs of aging that are anything but endearing. Collagen supplements have been shown to help combat lines and wrinkles.

  Researchers found that women who took a daily dose of 2.5 grams of hydrolyzed collagen experienced an impressive 20 percent decrease in the appearance of crow’s feet after just eight weeks.

• Relief for Brittle Nails

  Brittle nail syndrome—nails that are rough, ragged, and peeling—has met its match.

  A recent study revealed that daily oral supplementation with collagen peptides can boost nail growth and decrease the frequency of broken nails.

  As a bonus, the vast majority (88 percent!) of participants continued to see improvements in their nails for up to four weeks after the treatment period.

• Seal in Moisture

  Colder temps can lead to dry, patchy skin. Collagen supplements can help lock in moisture and keep skin looking firm and smooth.

  A 2017 pilot study found that daily oral intake of a collagen supplement improved skin elasticity by 12 percent, and study participants reported satisfaction with facial skin softness and hydration at the end of the 50-day treatment period.

Proven Results

Those of us battling the signs of aging want more than a cosmetic fix, and collagen supplements offer hope for a solution that’s more than skin deep.

A new study confirmed the efficacy of collagen supplements, revealing that oral supplementation not only boost collagen peptide levels in the blood, but that those peptides also find their way into the skin.

Researchers concluded that, “. . . functional peptides can be transferred to the skin by dietary supplements of collagen.”