10 Vitamins and Minerals for a Healthy Winter

It's wintertime again! The time of year when the days are short and the air is cold and dry. The frigid temperatures, lack of sunlight, leftover holiday stress and the risk of catching cold or the flu may leave you feeling lethargic and unwilling to get out. Luckily, there are natural ways to battle the bothersome effects of winter with vitamins and minerals.

Vitamin D: Vitamin D, an incredibly important vitamin, is known best for being essential for Calcium absorption and bone health. However, recent studies have linked Vitamin D deficiency to a variety of ailments from depression to colon cancer. Vitamin D can also help regulate the immune system and the neuromuscular system, so it can be a great help in defending against those pesky cold and flu germs this winter.

Because your body makes Vitamin D only after being exposed to the sun, you may want to consider either supplementing this vitamin or eating foods that contain it since you're likely not getting the solar exposure you would in the spring or summer. Foods to think about include salmon, tuna, mushrooms, egg yolks, cheese and, of course, milk.¹

Vitamin C: Great for promoting skin health and immunity, Vitamin C is a necessary vitamin for winter because it gives your immune system a huge boost, helps you feel more energetic and will keep your skin softer in the dry atmosphere. It also has a reputation for providing relief from the common cold, a huge benefit if in anyone's book.

Citric foods, such as oranges, contain this vitamin. Other foods to add to your diet for more Vitamin C are broccoli, cantaloupe, red cabbage, green peppers and kiwi. Orange juice and tomato juice are also high in Vitamin C. ²

Niacin: Also known as Vitamin B3, Niacin can be effective in battling Seasonal Affective Disorder or even just mild "winter blues." This vitamin has proven to alleviate some of the depression symptoms you may feel during the winter months.

Foods heavy in Niacin include salmon, pork, chicken, dried peas and beans, and whole grains. ³

Vitamin B12: B12 is another great vitamin for battling depression and fatigue in the wintertime. It can also help prevent irrational anger and obsessive-compulsive behavior. If you don't get enough of it, you can develop pernicious anemia, a fatal illness, so be sure to get it in your diet.

Have some liver, meat, fish, eggs or milk to get your B12 fix since it comes from animal products. If you are a vegetarian or vegan, you may want to look into a supplement, so talk to your doctor for recommendations⁴.

Folic Acid: Another B vitamin, Folic Acid is important for metabolism and cell growth. Like B12, Folic Acid can help alleviate the fatigue and depression some of us experience during the dark, cold winter days. As an added benefit, if you are pregnant, Folic Acid can help prevent premature labor and reduce the risk of birth defects involving the baby's brain and spine.

Natural folate sources are leafy green vegetables, bananas, lemons, melons, beans, lentils, peas and certain fortified products. ⁵

Vitamin E: Want to avoid dry winter skin? Use Vitamin E. Vitamin E is great for your skin and eyes plus, it will give your immune system a boost as well.

Chow down on some eggs, nuts, spinach and vegetable oils for a diet rich in Vitamin E. ⁶

Vitamin A: Much like Vitamin E, Vitamin A is important for healthy skin and eyes and also works to strengthen immunity. It has been proven effective against various skin problems like acne and wrinkles also, so there is that added benefit.

Good sources of Vitamin A are liver, eggs, whole milk, and fortified skim milk and cereals. ⁷

Zinc: Zinc helps the body heal wounds and fight infection. As one of the best minerals for a strong immune system, it has also, as of late, become accepted as a treatment for the common cold though evidence of this claim is controversial. Regardless, it is a key to better immunity in the wintertime.

You'll find zinc in such food as red meats, poultry, beans and nuts, oysters, whole grains and fortified cereals. ⁸

Omega-3 Fatty Acids: To boost health and lower depression in winter, make sure you get enough Omega-3 Fatty Acids. These are not just beneficial but are essential to our body's well being. Since we cannot make them ourselves, we need to be certain to get enough in our diets.

To do that, eat fish such as salmon, tuna, sardines, mackerel, bluefish, herring, lake trout and sturgeon. Other foods containing Omega-3s include walnuts, flax and soybeans. Flax seed oil, canola oil, olive oil and soybean oil will also add Omega-3 fatty acids to your diet. ⁹

Iron: Be sure you're getting enough iron this winter. Because it plays a key role in the body's production of red blood cells, the lethargy you may be blaming on winter blues may actually be a symptom of iron deficiency.

To get all the iron you need, try to include food such as meat, fish, poultry, spinach, broccoli, dried fruits, nuts, beans, peas and lentils in your diet. ¹⁰

As always, discuss with your doctor before taking vitamin and mineral supplements, and remember it is usually better to get these vitamins naturally (from food) than by taking them in pill form. Have a safe and healthy winter!

Sources:

1. Web MD: The Truth About Vitamin D www.webmd.com/osteoporosis/features/the-truth-about-vitamin-d

2. Web MD: The Benefits of Vitamin C www.webmd.com/diet/guide/the-benefits-of-vitamin-c

3: The New York Times: Seasonal Affective Disorder health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/seasonal-affective-disorder/lifestyle-changes.html

4. The Weston A. Prince Foundation: Vitamin B12: Vital Nutrient for Good Health www.westonaprice.org/Vitamin-B12-Vital-Nutrient-for-Good-Health.html

5. Web MD: Folic Acid: A Supplement for Pregnant Women and General Good Health www.webmd.com/vitamins-lifestyle-guide/supplement-guide-folic-acid

6. Web MD: Vitamin E for Healthy Immune System, Skin and Eyes www.webmd.com/vitamins-lifestyle-guide/supplement-guide-vitamin-e

7. Web MD: Vitamin A (Retinoid) for Vision and Health www.webmd.com/vitamins-lifestyle-guide/supplement-guide-vitamin-a

8. Web MD: Zinc for Colds, Rashes and Immune System www.webmd.com/vitamins-lifestyle-guide/supplement-guide-zinc

9. Web MD: Omega-3 Fatty Acids Facts www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/omega-3-fatty-acids-fact-sheet

10. GNC: Iron gnc.webmd.com/iron