Vitamin D

During the cold winter months, most of us are wrapped up and keep warm inside, barley stepping outside to face the elements. If you live in a country like England, where you’d be lucky to see some sunshine in the summer, the winter days are grey and dull. Getting one’s intake of vitamin D naturally, from direct exposure to sunlight, can be difficult when living in a country where there is little sun, especially during the colder months.

Vitamin D is imperative to us all, and a deficiency can cause various health issues such as depression, aches in joints and bones and muscle weakness. Having Parkinson, living with an array of symptoms, I believe in doing all I can to help ease my condition. I have been taking vitamin D drops every morning for several years which hopefully tops up my natural intake from time I spend in the garden in natural sunlight.

Vitamin D plays an important role in order for the nervous system to function properly. Vitamin D, particularly from natural exposure to sunlight has been linked to levels of the neurotransmitter: serotonin, which is responsible for regulating our mood. When we are low on serotonin due to little sunlight and low levels of vitamin D, we are all at higher risk of experiencing depression.

At a recent appointment, my neurologist suggested checking my Vitamin D, and having now received the results, I was pleased to see that the levels are good. If you haven’t been checked for Vitamin D levels, it’s worthwhile finding out - it's just a simple blood test.

One needs a great deal of physical and emotional strength to deal with bureaucracy when living with chronic disease. A recent incident prompted me to write “Fighting For Your Rights” in my latest Huffington Post article.