Wintertime can be quite punishing, especially if you live in places with harsh winters. The combination of cold weather and dry air can really wear your body down, making you feel exhausted and sick. To help fight back against winter ills and chills, taking vitamins to boost your immune system is a great idea.
But with so many options available, which vitamins should you take in the winter? This blog post will explore the best vitamins for the winter season and provide tips on how to get the most out of them. So read on to learn more!
Wintertime Supplementation: Why is it Important?
Sunlight Deficiency
During the fall and winter months, it's common to experience a deficiency in vitamin D due to a lack of sunlight exposure. This vitamin deficiency has been linked to weaker bones and an increased risk of osteoporosis.
Public health advice recommends taking Vitamin D supplements throughout the winter months to prevent this from happening. This way, we can ensure that we get enough Vitamin D and fortify our bones against potential damage caused by a deficiency.
Aching Joints
In addition to Vitamin D deficiencies, the cold weather can cause our joints to ache more than usual due to increased stiffness in colder temperatures. To combat this problem, we can take glucosamine supplements which have been proven to aid joint pain relief and reduce inflammation in our joints.
In addition to glucosamine, curcumin has effectively reduced inflammation due to its anti-inflammatory properties.
Common Cold
It's no secret that cold weather brings on more common colds and illnesses due to a weakened immune system from exposure to cooler temperatures. To help strengthen your immune system against these threats, Vitamin C is essential for fighting off harmful pathogens that may enter your body during this time of year. Ensure you get enough Vitamin C in your diet or through supplementation. Your body has all it needs to fight any illness or infection that comes it's way!
5 Common Signs You're Not Getting Enough Nutrients
Feeling tired often, having joint pain when you walk, and suffering from mood changes? These are some signs that you might need more additional nutrients.
Although often overlooked, getting the appropriate amount of vitamins, essential minerals, and other nutrients is crucial for maintaining good health. To help you identify if you may be lacking in certain areas, below are five common signs:
Noticeable Change in Mood
Vitamin D is an important nutrient for regulating moods and feeling energized throughout the day. A vitamin D supplement can help if your daily routine requires more sunlight exposure. Minimal sun exposure can lead to a deficiency in vitamin D, which may be linked to depression.
Also, magnesium deficiency can cause fatigue and irritability, so it's worth adding magnesium-rich foods such as spinach or pumpkin seeds into your diet.
Feeling Tired or Sluggish?
Do you feel tired even after a full night's sleep? This could be due to an inadequate intake of fibre. Fibre is an essential nutrient that helps keep us regular, which in turn helps our bodies stay energized throughout the day. If you don't get enough fiber, your body won't be able to process food properly, leading to fatigue and sluggishness.
Cramps and Spasms in Joints When Walking
If you experience cramps and spasms in your joints when walking, this could be due to a low calcium levels. Adequate intakes of calcium helps strengthen bone health, so your joints will suffer if you're not getting enough of it. Make sure to incorporate plenty of calcium-rich foods such as nuts and seeds, dark leafy greens, dairy products, fish oil or fatty fish like wild salmon, or any with edible bones, like sardines.
Fatigue and Bone Pain
If you have experienced fatigue/tiredness combined with bone pain, this can be a sign of vitamin B deficiency. Vitamin B provides us with energy while strengthening our immune systems against infection. To strengthen an immunity to bone disease, consider adding eggs, fish, nuts, and beans into meals throughout the week.
Hair Loss
Hair loss has many causes, but one possible reason is iron deficiency. Iron carries oxygen around our bodies which helps to keep our brain functioning at its best and providing energy throughout the day. So it's important to have enough iron circulating through our bodies at all times!
Red meats such as steak contain high amounts of iron, so try adding red meat to your weekly meal plan to keep iron levels topped up!
5 Vitamins That Will Help You Get Through The Winter
1. Vitamin B
The B vitamins are a group of 8 essential vitamins that have a range of benefits for the body, including reducing stress levels. They are used to create the neurotransmitters responsible for maintaining a positive mood and are critical for a healthy nervous system. Vitamin B12 is particularly effective in treating anxiety or depression, especially during winter.
Vitamin B12 comes in different supplement forms, such as methylcobalamin, cyanocobalamin, or adenosylcobalamin. However, the body can convert cyanocobalamin into methylcobalamin more easily. Therefore, making methylcobalamin more bioavailable - meaning it is better at being absorbed in the digestive system.
2. Vitamin C
Taking a vitamin C supplement is a good idea if you want to keep your immune system functioning well during winter.
A 2017 study reported that vitamin C is an essential human micronutrient and helps the immune system fight infection.
A deficiency in vitamin C can lead to increased susceptibility to infection, so it's important to ensure you get enough of this nutrient. Pollution and smoking can also increase the need for vitamin C, making it even more important to supplement your diet with this vitamin during winter.
3. Vitamin D
Vitamin D is one of the best vitamins for winter because it can help prevent deficiencies.
In 2016, the BBC reported that people should take vitamin D supplements in the autumn and winter. This is because public health officials believe there is a lack of vitamin D intake, which can lead to weaker bones.
However, because these options typically only provide a small amount of vitamin D level, supplements are a more effective way to ensure that we get enough of this vital nutrient.
4. Zinc
During the winter, our immune systems are attacked from all sides - from colds and flu viruses to snow-covered streets that make us more susceptible to slips, trips, and falls. That's why ensuring we are getting enough zinc in our diets during this time of year is important.
In 2013, the BBC reported that zinc could be used to manage the immune system. Taking zinc at the first onset of a cold lessens the harshness and shortens its duration. Therefore, combining vitamin C and zinc is an excellent way to fight a common cold.
5. Probiotic Supplements
Probiotics are live microorganisms that offer many health benefits when consumed. They help restore the proper balance of good bacteria in your gut, which is important for digestive and immune system health. Although probiotic research is still relatively new, an increasing number of studies show that they can help reduce the frequency, intensity, and duration of cold and flu symptoms, in both women and men groups.
Summary
If you're looking for ways to stay healthy during winter, include some essential vitamins in your diet: vitamin B, vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc and probiotic supplements.
These vitamins help maintain your immune system and reduce cold and flu symptoms. Additionally, Vitamin B12 is effective in treating anxiety or depression, especially during winter when people are more at risk of these conditions.
So make sure to pay attention to your nutritional needs and supplement accordingly!
