Why you need vitamin D at this time of year

Yesterday we saw the shortest day of the year here in the north.  Some celebrate the solstice.
Some chase around for last minute Christmas gifts.

All the while, your dear body is taking care of everything just the best it can.  Renewing cells,  fighting off infections and viruses and protecting you constantly.

What our bodies cannot do is the impossible.

During the months of October and March we simply do not have enough sunshine to help us out properly.

Sunshine?

Yes,  we need vitamin D in our bodies and the best way to get this is from the sun.  This might well not be a surprise to you.  You may know this already.  In the summer months we can get a little sunshine each day and naturally make the vitamin D we need.  So what do we do in the winter?

Often, the best way to ensure you don't suffer from a deficiency is to take a Vitamin D supplement*.  You know me, I do like all molecules going into the body to be the best they can be and I have found this little gem which is free from all the stuff I personally need to avoid.

After trying out this product and speaking to my friends at Epsilon life they have given me lots of information about their wonderful product.  If you click below you can see the reviews on Amazon which are pretty impressive I must say.  

As readers of my blog, you can enter LUSHERLIFE at the checkout for an extra cheeky discount code! Spread the word.

So what would taking Vitamin D supplements mean for you?

If you suffer from any of the following, it may be worth visiting your GP to get your vitamin D levels checked.  You might just need a simple supplement which is such a minimal investment in terms of finance and it could make the world of difference.

Fatigue and tiredness.
Muscle cramps and spasms.
Depression.
Erectile disfunction.
Osteoporosis.
Light headedness.
General aches and pains.

Yes the body is a miracle.  Every time I revisit information on the cell and biochemistry, I am blown away.  While nothing is a substitute for a well balanced diet and doing things 'au natural' we occasionally need some help.

Speaking with Epsilon they gave me this extra information:

• Epsilon.Life gives a portion of every sale to a Multiple Sclerosis charity
• We are the highest and best reviewed vitamin products on Amazon.co.uk Our vitamin D has a five star rating and close to 600 reviews.
• We are a small family run business and provide outstanding customer service to all of our customers
• All of our products are manufactured and sold exclusively in the UK
• We focus on selling only a small number of products, that way we can make sure that all of our products are of the best quality
• Any orders over £15 (with or without a discount) qualifies for free shipping

As I had mentioned, we are happy to offer all of your readers a voucher code giving them £5 off any order. They can use this code on our checkout page to get £5 off any order: LUSHERLIFE

New year is just around the corner (my birthday too!). I know we all like to make health a priority and if you order today, you will be ready to go on January 1st when you feel fresh and new and ready to make a difference to your health and your life.

Of course, I will be here to hold your hand every step of the way!

Wishing you the very best in health

Louise xoxo

Welcome to May 2015

Goodness gracious it's May!

Seems like just yesterday the party poppers were out and we were saying happy new year!

So this blog post is open, raw and vulnerable.


At times life throws you a curveball.  What does that even mean?
It's used a lot in American Films.  I guess it's when something comes along to challenge you, your mood, things as you know them.

Trusting always in nature, the universe and all I mostly feel that everything is leading us somewhere, taking us somewhere.  Yesterday I struggled to make sense of things.


I had news from the Doctor that I am struggling to absorb some minerals.  Darn you Crohns disease.
"Even though you are in remission, this will be down to the Crohns."

For ages now, my health has been good (for someone with Crohns), just not quite right. Something it's hard to put your finger on.  Revealing to you know that I have been being treated for anxiety.

Me?  Anxiety?  It's just not something I wanted to comprehend. I'm great at relaxing, meditated every day so where the flip did that come from.  Now, it seems there is a physical reason for this.

Aha moment.

Within the body, there are all sorts of systems silently working to keep everything ticking along just as it should.  Funnily enough I am taking a big ol' biology exam on this today.  It's called homeostasis.  Things like: keeping your blood sugar levels as they should be.  You know?  Well, for me, it seems one of those systems is out of kilter.  My blood calcium levels. It's at the point that my body is taking calcium from my bones to attempt to keep the calcium levels as they should be.  This makes me feel so so sad.
Typically, for people with Crohns, we can be deficient in Vitamin D (which helps to absorb calcium) and this is me in both cases.
The symptoms I have been getting are likely to be what has caused the anxiety symptoms as my electrolyte balance is all off.  It causes irregular heartbeat, which is a scary one.

Feeling low and 'bruised'  I am determined to get back on top of this.  I have such a massive reason for needing great health.  That thing called life.  I want to really live it!  So more research is on its way to once again give my body what it needs to function and do it's job, once again silently.

As it's May the 1st you can rest assured that there is big news coming from me in the following few days.  I'm excited to share this new life change with you.  It will be of benefit to us all! Yes that's right, not just me and my health but to you and yours too.  I'm excited to do a big reveal and I'm just awaiting a bit of paperwork and then we are off and running!


Meanwhile, back to that thing called 'living'.  My amazing group of friends who are collectively called the Global Stars are sharing our new intro video.  It's like, well, makes me feel like marshmallow inside.  Go and check it out.  Gives you something to watch each day for 5 minutes while having your coffee!

Much love for health and happiness


Louise xoxo

Sponsor my next blog here: http://www.louiseusher.co.uk/p/sponsor.html

Vitamin D deficiency

What is Vitamin D deficiency?

I have quickly learned what it is because I have it!

Apparently,  it is very common these days,  especially for us living in the northern hemisphere.  This winter time there are many of us walking around with less than ideal levels of Vitamin D in our systems.

How do I get tested?

Go for a blood test to find out.  It seems,  like most of the medical profession it depends where you are in the world as to what your levels should be.  You can try looking on the net but that just gets confusing!

My levels are low - what should I do?

Speaking to your doctor is a good place to start.  He will likely give you a supplement to take.  It's important not to take too much vitamin D as it is hard for the body to get rid of excess and it can end up causing a little problem.

I think I might be low in vitamin d

There are many symptoms.  For me,  I have found I was feeling a little blue.  I never suffered with the winter S.A.D before.  Although lots of different deficiencies can cause you to feel below par.  I would suggest taking good care of yourself.  Increase the natural food you eat that contains vitamin d and calcium as these are both needed to be absorbed into the body.

When it's sunny in the summer,  that will help! get out there for 10 minutes a day with no sunscreen.  Don't burn of course!


My tips for taking care of yourself:

I need to watch my health as I have Crohns and Coeliac.  This means my insides don't quite work the same as everyone else.  After lots of research I have found these were the best tips.

*  Get to bed before midnight each night and sleep at least 7 hours.
*  Eat a variety of fresh foods.  Ones with no labels on are the best.  Such as fresh meat and veg.
*  Careful on caffine intake.  This can cause dehydration and upset tummy. If you suffer palpitations,  lowering caffiene might help.
*  Don't over eat.  But eat regularly.  Without eating all day long,  your body gets stressed,  wondering when the next meal might be and using cortisol to sustain those stress levels which helps give you a big tummy.  Eat regularly.
*  Keep sugars only to treat time,  don't eat lots! Whenever I have lost weight,  it has been because I have lowered my sugar intake.
*  Try to stop watching depressing tv, scary stuff or the news.  Put happy and nice things into your brain instead.  Laugh every day.
*  Walk more.  Talking about vitamin d and bones,  keeping moving helps lower the chances of osteoperosis.


Ok so please remember I'm not a doctor and you must always consult a professional if you have any issues.  I just am a person who goes through it a bit and have decided to help myself as much as possible with research! On the back of this,  I pass it on to you,  with love

Louise xoxox