Cold/Winter and Lupus/Raynauds

BRRRRR!

I know I know this is a REALLY weird day to talk about winter...it's supposed to be 95 degrees here in NY today...but something has been on my mind and I need to figure out if I want to spend another cold winter here in NY...if I want to move I need to plan NOW!

I decided to write this post because I really have seemed to dislike the winters in NY the past few years. Actually the dislike has turned to dread/uneasiness and even fear/hatred. It is a strange gut feeling that winter is just not "good" for me. Does this have anything to do with Lupus? Hashimoto's? I'm not sure....
Does it have to do with Seasonal  Affective Disorder or lack of Vitamin D from the sun? Getting out of the house less? Too much snow and cabin fever/feeling trapped in the house?
http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/natural-medicine/home-remedies/home-remedies-for-seasonal-affective-disorder.htm Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

At one point in my life I did try living in an extremely warm and humid climate (the Houston TX area), but it seemed to bother me as well...maybe the humidity???

I had seen something in Traditional Chinese Medicine treatment for Lupus a long while ago, that said although Lupus patients are usually fraught with rashes/inflammation and sores many think it is a "hot" disease when in fact in Chinese Medicine it is considered a "cold" disease. It is also a damp disease. So the herbs to treat Lupus would be the cold and damp herbs, this should balance the body to not run so cold and damp and run on an even in between keel. What if a person lived in a hot, dry climate like Arizona, would that also help the disease heal/ the body to balance? In other words would more cold and dampness in the way of weather bother the Lupus patient's body/symptoms even more? Just curiosity....

I also heard Jamie Oliver recently say that in the winter 3x more people die! I was thinking is that true? What's up with that? See the link below on Can Winter Be Bad for Your Health?

Also can the climate you live in affect your disease? Just something I was pondering...I know I really think summer is better for raw cooling foods and winter is better for warming cooked foods this is kind of common sense. Can you eat raw foods in the winter? Sure, but use your blender and make slightly warm soups ( 105-110 degress). Use your dehydrator and make enchiladas, pizzas and such.

For Raynaud's I would think common sense would tell us thin the blood, clean the blood, and make sure all organs have support that produce and clean and tonify the blood and then relax the blood vessels why are they spasming?...see the link below on Chinese Medicine Advice for Raynaud's Relief. Please ask your doctor before you try anything new on your own.... but also remember if your doctor doesn't want you to try something that feels right to you, find a doctor that really listens and really has a proven track record with alternative treatments.

PS- If I had listened to my Rheumatolgist I would have never changed my diet and by changing my diet felt incredibly better! My Rheumy said to my face "Changing your diet won't help your Lupus, you can eat whatever you like" I am sure glad I didn't listen to her and listened to my Holistic Chiropractor/Nutritionist instead!!!!!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8442413.stm  Can Winter be Bad for Your Health?

http://www.itmonline.org/journal/arts/raynauds.htm Chinese Medicine Advice for Raynaud's Relief