have you looked up any guides on the mechanics of the game?
by saying that the only items around to heal you give +2 HP, you are indicating that you do not know of a crockpot's existance, and stemming from that, you don't know crockpot dishes.
like gaymime said, toggle with the world settings to try and identify where you are going wrong, and turn off those for the time being until you can get used to it, then try it again.
also, please do not think you need to beat bosses. you do not. for every boss, you can either ignore them, run away, or wait until they despawn. especially for new players like you, just dont engage.
(also, agreement in the lack of pausing being a problem. lol!)
i feel like this post could benefit from more details. what is giving you the most problems, and how? what is happening to have your sanity and health so low, and what can you improve on in this regard? what about winter is difficult? is it the temperature? learn about the thermal stone, and about the different clothing items you can wear. is it the lack of food? learn how to safely kite animals such as tallbirds, pigs, and beefalo, learn about iceboxes, and dig up berries to plant in your base. (they do not grow in winter, but if they are unpicked they will stay that way and can help in a pinch.)
take it slow and steady. and please, please do not neglect looking up guides if the game frustrates you that much. good luck