Soaking up Vitamin D and good feels in the winter Sun.
Winter can truly be a difficult time for so many. We often think of mental and emotional challenges as only the realm of the mind but there is so much that we can do to support by working with the body and nutrition. If I were to write about ALL the ways to nourish the mind through foods, this blog would be the length of a book! So instead I’ll touch on something that is very relevant to winter and is so often overlooked. Vitamin D.
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble hormone that is absorbed mainly via the skin through safe sun exposure. Given enough time in the sun, people do not need to obtain Vitamin D through foods. But get this... In Australia a huge percentage of the population are Vitamin D deficient!
Vitamin D regulates bone integrity, increases blood calcium concentration, holds a role in reducing inflammation, cell growth, neuromuscular and immune function, the metabolism of glucose and in regulating the synthesis of feel good neurotransmitter, serotonin.
So, an adequate supply of vitamin D, is a big deal!
You may have heard of SAD (seasonal affective disorder) or the ‘winter blues’. When the days get shorter and the air turns cold, many people experience depressive-like mood changes that seriously affect how the person thinks, feels and behaves.
During the chilly seasons there is a natural exhale and people subconsciously turn inward to tend to their inner lives and conserve their resources until spring.
One of the challenges of modern life is that we don’t often have time to slow down and make space for our internal experiences. From a psychosocial perspective, winter is much like menstruation in that it offers an opportunity to process through and alchemise the crunchy aspects of life. The big tips here are;
Rest and space.
Rest, because we can’t be switched on all the time and why not take the opportunity when so naturally all we want is to cosy up with a bowl of soup and a good book.
Space, because it’s extremely challenging to be present with your own thoughts, feelings and needs when you are constantly caring for others and the body and mind requires sensory detoxification.
What does vitamin do have to do with SAD? With vitamin D essential for serotonin flow, ie elevated mood, it is deeply important to soak up enough sun to support your system. We are lucky here on the South Coast that we have so many deliciously sunny days during winter. Marinate in it!
15-30ish minutes of sun.
Here we need about 15-30ish minutes of sun per day to maintain adequate levels, but you know your body, be wise and make intuitive but informed choice. In winter we need more and midday is the best time to soak it up! Vitamin D receptors under your skin decline as you age and if you are over 50 then you will need more time in the sun to have adequate sun supply.
Stress blocks vitamin D.
Keep in mind that stress blocks vitamin D, so that space and rest, can also help to regulate your nervous system and promote absorption! Vitamin D takes about 36ish hours after sun exposure to sink in and rigorous washing or scrubbing of the skin hinders absorption.
Vitamin D blockers include; glass, pollution, cloud cover, sunscreen and darker skin pigmentation (the higher the pigmentation, the more time in the sun you will need!). Your location in relation to the equator also hugely impacts how much UV is actually reaching your skin. If you live in QLD you will get more vitamin D than say NSW, but VIC needs way more! In Finland people routinely receive vitamin D infusions to make it through their long, dark winter!
Because vitamin D is lipid-soluble, it can store in your fat reserves. Vitamin D has a 10-week half-life and so taking in plenty of sun in the summer will give you about 20 weeks of storage to last through till spring (if you are under 50), but topping up with winter sunlight will always be necessary, because stress is a blocker.
If for whatever reason you are unable to get enough sun, it’s ok there are absolutely ways to obtain vitamin D through nutrition. Food sources include;
Mushrooms are an interesting source!
Liver, veal, beef, eggs, fatty fish and mushrooms. Mushrooms are an interesting source! When they are exposed to UV light, they can actually generate significant amounts of vitamin D through the digestive sytem! Button, oyster and shiitake mushrooms are great for this hack and fresh is best. All you do is slice them up and lay them in the midday sun for about 30-60 minutes and viola!
It’s natural to slow down and feel the feels.
If you are having a tricky time this winter consider; are you resting and creating enough space to tend to your own needs and are you receiving enough vitamin D to keep your mood stable? Remember it’s natural to slow down and feel the feels, it’s often the resistance to moving with pace of the mind and body that tips us over edge. As always, reach out for help if you need help, you don’t have to go it alone.
If you are interested in one on one support, send me a message through the contact page, I’d love to hear from you.
Keisha xx
