In this new year I want to help you see with 2020 vision and send those winter blues away. Non-stop in the clinic I see patients suffering from varying degrees of seasonal affective disorder.
When the days are dark, cold and wet during the bleak weeks after Christmas and New Year, we could probably all do with a bit of cheering up.
Sadly, we can’t all afford to make a swift exit for a welcome dose of winter sun in Spain, Portugal or the Caribbean. Luckily, there’s a cheaper, more realistic option to help make you feel better and start counting down the days until spring and summer arrives.
Many people who suffer more than others during the long winter days are lacking in a key ingredient that could make all the difference, thrusting them into a positive and cheerful frame of mind.
Vitamin D, which is found in only a small number of foods, helps regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body. In turn, these nutrients are needed to keep bones, teeth and muscles healthy.
It’s true that, from around late March or early April to the end of September, most people should be able to get all the vitamin D they need from natural sunlight.
However, in autumn and winter, it’s a completely different story. The NHS says that, because it\’s sometimes difficult for people to get enough vitamin D from food alone, everyone – including pregnant and breastfeeding women – should consider taking a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of this vital vitamin.
Some people won\’t get enough vitamin D from sunlight because there’s very little or no exposure to real sunshine.
The Department of Health recommends that you take a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D throughout the year if you:
– Don’t go outdoors much – for example, if you\’re frail or housebound
– Live in an institution like a care home
– Usually wear clothes that cover up most of your skin when you’re outdoors
– Have dark skin – for example, if you have an African, African-Caribbean or south Asian background, you might not get enough vitamin D from sunlight.
You should know that too much Vitamin D can also be bad for you – so not everyone NEEDS to take this type of supplement.
So, do you or don’t you? One way to check is to have a simple blood test, which is now offered by Cleve Chiropractic at our brand new premises in Mangotsfield.
Many tests will give you a single level for Vitamin D. However, the venous test, where blood is taken from the vein in your arm, provides the most accurate reading.
Importantly, this test straightforward test will tell you which sort of Vitamin D you may be lacking in.
It’s easy to make a booking for a 15-minute consultation at Cleve Chiropractic. We can take the blood sample and send it off for analysis straight away. Results are normally available within two or three working days working days via our online portal.
You’ll quickly get some peace of mind. The test result will either mean you can rest well, knowing your Vitamin D level is spot-on, or you’ll be able to grab the correct sort of supplement to top up and beat away those winter blues.
I look forward to welcoming you to the clinic in 2020 to come and see your immensely talented and experienced medical team in Mangotsfield.
Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay
