SAGE LISKEY
  • Home
  • About
  • BOOKS AND ART
  • Poetry
  • You Are A Great And Powerful Wizard
  • Events Calendar
  • Home
  • About
  • BOOKS AND ART
  • Poetry
  • You Are A Great And Powerful Wizard
  • Events Calendar

UPLIFTING LIVES AND REIMAGINING SOCIETY THROUGH RADICAL MENTAL HEALTH, ART, POETRY, AND HUMOR.

Picture
Poetry and Art
Picture
Inclusive Trauma Healing
Picture
Self-Care Magic
[BUY NOW ON ETSY]
[SUBSCRIBE ON PATREON]

Darkening Days, Vitamin D, and Seasonal Affective Disorder

10/20/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
From The Happiest Choice

A low level of vitamin D is often associated with seasonal affective disorder (SAD). SAD is a form of depression caused when a person does not get enough vitamin D, often during the winter months. A person can become vitamin D deficient any time of the year by not getting outside enough, or by wearing too much sunscreen or clothing. Skin color also affects the body’s uptake of vitamin D with lighter skinned people absorbing more. The Office of Dietary Supplements recommends exposure to the outside for 5-30 minutes at least twice per week to absorb enough of the nutrient when sunlight is available, and for people with darker skin to supplement when there is little sunlight (Dietary). Vitamin D does store up in the body, so it is possible with enough fall, spring, and summer sun exposure to last through a cloudy or shut-in winter, but more than likely you will have to supplement.


The skin synthesizes vitamin D when struck with UVB rays from the sun (Holick). However, UVB rays only penetrate the atmosphere when the sun is at certain angles. In places with a latitude above 37 degrees, UVB rays normally do not reach Earth's surface during the winter months. Even during the summertime, UVB rays only pass through between the hours of 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM, so be sure to expose yourself to the sun during these times.

Vitamin D is actually a hormone that exists in two forms, D2 and D3 (Crowther). In food D2 comes from plants like sunflower seeds, leafy greens, avocados, and carrots, and D3 comes from animal sources like mackerel, herring, salmon, liver, and lanolin (sheep’s wool oil is often used as a D3 supplement). D3 is the same molecule synthesized when skin is exposed to sunlight. Because D2 must become D3 in the body, D2 is only utilized one-third as well as D3 (Laura). To supplement, you can buy liquid drops, pills, or get a shot. Consuming fish oil is another option and includes the antidepressant omega-3 fatty acid.

----------------------------------

Bibliography:
    Crowther, Penny. "Vitamin D: Why We Need More Of The Sunshine Vitamin." Positive Health 167 (2010): 1. Alt HealthWatch. Web. 20 Feb. 2012.
    "Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin D." Office of Dietary Supplements. National Institutes of Health. USA.gov. No date. Web. 15 Jul 2012.
    Holick, Michael F. "Sunlight and vitamin D for bone health and prevention of autoimmune diseases, cancers, and cardiovascular disease." The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 80.6 (Dec. 2004): 1678S-1688S. Web. 7 September 2013.
    Laura A. G. Armas, et al. “Vitamin D2 Is Much Less Effective than Vitamin D3 in Humans.” The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism Vol. 89 Number 11 (Nov. 2004) 5387-5391. doi: 10.1210/jc.2004-0360. Web. 22 Jul. 2012.


***Medical Disclaimer*** I am not a medical professional and none if this is meant to be medical advice. While I try my best to maintain credibility in the research I do, there is always room for error. Do your own research and check in with your doctor!

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    About Me
    Picture
    Hi! My name is Sage Liskey, the founder of the Rad Cat Press. I grew up seeing a lot of the disturbing, toxic, and unhealthy sides of American culture, and decided I wanted to do something to change it. Since 2010 I have been writing books and zines (booklets) focused around uplifting lives and reimagining society, with a primary focus in mental health and empowerment. I believe a better world is possible, so I hope you feel inspired and a little more fulfilled from what you find here. Read on about my mission. 
    Picture
    Picture
    Subscribe to my Patreon here for lots of great perks including e-books of all my work, discounts, member's-only content, access to my digital library, and much more!
    My Books and Zines
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    click here to learn more about these titles and see my complete collection

    Instagram
    @sage.liskey

    Upcoming Events

    Categories

    All
    Activism
    Affirmation
    Anxiety
    Art
    Books
    Depression
    Distractions
    Dreaming
    Dreams
    Empowerment
    Food
    Habits
    How To
    How-To
    Mental Health
    Mental Health Guide
    Mini Zine
    Nightmares
    Nutrition
    Philosophy
    Scheduling
    Seasonal Affective Disorder
    Spiritual
    Sustainability
    Vitamin D
    Wizard School
    Writing Guide
    Zine

    Archives

    February 2021
    January 2021
    November 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    July 2019
    June 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    December 2018
    August 2018
    May 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    May 2017
    November 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    August 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014

    RSS Feed


© 2022 -- Sage Liskey. All rights reserved
RadCatPress@Gmail.com

Photo used under Creative Commons from darkday.