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Energise your life….with Sunshine!

WOW!! What a totally amazing Spring break. I managed to catch the end of the ski season with my family in Italy. It was so quite and peaceful up the slopes it was breath taking. All that fresh air and exercise has given me such a lift, and then to come back to England to be greeted by this tropical sunshine made it the perfect Easter break. I talk about the importance of getting enough fresh air and sunshine quite a lot, but now we have actually had some sunshine I hope its clear to see just how much it lifts people's mood, enthusiasm for life and optimism.

Not only do people feel better, you can’t help noticing how glowing everyone looks from getting a bit of sunshine in their lives. All that extra vitamin D is the perfect ingredient we all needed after the long, dark winter months. Here’s a reminder why….Absorbing Vitamin D through the skin has an array of health benefits that here in the UK we desperately need. 

Vitamin D helps our bodies to absorb calcium, which is essential for teeth, muscles and bones. Ithas also been shown in recent years (studies are increasing around Vitamin D because the benefits are so outstanding, especially around serious disease) to reduce the risk of a multitude of other diseases and conditions including cancer, dementia, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, heart disease and diabetes. It gives our immune system a kick-start like no other and helps protect us from bacterial infections and nasty viruses such as swine flu. It helps lift our mood and improves mental function, but scarily a long term lack of vitamin D has been linked to a higher risk of Parkinson’s disease, depression, schizophrenia, epilepsy and seasonal affective disorder.

I read in a national news paper at the weekend that West Wittering neaqr Chichester, West Sussex comes under the top 20 listed places to visit this summer in the UK, and its right here on our door steps! How lucky are we to live in such a stunning part of the world with the South Downs on one side andthe beautiful beaches on the other. There is no excuse for not stepping out in the sunshine for a long walk or a bike ride. Taking Vitamin D supplements in the winter might be necessary for some people, but this time of year with the sun shining as it has been, we should be able to absorb all the vitamin D we need, in the way nature intended!