I tried to think of a clever title for this one, but alas, I’m keeping it simple.

This is the first weekend that I’m really feeling the shortening of the days. And so I remembered the teachings of my anatomy teacher: in the winter months, at this latitude, we simply cannot get enough Vitamin D from the sun. Some of the reasons vitamin D is important is because it helps strengthen the immune system, ensure stronger bones, and help regulate the body’s metabolism. As important as those things are, my biggest interest is in its ability to help regulate moods. I’m amongst those who are challenged in the winter months by the reduced amounts of sunlight, and if I don’t take preemptive steps I can find myself somewhat depressed. So this winter I plan on eating a lot of fish (cod, salmon, and mackerel have the most vitamin D, with tuna not far behind) and eggs, but I’ll also be taking a supplement (it’s hard to consistently get enough Vitamin D from your diet).

Fortunately, I’m learning in school many other ways to help overcome the wintertime blues. We all know about the basics: regular exercise, a healthy diet, enough sleep, but if that’s not enough regular acupuncture treatments are a good place to start to get some help. Hopefully, as my herbal knowledge increases I’ll be able to share some insight into that realm of the medicine as well.

So, soak up the sun while you still can, but maybe pick up some Vitamin D supplements from the store on your way home from your last time at the beach.