Message from the President
Greetings friend, and welcome to the July Comfort Connection,
I hope you are all fairing OK during this incredible Manitoba heat of summer!! I hope no one has gotten overheated although I heard there were several hundred sudden deaths reported across Canada. While we all want to enjoy the summer, we need to be careful at the same time. When a heat wave comes that just came over us, it is no wonder so many people are afraid of the sun. But the sun is a great way to get our much needed Vitamin D. About thirty-two percent of Canadians are Vitamin D deficient. We must develop a way to enjoy the sunshine without being harmed.
What is so good about Vitamin D? I took the following from a couple of articles Dr. Josh Axe wrote about Vitamin D:
Vitamin D is important to boost your natural immune system, weight management and bone health. Brain health is especially influenced by this incredible vitamin, from attention and focus to the ability to make decisions. Your overall wellbeing depends on it. Studies have shown this feel-good vitamin may also influence the presence of depression, anxiety, seasonal affective disorder and insomnia.
Inversely, Vitamin D deficiency may have a negative influence on the following:
- osteoporosis
- coronary heart disease
- diabetes
- autoimmune disorders
- cancer
- weakness
- chronic fatigue
- depression
- trouble sleeping
- anxiety
- weak or broken bones
- weakened immune system
- inflammation and swelling
There a quite a few ways you can ensure you are getting enough Vitamin D. Your body is able to make most of the Vitamin D it needs through exposure to the sun. Just 5 to 30 minutes of sun exposure two times a week will help you meet your vitamin D needs.
In addition to going outside to enjoy the sun, here are some foods that can help you get the amount of Vitamin D you need: Fish, liver, eggs, mushrooms, vitamin D3 supplements, almond milk, cow milk, yogurt and orange juice all provide Vitamin D in different ways. Older adults require twice the Vitamin D of children (800 units compared to 400 units respectively).
There is so much more I could say about this vitamin, but please take my word for it – a little sunshine is very GOOD for you!!! If you want to chase away the flu and COVID this fall, be sure to get your Vitamin D this summer so you can boost your immune system and keep away those pesky infections and viruses.
Here’s to being safe this summer and knowing you are doing something good for your health and enjoying the sun at the same time!
