We haven’t seen a sunny day in Michigan since November, and I know I’m not alone when I say I’m feeling it. But not seeing the sun isn’t just affecting my mood, it’s also affecting my health.
If you aren’t taking Vitamin D supplements and you aren’t getting a daily dose of sunshine, then the chances of being deficient in Vitamin D are pretty high. In fact 42% of Americans are deficient.
Being deficient in the sunshine vitamin can lower your immune system making you more susceptible to colds, flu and yes COVID.
Here are a few other symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency that you may surprise you:
- Back pain
- Hair loss
- Muscle cramps
- Sleepless nights
- Moodiness
- Slow healing wounds
So how do you know if your deficient? A simple blood test for Vitamin D levels from your doctor can tell you. I like to make sure it’s part of my blood work for my yearly physical. You may have to ask for it as many physicians don’t automatically include it in your panel.
But chances are if you’re deficient in Vitamin D you may be deficient in other vitamins and minerals like B Vitamins and Magnesium which are harder for our bodies to absorb the older we get.
If you’re interested in getting a detailed look at what vitamins you may be deficient in then you’ll want to read my Blog on Hometown Pharmacy’s NutrEval testing for vitamin deficiency that gives you a detailed look at where you stand. A Hometown Pharmacy Pharmacist will provide a comprehensive vitamin and mineral analysis and design a custom supplement plan specifically for you. I did it and it was quite an eye opener. Despite my love of fish I had no Omega 3’s in my body, but that was because I was deficient in Vitamin B3! It’s an interesting process.
In the meantime hope there’s a dose of sunshine in your future!
This post is in partnership with Hometown Pharmacy
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