Back-to-School time for every family can be stressful and unpredictable. The seasonal transition to fall in itself is a bit sporadic with temperature changes – something that our body often has a hard time adjusting to when the weather abruptly changes from cool to warm. When we are experiencing daily weather changes along with being exposed to dozens or hundreds of other people in enclosed spaces, it can feel impossible not to come down with a cold or a bug more than once. When kids go back to school, there are a few small habits you can try to keep their immune system strong: 

Elderberry syrup – Elderberry syrup can be taken every day by the whole family to help keep immune systems strong and ward off colds and flu. Elderberry has been used for generations for its soothing, antiviral, and vitamin C rich properties to support general immunity, especially in the cooler months. There are plenty of options for this tasty syrup, but we prefer brands that do not include excessive additives or sugar. We recommend Gaia Herbs and Pukka Herbs for the best quality elderberry syrups. 

Read More: The Naturopathic Approach to Flu

Extra good quality sleep – We cannot stress enough the importance of good quality sleep on immune health. This is a time when our nervous system and immune system are in a state of rest and repair. We all require this time to strengthen our body’s natural defenses while not under the conscious daily pressures of work and school. Especially for your middle school and high school-aged children, make sure they’re allowing enough quality sleep (8-10 hours) each night. 

Read More: Sleep Hygiene Best Practices

Pack lunches with plenty of colors – Nutrition plays a critical role in maintaining a healthy immune system, and every day we should be enjoying plenty of colorful whole fruits and vegetables. If you’re packing a lunch for your child (or they’re packing their own), do your best to pack at least 2 different colors inside. Something like red grapes, cherry tomatoes, carrot sticks, beet chips, cucumber slices, or some dark lettuce or sprouts on the sandwich can go a long way when enjoyed every day. If lunches are not an option for this, then dinner time is the next best option. 

Read More: The Health Benefits of Every Color

Stay hydrated – believe it or not, dehydration is incredibly common in kids while back at school. They either forget to drink enough water or are not allowed to keep water bottles with them during classes. Drinking enough water throughout the day is essential for our lymphatic system and digestive system (both of which are critical for immune health) to function optimally. Many kids are prone to want sugary drinks like fruit juices or sodas, and unfortunately, this only contributes to stressing the immune system. As often possible, opt for fruit-infused water or herbal teas. You can even get lots of water in by enjoying water-rich foods like watermelon, berries, grapes, oranges, plums, and cherries!

Read More: Benefits of Hydration

Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) are one of the most common infections in the US, affecting nearly 50-60% of women at least once during their lifetime (1). UTIs are more common in women, however, they can also present in men. Despite the prevalence of UTIs, the sudden onset and often disruptive symptoms can be painful and difficult to manage, especially if they are recurring. 

UTIs can affect any part of the urinary tract, including the bladder, kidneys, ureters, and urethra. The urinary system is designed to remove wastes and extra water from your body, and UTIs can develop when bacteria enters this system from outside the body causing inflammation and infection. UTIs do require prompt treatment, and if left untreated can lead to more serious issues such as kidney infections. They are often diagnosed with a urinalysis and treated with antibiotics. 

Symptoms include:

• Frequent urination, often urgent
• Painful urination, sometimes with blood present
• Abnormal or cloudy urine color
• Pain the back near the kidneys
• Pain in the lower pelvis

The Naturopathic Approach: Focus on Prevention

It is common to experience a UTI once in your lifetime, however, some people are prone to recurring UTIs and may experience these several times a year. In these cases, assessing the primary cause of these UTIs and focusing on prevention is key to managing the occurrence. Your naturopathic doctor will take a thorough review of your symptoms, and talk to you about your diet, lifestyle, hygiene, and immune health. Some general recommendations include:

1. Drinking enough water or herbal teas each day 
2. Personalized suggestions for hygiene practices during your menstrual cycle
3. Avoid foods that may be triggering excess inflammation in your body. 
4. Wearing undergarments that allow your body to breathe and keep you dry, including wool-based fabrics. 
5. Addressing birth control methods that may be contributing to UTIs. 

During your visit with your naturopathic doctor, they will look into many areas of your health that could be contributing to UTIs, as well as general urinary tract health and immune health. Every person is different, and symptoms may be mild or severe. If you have questions about urinary health or UTI support, please contact our office and our front desk will be happy to direct you to the appropriate naturopathic doctor for your needs. 

You may think it is only practical to go and see your doctor when you’re actively sick, or have mysterious symptoms pop up. But when it comes to sustaining your overall health and wellness, taking a holistic and preventative approach can be a tremendous asset to maintaining longevity. At Richmond Natural Medicine, we love working with men (and women!) who want to check in once or twice a year and make sure they are on the right track with their health, or optimize any wellness habits that are in line with maintaining their health goals. If you’re curious about some of the things our naturopathic doctors will be checking in with you about and offering personalized recommendations, here is a glimpse into a few pillars of wellness we make sure are strong and established for men’s health:

A Holistic View of Men’s Health

Whole-body health is best achieved through preventative daily habits. Small, daily habits really do add up over time, and even practicing one of these below can make a significant positive impact on your long-term health. Here are a few to keep in mind:

• Exercise regularly for 30 minutes per day or more. When you get your body moving, you enhance your blood and lymphatic circulation throughout the entire body – including the brain. Walk one day. Bike another. Rock climb or weight lift throughout the month. Consider swimming and hiking seasonally. As often as you can, challenge your body to work different muscle groups and your mind to try new activities.
• Eat a diet that’s colorful, hydrating & whole foods-based. Aim for five different colors of foods that you recognize as whole and unprocessed. Learning how to cook and prepare your own foods is a wonderful way to develop a closer connection to your foods, and bring a lot of joy and creative energy to your mornings or evenings! Also, remember to drink plenty of water throughout the day. As a rule of thumb, aim for half of your body weight in ounces each day, not to exceed 120oz. For example, if you weigh 160 pounds, that’s at least 80 ounces of water. 

Read More: Nutrition Tips: 5 Colors Each Day 

• If you’re over 35, go in for your annual check-up and bloodwork. Having a simple check-in with your PCP or naturopathic doctor – even when there is nothing actively wrong – is a great practice to follow your health journey over time. If you do wait to get all of your blood work done when something is going wrong, it can be very helpful to have several years of “normal” labs that you can compare to and know what your baseline is when you’re healthy. Things to get checked annually include your blood pressure, total cholesterol, glucose and A1C, vitamin D, and thyroid. More comprehensively, asking for a CBC or CMP (Complete Blood Count and Comprehensive Metabolic Profile, respectively) is a good place to start. 
• Do something different with your routine. When we settle into a routine, the brain can actually stop creating new neural pathways. Challenge yourself to drive a different way to work or to the grocery store. Brush your teeth with your non-di=ominant hand. Fix a new recipe once a week. Do brain puzzles on your phone or newspaper each morning. Explore a new hiking trail once a month. Learn a new language. Make art or play music. All of these activities challenge your brain to think and learn differently, and in turn, support healthy brain function as you age.
• Practice gratitude. The practice of gratitude has exploded with new research supporting mental health and overall well-being. Each day, write three individual things you are grateful for on slips of paper or a journal. At the end of the week read over them. Consider inviting close ones to join you in reading these messages of gratitude. You will be surprised by how your gratitude is elevated in their presence. We forget how much there is to be grateful for every single day. Living in a state of gratitude completely shifts our perspective from living in “lack” to living in abundance. 

If you are seeking preventative support for your overall health or for a specific area of your health, reach out to our office here to learn more about our Naturopathic doctors and the support they can provide. Here at RNM, both Dr. Viktoriya Beliy and Dr. Vanessa Ferreira work specifically with Men’s Health. Learn more about each of them here.

Why Choose Mineral Sunscreen?

During sunny months, we should be applying sunscreen daily all over our bodies. Everything that we put on our skin will be absorbed into our bloodstream, and some ingredients commonly used in sunscreens, such as oxybenzone, octinoxate, and octisalate, have been shown to have long-term negative health effects. Most sunscreen products are meant to be used every day throughout most of the year, thus any harmful ingredients will have a steady presence in the body. However, when you use a mineral sunscreen with minimal ingredients that are also non-nano particles (too large to be absorbed through the skin), these are a much better option for long-term use. 

Read More: Summer Skin Care Tips

Mineral sunscreens will often use ingredients including zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide. These minerals reflect UVA and UVB rays while sitting on top of the skin rather than being absorbed into it. This is what usually makes the sunscreen appear white on the skin and more difficult to rub in. Although these are very effective and contain safer ingredients than chemical sunscreens, the white tint and thicker consistency of these sunscreens can be a turn-off for many people. Below we offer a few recommendations for easier-to-apply, mineral-based sunscreens that have come a long way from the extra white creams of your childhood. And the EWG is an excellent resource to check your go-to sunscreen ingredients and see if you’d like to up-level your chemical sunscreen to a mineral-based sunscreen. 

Read More: EWG’s Guide to Sunscreen

Mineral Sunscreen Recommendations:

100% Pure

Babo Botanicals

Badger

For sunscreen recommendations for darker skin tones, read more here. 

Sunscreens will generally more several ingredients to make the final product, and those with more sensitive skin may react inconsistently to various products. If you need more personalized recommendations for skin health and sunscreens for any season, consider making an appointment with one of our naturopathic doctors who can point you in the right direction 

Read More: Skin Care Tips with Dr. Ferreira

While you’re out and about this month, keep these natural remedies handy for minor first aid support. Some of these DIY remedies are very easy and fun to make with kids so they can have their very own little herbal remedy kit to use when cuts, scrapes, or bug bites pop up while playing outdoors and can be used with the whole family. 

Poison Ivy & Itchy skin

• Jewelweed is a traditional remedy for poison ivy, and you will often find this growing nearby streams, shady creeks, or even right next to poison ivy. For immediate use, crush the leaves and place them on affected areas. To make a jewelweed tincture for topical use, pack jewelweed leaves in a jar and cover them with witch hazel. Let it infuse together for 1-2 days in the sun. Strain out the leaves, store them in the refrigerator, and apply to affected areas as needed. 
• Rosemary oil – dilute rosemary essential oil in water and add to a spray bottle. Spritz areas that are itchy and gently massage onto affected areas as needed. 

Stings & Scrapes & Bites 

• Plantain – you may find this growing nearby! Pick a few leaves, smash them up in your hand to make a crude poultice, and place them on insect bites, stings, or scrapes for quick relief. 
• After Bite Relief Stick – this soothing oil blend includes colloidal oatmeal for extra itchy skin relief while the coconut and castor oil support skin healing and repair. 

Sunburns

• Aloe vera gel is a tried and true remedy for sunburns. You can scrape the inner gel from the leaves of an aloe plant and place it directly on the sunburn. If you purchase this gel off the shelf, look for products that are completely alcohol-free (as this will irritate already sensitive skin). 
• Mint – If you have mint tea on hand, make a strong tea and let cool completely. Add some ice cubes, and soak a washcloth in the chilled mint tea. Apply to the affected areas as long as it feels soothing. Mint is naturally cooling and feels especially good when the skin is hot or burned. 

Blisters & Bruises

• Lavender oil – dilute lavender essential oil in a carrier oil (almond oil works well!) and apply to blisters. Cover with a bandage for several hours and re-apply as needed. 
• Arnica oil is wonderful for bruises, or to massage gently into sore or stiff areas of the body. Best used right away, or just after you notice the bruise forming. 

10 Tips for Making A Positive Change In Your Health (UPDATE 2022)

Every day is a perfect day to make one positive change

The thought of overhauling your diet and lifestyle to reach your wellness goals may feel unobtainable and overwhelming, especially if you hold yourself to doing everything at once. In a time when social media and online wellness advice iare completely saturated, it’s hard to know where to start and what may be the best option for you. Instead of drowning in fad diets, supplements, or expensive programs, take a step back and assess where you are and where you want to be with your health and wellness. Take an honest look at your lifestyle, behaviors, nutrition, and habits, and check in with your gut about what you know you can do to make positive changes. Start slow, and with one thing at a time. 

Remember, it may have taken you years to get where you are now in your health. It may take another year to get you back into balance, so patience and small steps are the key practice. Small changes go a long way over time. 

Start here: Back to Basics 

Here are some tips to get you going and staying on course for making positive health changes:

1. Set some short and long-term goals. 1, 3, 6, and 12-month health goals are a great benchmark strategy to keep you on track and not so overwhelmed.
2. Make sure you have resources to make your goals attainable such as food markets that sell appropriate foods for you, parks, gyms or yoga studios you feel comfortable with, available practitioners/nutritionists/health coaches/doctors to guide you through areas you are not familiar with, and books or website that you can count on for credible information.
3. Write down your motivation for making this change in the first place. Keep this in a place where you see it regularly (on the fridge or the bathroom mirror is a useful spot). Motivations may change over time, and that’s OK!

Read More: The Mental Health Benefits of Movement and Exercise

1. Try not to make all of your goals or changes about food. This can draw a bitter wedge between yourself and food happiness. Health encompasses nutrition (obviously) and also community, spiritual practice, your emotional state, your job, your hobbies, your family, your sleep/dream time, and exercise/movement. Pick a few extra areas here to focus on and make some positive changes and goals for each. 
2. Find an accountability partner to either go through this change with you or someone to check in on you to hold you accountable and keep you on track.
3. Find daily inspiration to keep you motivated. This can be pictures of joyful things, blogs that really inspire you, delicious recipes that you keep on hand or mantras every day to repeat to yourself.
4. Focus on things that are going well, not what you are doing without. It’s really easy for folks to lament the discontinuation of 2 hours of couch time at night or sugary pastries or even the hourly cigarettes. Make a point every day to take note of what’s going well and be grateful for the little things (like the beautiful weather, the project at work that went surprisingly well, or the beautiful family you come home to every night)
5. Start small. Take one step at a time or one step every month to focus on. get comfortable with one major change before you move on to another. For example, if one of your long-term goals is eliminating sugar, try this for one month and focus on this task before taking on your other long-term goal of also going gluten-free. Taking on too much can be extremely discouraging if you don’t have the time, resources,or willpower to get yourself through. The next month you can take on starting a weekly yoga practice or joining that meet-up group you’ve been eying.
6. Plan it out. Look at your calendar and set a start date. You may have already come up with a great plan, set your goals, and stocked your pantry… and if it’s right before the holidays and you feel like you’re going to struggle right from the get-go, maybe start at a more appropriate time. It’s OK to wait until you feel completely ready to make the commitment.
7. Ask for help when you’re struggling. Breaking habits and making new habits is no small task, and it’s completely normal to feel lost and overwhelmed and ready to throw in the towel. It’s at these times when you need people to cheer for you, throw some extra inspiration your way and keep you on track. It’s also helpful to have an honest look at your goals and make sure they’re reasonable and change them if you need to.

Read More: One-on-One Nutrition Support

Hair loss is a common complaint we hear from patients throughout the year. Sometimes this is a secondary complaint – something that is concerning for the person but maybe not their primary concern. After a conversation with their naturopathic doctor, they may develop more awareness around why this may be happening, as the reasons are many! Hair loss can come and go throughout someone’s life, either as a genetic predisposition or as a result of several other health factors. Depending on the cause, the solutions may vary, but are usually quite successful once the primary cause is assessed. Below are 6 common causes of hair loss and their broad solutions:

1. Nutrient deficiency – This is extremely common in both men and women throughout their lifetimes. Hair growth is not an essential body function, and when our body is starved of necessary nutrients, those nutrients are diverted to our body’s essential functions including our organs, brain, and nervous system. Our gut health and digestion must also be balanced in order to absorb the nutrients we are consuming. Thus, having a balanced daily diet along with healthy digestion is needed for optimal hair growth and maintenance. If your ND suspects a nutrient deficiency, they may recommend appropriate mineral and nutrient testing to take a close look, and recommend specific foods or supplements to address this. 

1. Hormonal changes – Hair loss often accompanies any period of time when hormonal changes are present such as perimenopause, PCOS, pregnancy, or post-birth to name a few. This can be assessed through a timeline of when your symptoms developed, and through appropriate testing. Your ND can then recommend appropriate therapies to bring the body into balance, and subsequently address hair loss. 

1. Age – As our health and age change, so does our body’s ability to maintain hair growth and texture as it did in our youth. Nearly everyone will experience a change in hair texture and thinning as they age, and this is a normal body process. In combination with genetic factors and personal hair treatments, this can look or progress differently for each person. In regards to treatments, this is a tricky one because this is a normal body progression and not something that needs to be “fixed” per say. Over-the-counter treatments are available, as are some medications, and your ND can advise you on the best options for you if this is a concern. 

1. Stress or illness – Stress is perhaps the most common cause of sudden hair loss for most people. Similar to nutrient deficiency, the body is very efficient at directing what energy and resources it has to our essential body functions. When we are stressed, our body is under quite a bit of strain and we often are not taking care of ourselves like we need to to feel balanced and vibrant. Our sleep is lacking, our nervous system is on alert, and our diet may be lacking in nutrients and quality foods. All of this plays a significant role in our external presentation, from our skin health, weight, and hair fullness and texture. Stress management techniques and changes in behavior may be suggested by your ND to help you cope with present and upcoming stress. 

1. Genetic predisposition – it’s not uncommon that hair loss is hereditary, and at a certain point in life, you’ll notice hair thinning. This is more common in men than women, however, can certainly play a role in early or late-life hair loss in both genders. There is nothing wrong or concerning about this, although it is undoubtedly frustrating. Your ND will take a thorough health history and determine if this is a prominent factor, and offer solutions that are in alignment with your current health goals. These are individual for each person and may change over time as your health changes. 

This is not an exhaustive list of the causes of hair loss, as hair treatments, side effects from medications, or certain illnesses are common causes as well. If hair loss is one of your health concerns and you would like to explore personalized options, contact us for an appointment with one of our naturopathic doctors. 

Stress has many ways of manifesting itself throughout your body, whether it’s through digestive issues, frequent headaches, anger or behavioral imbalance, or even high blood pressure – there’s no denying that stress impacts our quality of life on a daily basis. Very often, we are unaware of what is really at the root of our stress, and how much control we have over this. We are not always helpless in addressing how we respond to stress, and there are some mindful practices to address how stress impacts our body – and how we can redirect that stress to work for us, and not against us. Here are a few ways stress can show up in our body, and how we mindfully adjust our behaviors to balance this. 

1. Reassess your workouts. High-intensity exercise is biologically stressful on your body. Yes, it does also have positive benefits, however, if high-intensity exercise (HIIT) is your primary form of daily or weekly exercise, this may be causing your stress response to be heightened too often without appropriate rest days to recalibrate. Incorporate restorative exercise into your routine so that your body becomes accustomed to a slow stress response while moving and exercising. Restorative yoga, gentle walking or swimming, or a fun climbing session may be worth including in your weekly routine. 

1. If you suffer from chronic anxiety, you may notice that your thoughts can get away from you, leading you into a spiral of self-induced anxiety. This increases your cortisol (stress) response, decreases your digestive function, and constricts blood flow throughout your entire body. You will frequently feel yourself “tense up” when this happens. This is where mindfulness practices and breathwork can redirect the stress response from overwhelm to recalibrating your nervous system. When our stress response is high, we are flushed with nervous synergy. That constricting energy can instead be directed towards our breath, opening up our senses and allowing for more oxygen to fill our body. This relaxes your nervous system and gently calms the mind. 

 Read more: The Vagus Nerve 

1. Pay attention to your sleep habits. Before falling asleep, many people are scrolling on their phones or watching the news – two activities that inevitably increase our alertness and stress response. When we are mentally alert or feeling stressed by the news, it’s very difficult for the body and nervous system to unwind enough to sink into quality sleep. Instead, if you’re feeling wired or stressed and want to “unwind” before going to sleep, turn OFF the screens and facilitate that stress to leave your body through gentle exercise and stretching, journaling, or taking a warm bath or shower. This puts you in the present moment and more in your own body, allowing you to be mindful of your thoughts and process them prior to sleeping so that your body can reach a deeper state of rest. 

Read More: Back to Basic – How to Realign your Wellness Habits 

1. Sometimes we are in such a heightened state of stress continually that we’re not even sure where it’s coming from. Traffic, deadlines, financial pressures, family dynamics, health issues, or academic stressors – if things are accumulating in your life that are causing you stress, take this as an opportunity to define them, and direct your energy appropriately. Make a list of every single thing that knowingly causes you stress. Nothing is too small or big to add to this list. Now, divide this into two lists – “Needless” and “Essential”. Needless stressors are those things we could intentionally get rid of. For example, getting stressed and angry about traffic, re-thinking the stressful coworker conversation from the day before, or things that are essentially out of your control. Everything else that you could not reasonably get rid of tomorrow, keep that on the “Essential” list. Now, choose one stressor from the “Needless” list, and focus on addressing and removing that stressor each week. Notice when it comes up for you, and practice letting it go and approaching it another way. Every week, choose a needless stress, and cross it off the list. This will help you conserve your precious energy to intentionally focus on those stressors that really need your attention. 

If you’re noticing that stress is impacting your quality of life or health overall, check in with us and consider making an appointment to see one of our naturopathic doctors. We would love to help you balance your life and wellness in a way that works for you, sustainably and positively…

When you open that cupboard in your kitchen that stores your daily supplements, how many do you see? How long has it been since you went through those bottles and asked yourself, “Why did I start taking this, and do I still need it?”

When you come in for an appointment with your naturopathic doctor, they will almost always ask that you bring your current supplements with you. Naturopathic doctors often incorporate supplements into their personalized health recommendations for you, closely tailoring them for your individual needs to reach your goals, and changing them often. They will want to assess what you are currently taking and determine if they are still necessary, and also educate you on quality brands and ingredients. When you look through that bag of supplements, you may have forgotten why you started taking something, or not be quite sure if it’s helping. That’s where your ND can be a guide for you. 

How and When to Update your Supplements

1. Go through your current supplements and make a list. Write down when you started each supplement, and determine how long you have been taking this consistently. 
2. For each supplement, ask yourself, “Why did I start taking this?” and “How have I noticed this supplement to be helpful for that?”
3. If you can’t remember why you started something, or have not noticed any difference in your health after 3+ months of taking a supplement, consider discontinuing it. 
4. If you have been taking something for more than three months, and do find it to be helpful, put it aside to discuss with your ND or nutritionist. 
5. Your body is always changing, and your supplements should change as your health changes. This is why updating and fine-tuning your supplements is helpful. You may still benefit from taking something, but at a slightly different dose or frequency as your health is changing. 

Read More: Reminder – Adjust your Vitamin D

Quality Is Important

Supplements can be very helpful in certain situations where you may have a deficiency, poor absorption of a food or nutrient, or to uplevel your wellness routine to help you meet some health goals. Strategically using supplements is something that’s worth consulting with your nutritionist, ND, or functional medicine doctor to educate you on how to choose an appropriate brand, and how to recognize quality ingredients. 

The supplement industry is not regulated by the FDA, which has its pros and cons. One significant con is the quality of some supplements can be very questionable and include filler or poorly sourced ingredients. Generally, the cheaper the supplement, the more poor the quality. Always look for third-party verifications, and check out a brand’s website to educate yourself on how and where they source their ingredients. If they do not mention this on their website or brand materials, assume they don’t want you to know, and they are not confident to advertise about their quality. 

Read More: 7 Simple Supplement Buying Tips from Dr. Hollon

If you have questions about if supplements may be helpful for you, or how to choose appropriate ones for your health needs, consider making an appointment with one of our naturopathic doctors to discuss what will be best for you.

Here at RNM, high-quality herbal and nutritional supplements are something that we utilize individually for each patient. Often, new patients will come to see us with a bag full of current supplements that we will then tailor to fit their needs. If we introduce new supplements, our intention is that these supplements will be changing and shifting as their health changes. Very rarely are supplements needed every single day for years at a time with no change. Our health is not stagnant, and neither should our healthy routines be. During the summer months, one thing to take note of is your vitamin D dosage, and it’s likely this one will need to be adjusted. 

Supplementation & Diet for Vitamin D:

There are two different sources of vitamin D supplementation: Vitamin D3 and Vitamin D2. Vitamin D3 is synthesized from sun-exposed skin and is more bioavailable for humans. Generally, a vitamin D3 supplement is sourced from cholecalciferol or lanolin, derived from sheep wool, and is highly absorbable for humans. Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) is synthesized by fungi and is plant-sourced often from lichen (many vegans will supplement with D2 instead of D3). Vitamin D2 is not quite as well absorbed by humans, however, there is still benefit to supplementing with this form, as both D2 and D3 supplementation have been shown to increase serum levels of 25(OH)D.

Vitamin D is transported through general circulation to the liver, where enzyme 25 hydroxylase converts it to 25OHD. Through further conversions within the kidneys changes 25OHD into 1, 25 OH2D3 which is the active form of Vitamin D. Dietary sources of Vitamin D are relatively few, but do include cod liver oil and fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, swordfish, sardines, and tuna as well as some mushrooms that are UV-irradiated and eggs. Other foods may be fortified with vitamin D (non-naturally occurring) such as milk, yogurt, and sometimes processed grains and cereals.

Read More: How does vitamin D affect immune health?

Why Adjust Vitamin D Dosing?

Without exposure to sunlight on a daily basis, we become deficient in Vitamin D, and not surprisingly, it’s one of the most common deficiencies in North America today. Vitamin D influences almost every single body system in some way, including the immune system, endocrine system, cardiovascular system, reproductive system, and digestive system. During the darker months, our vitamin D levels drop, while during sunnier months of spring and summer, we are usually getting adequate amounts of vitamin D. Thus, the dose of vitamin D supplementation you were taking in the winter may not be appropriate for summertime. 

Before you increase or decrease your vitamin D supplement, have your levels checked so you know if you need to do this, and by how much. Your naturopathic doctor can easily tell you how to do this, and guide you to the appropriate seasonal dosing. 

If you have questions or would like to connect with your ND about adjusting your supplements, please contact our office to schedule an appointment.