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Patty Craig: A Slice of Time

Do you crave “comfort foods” during the winter? My winter foods seem to be covered with sauces. If I gain weight during the winter months, it’s not during the holidays; I gain weight during January and February. During these two months, I want all the wrong foods.

In 2009, the Center for Culinary Development surveyed people across the U.S. regarding their comfort food preferences and found that favorite comfort foods varied by age group (http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Business/Comfort-foods-vary-by-age-grou...). The eHow website listed their top 10 comfort foods: macaroni and cheese, fried chicken, apple pie, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, mashed potatoes, pizza, pasta, hamburgers, chicken soup and cake (http://www.ehow.com/list_6018336_top-10-comfort-foods.html). Each person’s comfort food list will vary. Some of my favorite winter comfort foods include: ham and potato soup, chili, home-made breads, hot chocolate, apple slices and caramel dip, chocolate or peanut butter fudge, chocolate oatmeal cookies, and a number of desserts.

At least two of my family members believe the craving for comfort foods during the winter months is the result of boredom. According to an Internet source (http://www.fitsugar.com/Carb-Cravings-Winter-867730), physiological factors may be involved in my – and others’ – winter food choices. During the winter, our bodies make less vitamin D which helps with our serotonin levels. Serotonin is the brain chemical that modulates mood, emotion, and sleep. Carbs provide a serotonin rush, so eating carbs is a way of self-medicating with food.

Another site (http://www.shape.com/weight-loss/weight-loss-strategies/ask-diet-doctor-...) provided advice about how to counteract comfort-food cravings. Some of that advice included:
•    Take a walk outdoors. Walking outside improves wellbeing and reduces stress.
•    Also, if your physician determines that your vitamin D level is low (a simple blood test), then he or she may recommend a vitamin D supplement based upon your test results.
Additionally, I’ve read that adding vegetables to as many dishes as possible is helpful: vegetables tend to fill us up.

During January and February, I find comfort foods very tempting. I’ve read that what we eat is not as much a problem as when and how much we eat. I’m thankful that February is a short month.

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