Feeling the early morning chills? Is it getting a little harder to get out of bed? By the look and feel of it, the mild autumn weather has definitely gone, but don’t let the ‘feel good’ factor disappear with it!

Lack of sunshine and wrapping up warm are two major signs of winter so let’s look at how these affects our health. Summer provides us with the amazing vitamin D which is absorbed through our skin, however in the colder months we don’t get access to much sun, as a result we absorb limited Vitamin D.

Firstly what do we need it for? Well Vitamin D helps us absorb calcium and phosphorus which is needed for healthy bones, without it our bones will become thin and brittle. Signs of deficiency include joint pains/stiffness, backaches and muscle cramps, sound familiar? It’s not surprising considering that in the U.K it’s estimated that a quarter of the population could be Vitamin D deficient.

Thankfully we can get Vitamin D through our food such as oily fish (herring, mackerel and salmon), cottage cheese, eggs, and some fortified breakfast cereals and milk. Therefore it might be a good idea to make oily fish a regular part of your winter diet (2-3 times a week). It is believed that Vitamin D plays an important role in reducing inflammation, the theory goes that low levels of vitamin D increase inflammation, which degrades brain cells leading to depressive symptoms, such as feeling tired all the time and the inability to enjoy things. This helps explain the winter blues that so many of us are familiar with.

As for wrapping up warm, why is it important? Well in the colder months tissue beneath the skin shrinks, causing the nerve endings to pull, leading to joint and back pain. As much as we all like to stay indoors watching Christmas movies all winter, it’s important to keep active even if means stretching for 10minutes in the morning and evening.

Stretching can help you keep flexible and avoid your joints tensing up, try going for a swim in a heated pool (and then relax in the Jacuzzi).

Top tips

  • As fresh fish can be expensive buying tinned versions can be a good option especially mackerel
  • If you eat alot of red meat such as beef and lamb, oily fish can be a great alternative (fish pie to replace cottage pie)
  • Cottage cheese is low in fat and high in protein, this can make a great snack instead of crisps and chocolates (2-3 crackers with cottage cheese on top, black pepper or any herbs or spices).
  • Wrap up warm, even if you don’t feel that cold its important for your joints to keep warm.
  • Try and be active during the winter months, if you usually jog or cycle think about doing some indoor activities if it’s too cold.