At 49 degrees north latitude, Vancouver is a bit closer to the North Pole than the Equator. This far north, winter days are short. The sunlight our bodies need to naturally manufacture vitamin D is in short supply. As a result, vitamin D levels normally plummet in people in northern climates in the fall and winter. For the sake of your health, you need to combat this seasonal drop in vitamin D production with supplementation.
Tissue cells throughout your body, including the brain, possess receptors for vitamin D. Due to the body’s pervasive interaction with vitamin D, scientists have discovered that it plays a strong role in promoting physical and mental health.
Vitamin D for bones and muscles
Vitamin D has long been recognized as essential for healthy bones. The vitamin regulates how your body uses calcium and phosphate. Without it, young children develop bone rickets, and adults become prone to weak or brittle bones.
New evidence suggests that vitamin D also helps you maintain muscle strength. For this reason, someone undergoing physiotherapy in Surrey should consume sufficient daily amounts of vitamin D. Proper vitamin intake could help you recover your strength faster.
Vitamin D deficiency and depression
Researchers have uncovered links between depression and low levels of vitamin D. Clinically depressed patients are frequently deficient in vitamin D. Making sure that you get enough vitamin D could improve your mood and insulate you from depression.
Immune system support
For decades, influenza has flared up in the winter months. This led researchers to investigate the relationship among reduced sunlight exposure, vitamin D deficiency and rising flu infections. Supplementing with vitamin D appears to strengthen the immune system in the winter months and reduce the chance of catching colds and flus.
How much vitamin D do I need?
As long as you go outside every day, your body should make enough vitamin D between April and September. From October to March, you should supplement with 10 micrograms of vitamin D to protect your health.
In addition to taking a vitamin, you can select foods that contain vitamin D, such as:
- Fortified milk
- Fortified cereals and breads
- Salmon and other oily fishes
- Red meat
- Liver
- Eggs
Consistent vitamin D all year long could spare you from bone problems as an older adult. With a strong body, you can get the best results from Surrey physio.
