I am a South African girl… ok I am a woman now, but in my heart I will always be a South African girl ! I grew up with big blue African skies, long summers and lots of lazy afternoons swimming. My body is used to a lot of sunshine.

Coming to live in the Northern Hemisphere was quite a shock for me, not only because I was terribly homesick for Table Mountain, and the African skies but also because of the cold and dark in Winter. I just couldn’t get used to the short days, the freezing temperatures and dark days. Where had the sun gone?

How do you feel in Winter?

I used to get sick every Winter and also just feel low energy. I think it was a combination of the sadness and home-sickness I felt and also the physical withdrawal of sunshine and light. It took me a few years to build up my immunity with a combination of homeopathy and supplements including Vitamin D.

How much sunshine do we need?

Vitamin D is absolutely essential for so many things, including the absorption of calcium into the body. There are receptor sites in every cell of the body. We need approximately 20 minutes of sunshine daily on our foreheads, where our Pineal Glands are to produce enough vitamin D. In the Winter months this just is not possible in the UK

You might need to take a Vitamin D supplement if:

1. Getting ill frequently
2. Feeling depressed
3. Feeling tired
4. Have slow wound healing
5. Experiencing bone degeneration/hair loss
6. Having muscle/bone pain

Foods that have Vitamin D in include seafood, dairy products and eggs. This is not good news for vegans ! It is really hard to get the 10mcg recommended from food anyway so supplementing is a good idea for everyone. 

I also prescribe homeopathic remedies to help bring your system into balance, alongside taking the supplement. Homeopathy is very effective for treating all the symptoms of vitamin D deficiency described above. Whereas it might take a month or two to feel the benefit of the supplement, you will usually feel the benefit of the homeopathy quite quickly. Ideally you would supplement Vitamin D from Autumn till early Spring. Over time, your immunity will build up and you will no longer be getting sick as frequently, for as long and as intensively. 

If you would like to know more about how homeopathy can help build immunity, or if you want to know about which Vitamin D supplements I recommend. I offer a free no obligation 20 minute call. You can email me at adi@project1-9j9yww6zui.live-website.com

Adi Howarth is a massage therapist and homeopath working in Brighton and on Skype. You can sign up to her newsletter below for more useful health tips and musings on motherhood and life in general.