Mom was right! Drinking milk does give you strong bones. It’s not just about the calcium but the vitamin D in milk that strengthens your bones. Doctors are finding that Vitamin D can help the body in many ways, such as lowering your risk for type 1 diabetes and some types of cancers. But have you heard that not having a sufficient level of Vitamin D can affect your mood, concentration, and limit your brain power? Living here in Utah during the winter months creates a disadvantage for you and chances are that you are not getting enough Vitamin D.
Many of our clients notice having lower energy, feeling sluggish, or weak muscles during this time of year. There is a link to low vitamin D levels to higher risk of sluggishness, weakness, and depression. Symptoms of depression can be overwhelming feelings of sadness, hopelessness, insomnia, problems concentrating, or thoughts of death or suicide. We have vitamin D receptors in every tissue of our body, which means vitamin D is needed at every level for your body to function well. Vitamin D is also the only vitamin that is a hormone, it’s an essential nutrient for the brain.
Drinking milk can be good for you, but it has never been enough for healthy bones and a good performing brain; the best way to get vitamin D is by being outside and absorbing some of those ‘feel good’ rays from the sun. As you have noticed, we have had more cloudy days lately. Most of us don’t have a sufficient vitamin D because we live in the northern hemisphere when it is ‘mostly cloudy’ during the winter months. People who live in Hawaii, Arizona, and Florida still have reported insufficient Vitamin D; if they don’t get enough vitamin D from the sun, then we are really in trouble here in Utah.
Want to be at the top of your game and more focused? Making sure you have enough vitamin D is body essential. We can get vitamin D from fatty fish, fish oils, eggs, or foods fortified by vitamin D, but 90% of our vitamin D usually comes from the sun. However, when the clouds cover the sky most of the day, we need to supplement our diet with more vitamin D. The recommended dosage in a supplement is 1,000 IU a day. Getting a supplement from the supermarket or Amazon.com may be a good step toward maintaining a healthier mind and body during the winter months. Other ways to keep your body optimal is to exercise regularly, keep a regular sleep schedule, reach out to loved ones, and involve a doctor in your plan for better health. If you are really concerned about your vitamin D levels, talk with your doctor, they can do a test to see if your vitamin D levels are sufficient.
Are you good on your vitamin D levels and still need a little boost of focus or support for low mood? Give us a call at 801-855-7999 and see if neurofeedback training is the right fit for you. A little brain training is known to increase sharpness and focus and to decrease depression and anxiety.