I think we can reluctantly agree that we have left behind summer and any chance of sunshine for the next few months.

It’s during this seasonal change that I like to remind people of the importance of maintaining your Vitamin D levels throughout the winter months.

Back in May, geneticist Steve Jones spoke about the importance of this vitamin and how lifestyle changes were causing the incidence of diseases such as rickets to re-emerge.

Jones said the benefits of sunshine and vitamin D has an impact on a variety of health areas including obesity, mood and blood pressure.

Jones told the audience that vitamin D had many unexpected effects on the body, including the immune system. “It can help tackle infectious disease, it changes mood, if you have a shortage you’re more likely to get kidney disease … it is really, really important stuff. The evidence that the shortage of sunlight has drastic effects on health is overwhelming.”

I have written many articles on the importance of this fat-soluble vitamin – you can put Vitamin D into the search box at the bottom of the homepage to read them.

My advice is to ensure that you know what your blood levels of Vitamin D are – if you have managed to get a good dose of sunshine this summer, hopefully this will help you to maintain them for the next few months.

However, don’t be complacent and if your diet is low in Vitamin D this is another reason to get tested.

Dietary sources include:

  • oily fish – such as salmon, sardines, herring and mackerel
  • red meat
  • liver
  • egg yolks
  • some fortified foods – such as soya products breakfast cereals

And remember, the government now advises for individuals to supplement during the winter months.

Steve Jones book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47227358-here-comes-the-sun