The change of season means everything changes: daylight hours, weather, mood and even diet.
All these changes are often stressful since they lead to a change in the day/night rhythms (circadian rhythms). Light and darkness can activate neurotransmitters capable of influencing body and mind. In particular, in winter the days are shorter and our body produces a greater amount of melatonin, a sleep hormone. In spring by contrast, with the increase in light, more serotonin, or ‘happiness hormone’, is produced.
With the arrival of spring, there is often an increase in fatigue, apathy, difficulty in concentration, mood swings and digestive problems (the so-called spring sickness). According to a survey carried out by the observatory Doxa-Aidepi, 35 million people aged 18 to 70 are affected, both physically and psychologically, by the change of season. 64% of Italians notice a higher sensation of fatigue, while 52% experience moderate fatigue.
Sleep disorders are also pervasive. So much so that 38% of respondents have problems with insomnia. Younger people (under 24) tend to suffer more from irritability (40%) and bad mood (37%) than the rest of the Italian population. And what about anxiety – a feeling that affects women in the age group between 25 and 34 years (29%)?
This is why it is essential to adjust one’s nutrition properly to fit the season and give preference to the foods appropriate for each. One of the most fundamental meals, if not the most important, for providing the right energy levels to face the day and changes of season with more gusto and brio is undoubtedly breakfast. It should make up at least 20-25% of the total daily calorie intake.
Some functional foods for a proper breakfast are oilseeds such as chia seeds, sunflower seeds and hemp seeds.
These are a good source of fibre, minerals, essential fatty acids, enzymes, antioxidants and proteins. In particular, they are rich in minerals such as iron and manganese that contribute to providing the right morning recharge required. For example, 100g of hemp seeds contains 7.2mg of manganese, an excellent mineral for maintaining healthy metabolic function, and 11mg of iron, a microelement that aids the reduction of symptoms of excessive metabolic strain, such as tiredness and fatigue, while at the same time assisting cognitive function.
These seeds are of significant nutritional value and can be added to breakfast recipes (in yoghurt, on warm bread, or in cereals) without changing the taste and yet enhancing the nutritional profile of the start of the day.
To round this all off, for a great breakfast, why not try some ginger as well – it’s a real cure-all for the whole body.
In this respect, 100g of ginger powder contains 25mg of iron and 28mg of manganese as well as being an excellent carminative food frequently used for dyspepsia and colic.
And then what could be better for the start of summer than a nice cup of fresh yoghurt with a handful of oilseeds, ginger powder and green tea to start the day fully recharged and with bags of energy?
Breakfast is essential and deserves to stand out for its choice of the right functional foods.
Dott.ssa Nicolí Mariagrazia – Nutritionist
BIBLIOGRAPHY
- Vohora, S.B. and Dandiya, P.C., 1992. Herbal analgesic drugs. Fitoterapia
- Nutsforlife edizioni, Buccella Francesca