Sunshine in a Box

Conquer bi-solar disorder

By CHRISTINE LIU

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Admittedly I can be a bit cranky, sullen and lethargic at times, but I'd like to chalk that up to my highly fallible thresholds of patience year-round. Sufferers of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), however, are pretty much victim to the dearth of sunlight in the winter, especially in Boston where icy gray spells can fling someone into the emotional dark. Ergo: a sad, sleepy, Snickers-stuffing season.

Though sitting in front of lightboxes has been the typical remedy, Melissa Gallagher, founder and president of Healthy Being products, has developed her own SAD-busting brew—inspired when the native Floridian experienced SAD hardcore while living in Boston for a few years. "Sunshine in a Box" comes in a yellow takeout box the color of farm fresh egg yolks; a blissful eyelashed sun sticker on top breaks to reveal a bounty of B complex, vitamin D3 and 5-HTP in shiny white bottles. There's also moral support in the form of something that wouldn't look out of place at a vacation Bible school craft show—a smiling foam sun that encourages users to "Enjoy!" Professes Gallagher, "Taking 'Sunshine in a Box' in conjuction with light therapy, exercise and eating properly will help significantly limit the impact that the lack of sunlight has."

Despite not having SAD, I pop the pills for science, hoping they won't kill me. "From a supplementation perspective, it's great for general health," Gallagher reassures. "The dosage is not anything that would greatly impact somebody." (OK, good.) The energy-promising B complex (16,666 percent of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin B12!) is the most entertaining to take: You squirt an eyedropperful of orange elixir under the tongue and hold it there for 30 seconds before ingesting a slurpy swallow of tropical punch with a bitter edge. A white capsule of 5-HTP goes down the hatch, allegedly the perky, pompommed cheerleaders of serotonin production. And vitamin D3 pills, tiny champagne-colored ovoids reminiscent of dainty alien eggs, are naturally sourced from fish liver oil and improve sleep and promote bone health.

After a few dosing days, I feel pretty great. Life is filled with energetic mornings and rosy hope that somewhere in the gleaming future all wonderful things will be administered via eyedropper.

[Available at healthybeingproducts.com, $45 for 30-day supply].