Wanderlust: Expat Life & Style in Thailand April / May 2017: Health & Wellness Issue | Page 29

Health & Wellness
causes of fatigue, such as hormonal
imbalances, sleep disorders, dietary
deficiencies or mental illness. If a di-
agnosis is confirmed, treatment fo-
cuses on managing symptoms, the
severity of which varies from person
to person.
#2 VITAMIN D
DEFICIENCY
According to the International
Osteoporosis Foundation, two in
three women over 50 years old will
experience osteoporotic fractures,
as will four in five men. To keep our
bones strong and healthy, we need
vitamin D — the vitamin that helps
us absorb calcium.
We also need vitamin D in order
to feel energized. Without enough,
you might experience fatigue, bone
pain and muscle weakness. Long-
term health problems associated
with insufficient vitamin D include
weak bones and increased risk of
cancer, type II diabetes and cognitive
impairment.
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble hormone
found in high levels in several kinds
of fish and in D-fortified foods and
beverages. Just a teaspoon of cod
liver oil once a day is enough to sat-
isfy your daily need — though that
“d” doesn’t exactly stand for “deli-
cious,” when it comes to cod liver oil.
Fortunately, there are other more pal-
atable ways to do it: For 100 percent
of your daily vitamin D, consume
three ounces of wild salmon or
mackerel a day— that’s a portion
size about as big as a deck of cards.
Sardines, herring, tuna and cod are
also good sources, as are milk and or-
ange juice fortified with the vitamin.
Vegetarians and vegans, for whom
fatty fish consumption is not an op-
tion, have fewer choices. Products
such as fortified almond or soy milk
and fortified tofu can help, and there
are plant-based supplements for vi-
tamin D, too, if you’re experiencing
symptoms of vitamin D deficiency.
Even if you take your cod liver oil,
our bodies need a sufficient amount
of sunlight to maintain optimal lev-
els of vitamin D. In parts of the world
such as northern Europe, where
clouds conquer the skies, it’s easy to
HOW MUCH
SUNSHINE IS THE
RIGHT AMOUNT?
The amount of sun a person
needs depends on his or her
skin type, age, amount of skin
exposed, and how directly
the sun is beaming down —
which varies depending on
the time of year and geo-
graphical location.
As a general guideline,
health professionals recom-
mend standing outdoors
during midday sun for ap-
proximately 10 minutes —
wearing no sunscreen and
with just shorts and a tank
top — for a daily dose of
D-inducing radiation. The
elderly and those with dark
skin may require more ex-
posure; ask your doctor for
advice on how much sun is
right for you specifically.