Giving your body the boost it needs
If your social life has ramped up now that the sun is out, it can be easy to let the little things you do for your health slip a bit.
But it’s just as important to ensure you get all the right vitamins and minerals. So what should we be prioritising right now?
VITAMIN D
You may be getting more sunlight now but it is still important to maintain good levels of vitamin D.
“Levels of vitamin D will be low at the end of the winter and moving into spring,”
Public Health Nutritionist Dr Emma Derbyshire from the
Health & Food Supplements Information Service (HSIS) says.
“Vitamin D is important for the absorption of calcium and healthy bones and teeth as well as for immune function.
“The UK government recommends that we all take a 10 microgram daily supplement throughout the year but especially in winter through to spring. If you haven’t taken vitamin D throughout the winter your levels will likely be low, so top up now with a supplement.”
VITAMIN C
“Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant,” says Dr Derbyshire. “With warmer weather you will be spending more time outside with more exposure to the outside air.
“Vitamin C protects cells from the oxidative damage caused by pollutants. [It] also helps with the absorption of iron. Many women are short of iron particularly during their reproductive years so boosting vitamin C intake helps to reduce the risk of iron deficiency and the tiredness and fatigues that can cause.”
You can find it in citrus fruits, tomatoes and peppers. “For those finding it hard to eat their five fruit and vegetables a day, then I would recommend taking a multivitamin and multimineral supplement to ensure your body is fuelled with an a-z of vitamins and minerals including vitamin C and iron,” Dr Derbyshire adds.
B VITAMINS
These include thiamin (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2) and vitamin B6, niacin (vitamin B3), pantothenic acid, vitamin B6 (also known as pyridoxine) and biotin (vitamin B7). “Vitamins B one, two and niacin help release energy from food and are essential for the health of the nervous system,” says Dr Derbyshire. “These B vitamins help to reduce tiredness and fatigue.” Look for thiamin in peas and nuts, riboflavin in eggs and mushrooms, niacin in meat and wheat flour, and pantothenic acid in avocado and liver. Vitamin B6 can be found in pork, peanuts and bananas, but we only need very small amounts of biotin.
VITAMIN B12
B12 impacts so many different aspects of our health from immune function to tiredness and fatigue.
Summer is also a time when you might opt for a plant-rich diet which is healthy but if you cut out meat and other animal-source foods you are at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency, says Dr Derbyshire.
FOLATE
“Folate is vital for immune function It’s also important for reducing tiredness and fatigue,” says Dr Derbyshire. “Top up your levels by eating kale, broccoli, spinach, chickpeas and a supplement containing folic acid.”