Studies have shown that individuals with severe Covid symptoms are low in Vitamin D, and this is a contributing factor in the severity of the disease.

Vitamin D is made by your skin absorbing sunlight, so plan at least 20 minutes a day, outside during daylight hours. This is an excellent reason to go for a walk. Or take your grandchildren to the park. Even sitting outside while you have your morning cuppa is a good thing right now. It is vital for many roles within the body and especially for your immunity. Vitamin D helps to regulate our immune system and reduce inflammation. Many people are deficient in this vital nutrient as they are not getting out much or are  working indoors.

Expose as much of your bare skin to the sun as possible, and don’t wear sunscreen during that time either as it inhibits the process. Take off your sunglasses.

You can also boost your vitamin D levels by eating more of the following foods: oily fish (salmon, mackerel and fresh tuna), beef liver, mushrooms, and egg yolks.

It’s worth checking whether you are low in vitamin D, and these days it’s easy to check this yourself (rather than asking your doctor who is likely to refuse a test) by taking a finger-prick blood spot test – ask me for recommendations. Based on results I can advise on if supplements are necessary and the dosage.

The benefits of sleep are now widely recognised, a restful night reduces stress, increased life expectancy, improves our immunity, gives us energy and concentration. So, it’s all win win!

 There are many complexities that cannot all be covered here, but here are a few tips to help you get a good night’s sleep.

Try to go to bed at the same time every day, your body thrives on routine. Keep the temperature in your bedroom more on the cooler side but comfortable.

Keep the bedroom completely dark, so you’re not disturbed by light, which your brain detects even when your eyes are closed. Eye masks or black out blinds can be useful.

Spend time outdoors to soak up the sun in the mornings, without sunglasses, (even if its cloudy )helps to regulate your body’s natural cycles and will improve you sleep at night time.

Take some gentle exercise every day. There is evidence that regular exercise improves restful sleep. This includes stretching and aerobic exercise. A brisk walk ticks all boxes, you get exposure to light, get out in nature AND get some exercise.

Make an effort to relax before going to bed – a warm Epsom Salts bath, massage, or guided sleep meditation. Helps to switch your brain off.

Get rid of all devices from the bedroom, smart phones, TV make your bedroom a sanctuary for rest. Charge your phone in another room not at the side of your bed.

Sugar alcohols like sorbitol are poorly broken down by the body, which just ends up feeding the bad bacteria in the large intestine.  And what you may not know is that artificial sweetener – and many other ‘natural sweeteners’ that find their way into so-called healthy food –behave in the body the same way as actual sugar by raising your blood sugar levels.

The very best scenario of all is that you wean yourself off sweeteners of any kind as this helps you appreciate natural sweetness of real food. If you continue to eat sweet things, your taste buds will always want sweet things. It’s as simple as that. If you need a sugar fix, find it in real, natural foods.

It’s also worth considering phasing out these products. If your diet has traditionally been quite high in the white stuff, the first few weeks can be a little tricky as your body (and brain and taste buds) starts to adjust.

Sugar addiction is a real!!In fact, in 2018, a study at Connecticut College found that Oreo cookies were just as addictive as cocaine for lab rats!! That how powerful sugar is on the bodies systems. Sugar triggers the brain’s pleasure and reward centres – areas in the emotional centres of the brain responsible for the release of the “feel good” neurotransmitter called dopamine. The same brain areas are stimulated by cocaine, nicotine, opiates like heroin and morphine, and alcohol.  Persevere it really will be worth it.

The earliest instance of a commercial blog was on the first business to consumer Web site created in 1995 by Ty, Inc., which featured a blog in a section called “Online Diary”. The entries were maintained by featured Beanie Babies that were voted for monthly by Web site visitors