Essentials for a gorgeous summer well lived - Vitamin D + Vitamin Sea - let's dive in!
I love how the most vibrant summers only require a few simple things ... a bit more ease and flow, and a few key essentials - things like 'Vitamin D' and 'Vitamin Sea'.
Here are some good things to know about VITAMIN D:
- Vitamin D isn't actually a vitamin! It's a group of fat-soluble hormones that are largely produced in the skin as a response to exposure to sunlight
- Only about 10% of our daily requirement for Vitamin D comes from our food, the rest comes from being in sunlight. Essentially, when the sun hits the skin, it interacts with dehydrocholesterol in the skin that converts it into Vitamin D3.
- Vitamin D3 is not a usable form for our bodies - our liver has to convert that D3 into a new compound (25-hydroxyvitamin D). Then it goes through your bloodstream and into your kidneys, and a healthy functioning kidney will convert it into calcitriol (the ultimate form of “Vitamin D” that your body needs)
- Healthy liver and kidney function are essential to this conversion process (support them by with a diet full of whole, unprocessed, brightly colored plant foods every day)
- Adequate Vitamin D is essential for bone health, helps control inflammation and infection, and is key for cellular health. It can also help keep an overly reactive immune system in check. And, we're finding out more and more about a possible link between Vitamin D deficiency and increased autoimmune disease and dementia risk.
- How to know if you're deficient? look for muscle soreness, fatigue, muscle weakness, and mood changes
- How to get what you need? About 30 minutes of unprotected sunlight each day gets you there. Your body will store it until it's needed and when then be converted. A number of factors affect the amount you can get from the sun through - these are things like where you live and your skin type. In doubt, you may want to supplement. I always recommend my clients get basic blood tests to check their levels of key vitamins, minerals, and hormones before supplementing.
Now, a few final words on VITAMIN SEA
Did you know being near water actually makes you happier and healthier? It all comes down to something I find SO interesting - the BLUE MIND vs. the RED MIND. This concept was detailed in a book from many years ago by marine biologist Dr. Wallace J. Nichols. The ideas he talks about in the book are still very relevant today and speak to how the simple act of being near water (the beach, a lake, or river) is a powerful transformative force on our wellbeing.
Science has proven, in fact, that being near water lowers stress levels, increases feelings of overall happiness, and even brings about lower heart and breathing rates. Water therapies are so powerful that therapists around the world use them to treat conditions from anxiety disorders, PTSD, autism, and more. I particularly love the fact that being near water helps make us MORE CREATIVE - as an artist who works with creative entrepreneurial women, this sings to my heart - one more reason to get to the beach as often as possible!
Being near the water is such a fun, joyful, powerful way to improve your health and happiness.
And, even if you can't be near the sea...GET OUT IN NATURE! Hike,, go for a walk or bike ride- just get out away from the screens and BE PRESENT.
Wishing you a fabulous summer filled with all the things that light you up and lots of leisure to soak in every juicy moment.
PS: Here are a few more ways I can support you right now:
1.) Get delicious, plant-based, organic, high-quality, gluten-free, dairy-free, refined-sugar-free DELICIOUS meals delivered to your door! My hands-down favorite healthy meal delivery - SAKARA (I also love the Metabolism Super Powder, Detox Drops and Granolas).
Click HERE & shop with THIS LINK and use code: XOMWBYJEN for 20% OFF your first order.
2.) Follow me and feel free to message me with any of your questions about living Minimal and Well on Instagram @_minimalandwell. I love connecting with all of you here!
3) Become part of our growing Minimal and Well community on Facebook. We're all about clean, modern, minimal, vibrantly healthy living. This community is an amazing tribe of connected wellness warriors sharing and supporting each other along the journey join here!