By Thérèse Bolat

Autumn, my favorite season, is well under way. While it’s beautiful here in the northeast, I know what’s around the corner for many:

• Dry, itchy, cracked, and raw skin
• Sniffles, colds, and flus
• Fatigue
• Sadness or symptoms of depression during the winter months

Many of you are aware of the importance of vitamin D. Numerous studies have found that adequate vitamin D status is a key player in good health, while vitamin D deficiency is correlated with a weakened immune system and an increased risk of osteoporosis, cancer, hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, fatigue, depression, and more.

Symptoms

The importance of vitamin D for your body’s health is extensive. I am going to focus on just a few common symptoms frequently seen in my practice as autumn leads into winter.

Skin Health: To those who suffer from dry, itchy skin in the winter, know that vitamin D is an important nutrient in skin health. In fact, there is a higher prevalence of eczema in those with vitamin D deficiency, especially in children who were born with low levels of vitamin D. I use vitamin D, along with an essential fatty acid, beginning in the fall to ward off dry, cracked winter skin.

Immune Health: Vitamin D is essential for optimal immune health. Assuring adequate vitamin D levels helps fend of the common cold and flu. Supplementation often shortens the duration and severity, while reducing the risk of complications, of these common viruses.

Other Health Issues: Do you suffer from seasonal allergies, fatigue, sadness, and/or seasonal affective disorder during the winter months? You should consider vitamin D, as those who are deficient in vitamin D are more likely to suffer from depression, fatigue, and allergies.

Do not wait until these symptoms take hold; take care of yourself now!

How to Obtain Vitamin D:

Sunlight:  Twenty minutes of sunlight per day during the summer months will help your body store up a good supply of vitamin D. In order for this to be effective, though, you must eat plenty of good fats!

Cod Liver Oil: While cod liver oil does not contain very high levels of vitamin D it is an ideal supplement for summer and early fall months when you are able to obtain the bulk of your vitamin D from the sun. I also find cod liver oil to be very beneficial in cases of dry, itchy, inflamed skin, especially in skin conditions that flare up during the fall and winter.

Vitamin D3 (in the form of cholecalciferol): Supplementation is recommended for those unable to get sunshine without sunscreen, for those living in areas without adequate sunshine, and for the fall, winter, and spring months when adequate sun exposure is not a possibility.

Seek out the advice of a healthcare practitioner to assess your vitamin D levels and help you choose the proper supplement and dosage.