Is there an explanation for my “down in the dumps mood today”? Could I be concerned about PJ’s new running injury (yes…on our long run this weekend, he developed some ankle pain and is on the DL this week). Is it the 35 papers I have sitting in front of me to grade? Or is it the gloomy, cloudy winter day that makes it seem the spring flowers will never arrive?

Most likely, it is a combination of the three.

On a more rational note, it could be the fact that I haven’t had my full dose of the sunshine vitamin “D” in awhile. With the abundance of food in our environment, it seems rare that Americans are “deficient” in a nutrient(s), however, recent statistics show that over half adults and children might be deficient in vitamin D. Vitamin D is important for several health reasons, but is most known for its role in bone health, mood, and most recently has been in the spotlight for its role in heart disease prevention.

Vitamin D is so vital actually, that our bodies make it on their own when exposed to sunlight. Five to 30 minutes about twice a week (without sunscreen) to your face and arms is usually enough for most individuals. But what about in these long winter days? Research shows that our blood levels of vitamin D might be lower during the winter months than in the warm summer. In addition, those who live in northern latitudes, those with dark skin, and those that do not get outside are even at higher risk for a “D” deficiency.

In addition to the lack of sunlight, vitamin D is not surprisingly found in many foods. Salmon and other fatty fish like tuna are naturally rich in the sunshine vitamin. Fortified foods like milk, cereals, and orange juice can be good sources as well because Vitamin D has been added.

So how do I get enough to kick my mood up a couple of notches? I can hear my “soon to be on spring break” senior”itis” students asking me now…”so the tanning bed is OK?” Well, I am not going that far, but I do recommend taking a 15 minute walk outside on sunny days. Even if you are so bundled up that your face is the only thing in sight, go ahead, the face is better than nothing. In addition, ask for fish on that salad when eating out instead of chicken.

Experts disagree on the requirements for Vitamin D, and most, currently agree that the recommendations are too low. For those under 50 year of age, the requirement is 200 IU (International Units), and the requirements increase with age. However, sun exposure for 30 minutes, allows your body to make up a whopping 10,000 IU! To put it into perspective, a 3.5 oz serving of salmon contains ~360 IU and 1 cup of milk contains ~100 IU.

Since it doesn’t look like I am going to get my sunny walk in soon, I think I’ll just go eat some fortified D ice cream, make sure PJ ices his foot tonight, and apply some self-tanner.