| Vitamin D |
Winter is finally over for us in Michigan and sunshine is on its way. That said, you might be Vitamin D deficient still. We’ve took a trip to California and loving the sun. *
The National Diet and Nutrition Survey tells us most UK households will be deficient. It might be worth getting this checked out with a blood test. *
Deficiency can cause:
Low mood. Feeling very low, hopeless or irritable. Cold weather can do this anyway but this is unusually low or out of character.
Hair loss- noticing more hair in you comb or in the shower? This a common side effect of a low vitamin D level.
Feeling constantly tired. Like all the time, can’t get out of bed or have any energy.
Brittle bones. This is because of the mechanism behind calcium and vitamin D interactions. We need Vit D to absorb Calcium.
Dry skin. In the winter months our skins takes a bashing anyway but this can be exacerbated by a deficiency.
Metabolic implications in terms of digestive system. This one is a little more complex to understand but the science tells us that it is vital for our bodies to function and process.
This list is not exhaustive!
So, What are the best sources to prevent deficiency?
1. Sunlight- 20-30 minutes (with sunscreen) per day is needed.
2. Fortified cereals, eggs, milk, oily fish (some of this depends on seasons)
3. Take 10mcg of vitamin D (600iu for US) through winter months.
If you are deficient you may still need a high dose of vitamin supplements as advised by your Dietitian or GP/Physican. The upper limit is 4000iu (100mcg) which no one usually can take this much unless having large supplements dosages.
Therefore sunshine can not only boost our mood, but has significant implications for our health and function of our body!
Go get your sunshine today! Just don’t forget the sunscreen.