I have some sad news.

Cold & flu season is officially upon us.  Tragic, I know.

You don’t have to take the unavoidable germ attacks lying down though! Prepare to keep yourself in tip top shape, with these vitamins known to help you inside and out.  There are so many benefits to each of these, but I’m going to stick to the ones relevant to our current season 😉

Vitamin A:

  • Helps with moisture retention, preventing dry eyes and keeping skin soft & helping reduce dryness and symptoms of psoriasis
  • Improves night vision
  • Works to fight free-radicals and toxins, as well as excessive sebum production – all important qualities for healthy, clear skin

A little goes a long way – Vitamin A is only required in trace amounts and can be found in some delightful foods like cheddar cheese, egg yolks, butter, and even though I’m not a fan, pumpkin.  I’m pretty positive your PSL isn’t going to count though…you might just have to bake a pie

Vitamin B:

The Bs! There’s a heap of them with varying benefits.

  • B6 helps your body fight infections
  • Bs 3, 5, and 6 play an important role in converting food into energy, something you definitely need when you’re feeling sluggish on a cold morning!
  • The B complex has been linked to helping with depression, anxiety, and PMS – an assortment of oh so pleasant ailments that plague many of us, especially in the winter

The average person will get enough of their Bs if they eat a varied diet.  Whole grains, dairy, green veggies and nuts are great sources of a variety of the B vitamins.

Vitamin C:

I know you don’t want to get scurvy – let’s keep the imitation of pirates to Halloween, shall we?  Grab yourself an orange and read up on the wonders of vitamin C.

  • In case you’ve been living under a rock, it boosts your immune system in a major way, which can help kick that common cold in the butt
  • It can help prevent asthma symptoms
  • Mood booster – it’s crucial to the production of certain neurotransmitters, which can greatly affect your mood

Emergen-C can be great in a crisis, but if you make sure you’re absorbing enough vitamin C regularly, your body might be able to defend itself from a cold attempting to invade it.  Find it in things like citrus fruits, potatoes, red peppers, and leafy vegetables.

Vitamin D:

Vitamin D deficiency is pretty common – especially in Alaska, especially in the winter.  It isn’t naturally present in many foods, so most people need to supplement with a pill or sun exposure, something we tend to be severely lacking in half the year!

  • It helps to regulate calcium and phosphate levels – in a nutshell, lack of regulation can lead to softening of your bones and I certainly wouldn’t want you to fall and break a hip this winter!
  • Vitamin D and calcium work hand in hand – calcium cannot do its bone-strengthening job well without enough vitamin D

I could probably write a vitamin/mineral blog for every letter of the alphabet! But we’ll stop here for now.  Healthier food = healthier body.  Take care of yourself out there! I’m wishing for a cold free season for us all 🙂

xo