Beat your winter depression with Sirius tips!

Author: Elena Experience expert (psychedelics and psychoactive & medicinal plants), blogger, passion for healthy food

A stream of warm sun rays on your skin, lying in the soft grass and sitting outside around a campfire with friends late at night... These summer memories become even more beautiful when you think about them on a bleak, dark winter day, when everything slows down.

Longing for the warmth, I forgot to appreciate King Winter and couldn't wait for spring to return. Ideally, I would skip the darkness and slowness of this period. 

It also frequently occurred to me to move to a warmer place, such as Brazil. That way I could avoid the Dutch winter weather and never again have to worry about chilled fingers, chilblains and a lack of vitamin D. 

Winter in times of corona

Still, the cold winter we experience in the northern hemisphere is a worthwhile period. Despite the fact that we are happy with the current sunshine (in most of Europe), February is normally very cold. The winter we currently find ourselves in is not easy for many of us. This period is marked by a time of being together, giving each other warmth and light. During this corona time, it became impossible for many people to experience conviviality on a regular basis, the bright spot in the darkness! We need each other to let joy and love flow. When loneliness overwhelms us, depression can quickly lurk. 

In this blog, I'd like to share some tips for coping with winter depression and experiencing happiness and peace again. And remember: after rain comes sunshine, out of darkness comes light. 

Inner transformation

Winter is a beautiful season and the cold is an important part of life. The season begins on December 21 and ends on March 21. The so-called winter solstice is marked by the shortest day of the year, as there are the fewest hours of light. After this, the days slowly but surely begin to get longer. 

During the winter, all kinds of transformations take place in nature. For example, some birds migrate away to warmer places and other animals hibernate. There are also animal species that adapt their appearance to the winter environment. For example, the polar fox and the snow hare turn white to camouflage themselves.

Also deep inside there can be many things happening that are important for your transformation. It is certainly not easy, but it is a good period to look more inside and discover what needs attention.

There are a few tips I would like to give you to give yourself more light in these times of darkness. 

Bionix Pure Cacao Capsules for Positive Energy

During this winter, I discovered the power of Bionix Cacao Capsules. These natural capsules boost your energy levels and help you generate more positivity. For me, these Bionix capsules are ideal for giving myself a light kick in the butt and still going a brisk walk, even if it's gloomy and cold outside. The strong cacao extract contains the substance theobromine, which has a similar energy boosting effect as caffeine, with on top of that a positive effect on the mood. The capsules work best when you have not eaten anything for about an hour beforehand. My ideal dose is around two capsules. 

Ice cold showering according to Wim Hof

The heat of the summer, beads of sweat and constant thirst make a bucket of ice water the best form of cooling down.

In the winter, however, this is a different story. Who is going to take an ice cold shower when it is already cold? Well, according to Wim Hof and others, a cold shower is exactly what you need if you want to boost your immune system, self-discipline and sense of happiness. Research shows that a cold shower can make you stronger, making you less likely to get sick and better able to handle stress. 

The challenge for me is to stand under the cold shower every morning for a month. Meanwhile, we're a week in and I'm starting to enjoy this challenge more and more. I'm especially looking forward to the moment after the shower: a feeling that can be compared to the happiness you experience after a hard workout.

My body feels very awake and open and the feeling inside me is: "Yes! Let's start the day!” 

Become a mother/father of cannabis plants

What I am becoming increasingly aware of is that 'caring for', can bring a deep sense of gratitude and satisfaction. In this case, I'm talking about both caring for your fellow man, and caring for plants in the garden. It is a very good way to dispel boredom and loneliness and to move yourself and others forward. 

We are still in the winter, but did you know that already in February a lot can be done to give your (outdoor) cannabis plants a great head start?

If you have your own garden then making the soil healthy for growing is half the battle. This can be done earlier in the winter. During the winter it is good that your soil is covered with a thick layer of 'mulch'. This is a blanket of organic material such as leaves, straw or cardboard, which decomposes slowly and keeps your soil warm and sheltered. By mixing in some compost you give the soil extra nutrients, which will make your cannabis plants look even better later on. 

Now is the time to make choices about the marijuana strain(s) you want to grow yourself. Make a list of wishes and see which plants suit you best. Or maybe you're not growing for yourself at all, but for someone else. This is a very good way to make someone else happy!

Ideal outdoor cannabis seeds

Spoetnik #1 - Paradise Seeds

This variety has been a favourite in Amsterdam coffee shops for some time. The harvest of this variety is also ideal for making hash. She is a mix of Afghani and Dutch genes and can withstand colder climates. The robustness of this strain allows it to withstand less than ideal conditions, such as humidity, cold and less sunlight and is very popular with outdoor growers in colder climates. 

Durga Mata - Paradise Seeds

Another strong strain is Durga Mata. This indica is widely used as a medicine because of its powerful physical relaxing and pain relieving effects. Yet, her effect is generally not the complete couchlock that other soothing cannabis strains can cause. She is suitable for colder regions including northern France, Britain, Poland, Czech Republic. 

Dreaming with Calea zacatechichi and African Dream Root

Winter brings a certain peace and quiet that makes you crawl into bed a little sooner already. Having a regular sleep rhythm is an important part of good health. Although I have more energy and stay awake longer during the summer, I have never been a night owl. Friends of mine are so I am all too aware that different people have different rhythms. 

Speaking for myself, I prefer to go to bed early (in winter this is 10pm) and get up early (around 6am-7am). In the winter it is easy to sleep longer and it takes some courage to get up in the pitch dark. Yet I notice that this rhythm helps me to start the day with good energy. Sleeping too late only makes the day go by faster. By the way, it gets light earlier in February, so getting up earlier means you can absorb more light too!

Two plants I like to work with are dream herbs. They can be used to dream more intensely or to remember dreams better. In this way, going to bed becomes a real adventure, where anything is possible! 

• Calea zacatechichi, also called Dreamherb, is a dream herb from Mexico. Shamans of the Chontal tribe in Oaxaca consider the plant sacred and use it during rituals. The plant is processed into tea or smoked and used to induce lucid dreams, in which you can experience the most unimaginable adventures! Zacatechichi is a word in Nahuatl and means 'bitter grass'. Prepare yourself for the most bitter taste ever! 
• African Dream Root is also a super interesting dream herb. Actually, it is the root of the plant Silene capensis. This plant is native to South Africa. Like Calea zacatechichi, this dream herb has a long history of shamanic use. The active ingredients in the plant allow for a deeper sleep with vivid dreams that are remembered the following day. 
• Vitamin D supplement (extra important for darker skinned people). My Brazilian blood demands sun, sun and more sun! When only a thin ray of light seeps through the gray cloud cover for weeks on end, a gloomy and heavy feeling soon lurks. One way to treat this dejection is to provide yourself with the sunshine vitamin, or vitamin D. 

Elena Experience expert (psychedelics and psychoactive & medicinal plants), blogger, passion for healthy food

Elena studies Organic and Biodynamic agriculture because, besides psychedelics and psychoactive & medicinal plants, she also has a passion for healthy food. Learning about the endocannabinoid system, different cannabinoids and terpenes is super interesting.

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