I love Spring! Time to finally shrug off the grey, those winter elements and cold attitudes...aaah a brighter and lighter me, with wings ready to fly! Not sure if you feel the same, but personally I struggle with the winter season. Initially I thought I was suffering with a touch of SAD (seasonally affected disorder) but realised it's more like seasonally affected lack of Vitamin D (essentially a lack of sufficient sunlight)!
It's more common than you think. One billion people worldwide and 60% of the UK population are Vitamin D deficient. A blood count below 20ng/ml is particularly low, that was me (then) and now I maintain a MINIMUM level of 35ng/ml for good health; this I suggest is a minimum wellness bar...that we all try to exceed and I'll explain why, so read on.
Maybe you too have low Vitamin D levels, any of these following factors increase your risk. Do you for example…
have melanated skin?
have diet limitations that exclude meat, fish and or dairy?
stay indoors during the day due to work or ill health?
always wear sunscreen when outdoors?
live in a country far from the equator, ie in northern Europe and North America?
...or are you aged 50 plus?
If you've answered yes to any of these and are concerned at all, ask your Doctor for a simple blood profile, this will reveal your Vitamin D levels along with other useful health markers. Spring is a good time to have this blood M.O.T, as you can work on improving your wellness during the vibrant energy of the warmer seasons.
I call Vitamin D, sunshine drug… It is a mighty vitamin, it’s the only one that acts more like a hormone (a messenger), which makes it very special; it sends signals to cells all around your body, telling them what they should be doing and how, this way or that way. The Scientist agree that Vitamin D is powerful, it :
1. Absorbs calcium into your bones - too little, you’ll have limited bone growth, repair and strength, arthritis can aggravate you even more.
2. Supports the powerhouse cells in your muscles – too little, your muscles get tired and fatigued easily, so poor strength and slow recovery from long walks or workouts is usual.
3. Interacts with the cells to support your immune system– if levels are too low, you’ll experience more coughs and flu, the lungs are particularly vulnerable which means higher risk of pneumonia and asthma attacks.
4. Increases the production of ingredients to knit skin – too little and your healing power is poor, it can take longer to recover from surgery or deep gashes and infections are more likely.
5. reduces pain signals – too low and you’ll sense more aches and pains throughout the body.
Two debates around Vitamin D's impact on depression and hair loss have caught my attention also, I experienced both health issues whilst unknowingly living with very low levels below 20ng/ml. For me, despite there being no conclusive scientific evidence, my personal observation leads me to believe there is a definite link!
Ultimately, when you are deficient or low in Vit D, it can cause disharmony and dis-ease in the body. The impact long term can be debilitating on the heart, lungs, digestive system, muscles, metabolism, fertility, joints, skin, nervous system and so much more. Although the medical world is aware of it's impact, low Vitamin D levels is often overlooked as a root cause to difficult diagnose; whilst on the other hand, resolving a low level is relatively easy!
If you have a deficiency, boosting Vit D can be quite simple but also a long term effort. As an example, from September to March (UK autumn/winter months) I supplement with Vit D3. I also eat Vit D enriched food and with my diet restrictions, ie no meat and minimal dairy (which are the usual good food sources) I have to find alternatives - see my list below. To be honest, the best antidote is a winter break (you can store Vit D for up to two months following a sunny holiday) –Whoooo, whoop!!... but it's not always possible to travel, right?!
So then the next strategy is to make the most of where you are, and as soon as you can. So when you see D'Spring, it's a good time to start topping up. Health guidelines say 20 minutes sunlight each day, make this a minimum and grab the good days (ie, clear skies) while you can. Top tip, the higher the angle of the sun the better, so you are looking for an angle of over 50 % or more (quick test is your shadow slightly shorter than your actual height?) Another tip, the more skin on show to the sun, the greater your Vit D hit.
Personally, I enjoy mixing it all up with walks in nature (for no less than 60 minutes) giving me many more health benefits for heart, lungs and mental clarity (see short video below). Of course, if you are less mobile, this doesn't mean you have to miss out. Take a seat outdoors even if it means snuggling up with a blanket, during windy spring time, but make sure you get some time whenever there are clear days!
It goes without saying, that you need to be sensible about your sun exposure; for best Vitamin D creation your skin prefers a gentle sun-kiss rather than an scorching sun-snog! Vitamin D is then stored in your body fat, therefore if you're on a fitness regime that strips fat, you will be depleting your stores and will therefore need to consider enhancing your intake through food, the soup below is a perfect example.
You can boost Vitamin D through food, diary, fish, meat, mushrooms - however my favourite alternatives which I brew in teas, add to smoothies or use as seasoning to home cooking are:
· Alfafa
· Nettle
· Parsley
…and my favourite foods which I include in roasts, soups, curries and side dishes during the winter are:
· Dandelion Greens
· Lettuce
· Oatmeal
· Sweet Potatoes
· Watercress
Have a go making your own dishes and share your Vit D meal pics with me on instragram, #yinyangsamantra.
For now, enjoy D'Spring good people.
Best Vibes
Samantra
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