Taking vitamins is important for more than just staying healthy; low levels of vitamin D are linked to drug abuse. While the best source of vitamin D is the sun, there are ways to keep your levels up even in the short days of winter.

Narcotic Pain Dependence
The Mayo Clinic did a study on the correlation between vitamin D levels and the amount of narcotics taken by people suffering with chronic pain. Researchers found that people with low levels of vitamin D took twice as many painkillers as people who had adequate levels of the vitamin. Because vitamin D is known to promote bone and muscle strength, researchers believe that increasing vitamin D levels reduces pain naturally. This simple change can make drug abuse treatment in Dallas more successful.

Better Moods
High levels of vitamin D can also boost moods, particularly for people living in northern climates where the winter days are gray and cold. Research shows that a daily dose of vitamin D improves mood and decreases depression. This could prove to be a major benefit to people who have been self-medicating their depression with alcohol or drugs. Depression treatment in Dallas has found that the programs are more successful when people follow healthy diets and get the vitamin D they need.

Dietary Vitamin D
The best source of vitamin D is natural sunshine. However, this can be in short supply during the cooler winter months. Dietary sources of vitamin D include fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna, sardines, and cod liver oil. Other sources include milk, eggs, liver, and Swiss cheese.

Ten to Fifteen Minutes of Sunshine
Just 10 to 15 minutes of sunshine is enough to provide you with the vitamin D production you need. Taking a brisk walk during your lunch break gets you the time in the sun you need, even in the cooler months of the year. Consider visiting a beauty salon or health club with a sun shower. Vertical tanning units can help increase the amount of vitamin D naturally. Don’t book the unit for long period of time, because all you really need in these units is three minutes.

Supplements
Research indicates that the best vitamin D supplement is vitamin D3, a natural form that is more effective than the synthetic vitamin D2.

When you are ready for depression help in Dallas, consider starting by increasing your vitamin D levels. Natural sources like food and sunshine are the most effective. You can also use vertical tanning units and supplements to increase your vitamin D levels. Solace Counseling offers depression treatment for people in the Dallas area. Visit us on Facebook or Twitter to learn more about how we can help you with your depression.