Derval O'Rourke: Storing up Vitamin D in the Grand Stretch - plus an easy BBQ chicken recipe

Derval O'Rourke: the spring sunshine is here

The spring equinox happened on March 20. It symbolises the start of springtime in the northern hemisphere. What this really means for us in Ireland is that from now on, the days will only be getting longer and brighter and the nights will be getting shorter. I’m sure you have heard someone say this, or said this phrase yourself, at least once over the last couple of weeks: “Ah, there’s a grand auld stretch in the evening”.

This change in the days and nights is one of my favourite things about living in Ireland. While I love the cosiness and the warmth that the dark winter days bring, I always look forward to the bright days that represent an endless amount of opportunity and adventure for the coming summer days.

There’s an imperceptible shift in my energy levels which makes getting up in the morning and staying active in the evenings not seem like such a hardship anymore. I attribute this to the return of the sun. It’s amazing the effect that the sun can have on our moods and on our bodies.

A large part of this can be due to the vitamin D that we get from the sun. This week I want to discuss the importance of having sufficient levels of vitamin D and what some of the effects of having a vitamin D deficiency may look like.

What is Vitamin D and how do we get it?

While we can get vitamin D from foods such as fish and egg yolks, there is not an abundance of other foods naturally rich in vitamin D. This means that most of us will rely on either our bodies to produce vitamin D from the sun, or ingest supplements to make sure we are getting enough vitamin D. 

There is a complicated process where our body uses sunlight to create vitamin D, but I am neither a scientist nor a doctor, so I will leave it at this: a chemical process occurs where our bodies absorb the sun’s rays and use this to produce vitamin D.

What are the health benefits of vitamin D?

You may primarily think of vitamin D as helping to maintain healthy bones, increase strength and mass in muscle, or helping to maintain our immune systems and helping our bodies to protect against diseases. While these are all very important and active roles that vitamin D plays, it also plays a huge role in how we feel and the regulation of our energy levels. There have been many studies that show that increased levels of vitamin D have been linked to lower levels of fatigue. This results in an increased feeling of energy, both physically and mentally.

What is vitamin D deficiency & what to do about it?

There are a lot of factors that may play a part in why a person is deficient in vitamin D. If you live close to the equator, you will have a better chance of absorbing more of the benefits of the sun’s rays as they remain fairly consistent throughout the year. The farther north you live the less sunlight you see throughout the winter months.

It is through our skin that we absorb the sun’s rays which causes the chemical process to take place, this means that if you aren’t exposed to the sun as much, you won’t produce as much vitamin D.

Similarly, the paler your skin is, the easier it is for absorption of the sun to take place, therefore you would have a higher production level of vitamin D.

It can be very normal to feel more tired and sluggish coming out of the long winter days. It is always a good idea to talk to a doctor to discuss your options. A blood test may be required to accurately check your vitamin D levels. The good news is, if you are deficient in vitamin D, there are a lot of ways to remedy this.

Wellness Tip: Try to get at least 20 minutes of sunlight every day. This could be taking a walk before or after work, or simply sitting outside on your lunch break. The sun is so important for our health and well-being.

Fitness Tip: While you are outside getting your Vitamin D, try this stretch. Kneel with one foot, and have the other at a right angle. Gently push your hips forward to stretch out your quad. Do this for 10-20 seconds on each side.

Easy BBQ Chicken

recipe by:Derval O'Rourke

I love a good BBQ and now that the weather is (hopefully) getting better, we’ll be able to do this a lot more! This recipe can be paired perfectly with a simple salad!

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 1 hours 5 mins

Cooking Time

 15 mins

Total Time

 1 hours 20 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 American

Ingredients

• 2 chicken fillets

• For the chicken marinade:

• 1 Tbsp dark soy

• ½ tsp crushed garlic

• 2 tsp Moroccan spice seasoning

• 2 tsp dried tarragon

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 2 tsp maple syrup

Method

1. Add the chicken and all the marinade ingredients to a bowl.

2. Marinate for at least 1 hour.

3. In the meantime, set the BBQ up.

4. Cook over a hot barbeque for 4 minutes on each side, basting the meat with the leftover marinade. Always check the chicken is perfectly cooked and that the juices run clear before serving.

5. Once cooked, serve with sides of your choice and enjoy.