24th Mar - She Wants The (Vitamin) D

I've had three separate conversations in the past 24 hours, with three separate individuals, all on the same topic: Vitamin D. The subject is undoubtedly one which slips under the radar somewhat, in the modern societal landscape. Let's start with some basic facts. Vit D may not receive the same high-profile rave reviews as the stellar sibling, Vit C (how many times were you told to drink orange juice during your childhood to prevent the onset of a cold?), but it is essential for absorbing calcium, and plays a huge role in your overall happiness and daily mood.

For those who experience S.A.D (seasonal depression), the lack of sunlight - the key contributor of D - can be offset by supplements and pills. I, myself, notice a big difference in overall mood when my tube of Vitamin D pills runs empty. You see, not only does the vitamin provide energy and combat fatigue, but it controls the serotonin level in your body. This affects your regulation of hormones, which include detoxifying the body, lowering fat storage levels, and even the improvement of sleep. Have you ever noticed how, when sitting in the Sun, you don't feel as hungry as you typically do? Research has shown that Vitamin D also acts as an appetite suppressant, thus aiding weight loss.

Now let's look at the link between depression and Vitamin D deficiency. According to the World Health Organisation, depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide, impacting more than 120 million people. Whilst acknowledging that the solution to mental issues is often a lot more complex than a quick sunbathing session, the facts are irrefutable. Foods such as milk, oily fish, and egg yolks all contain the magical D, but it would take dozens of glasses of semi-skimmed to match the levels of Vit D soaked in during even 10 minutes of exposure to sunlight on bare skin. Studies have not only concluded that those who live in Northern climates are more susceptible to bouts of depression, particularly in Winter seasons, but also that a vast majority of attempted suicides were executed by people who were later found to have low Vitamin D levels in their blood.

That pink glow on your skin, and inner contentedness whilst laying by the pool with a packet of Lays and a Fanta Limon is certainly not just psychological. There's hard-wired evidence to prove that relaxation in such climates promote a healthier overall mindset and are essential to a functioning level of human happiness. My own Mother, is a perfect case study for this, having embarked on a career of working nights for the course of the past decade. Sleeping during daylight hours, she awakens in the night, and much like a bat, returns home in pitch-black conditions following her shift. Coincidence, then, that in recent years, she has been diagnosed with issues involving bone density, and even Cancer? Not at all. Vitamin D is found to be the number one correlating factor in immune function, which helps strengthen bone calcium and... You guessed it, prevent Cancer. My advice, this Summer?...

... Get as much D as you can.