The vitality of vitamin sea

I am going to give you a health tip: whenever you can, schedule regular time at the sea.

It really will help you, no matter what your health and fitness goal is. Think about it – what place did you most want to visit after lockdown restrictions were lifted?  If you are like most people in the UK, you wanted to get to the beach (if your answer was the pub, I have a hypothesis as to why you can’t lose that extra weight!).  I am not surprised.  It represented all that we had missed; a vast, beautiful space that made us feel so free and alive. 

SEA-ING IS BELIEVING: the peace and beauty of the seaside is a wonderful tonic for most people.

It got me thinking, what is it about the sea that makes us feel so much better?  Well, interestingly, there is a heck of a lot of scientific evidence that proximity to water – especially the sea – can transform a person's physical and mental health. It can tangibly increase crucial Vitamin D levels in your body, crush anxiety and even help you to beat stress (a huge enemy to weight loss and muscle growth). 

An extensive 2013 study on happiness in natural environments examined people's sense of well-being in random environments, from shopping centres and other urban spots to natural places including green (parks, forests, fields) and blue spaces (sea, rivers, lakes, etc).  The study worked by prompting 20,000 smartphone users to record their sense of well-being and their immediate environment at random intervals. By a big margin, coastal spaces were found to be the happiest places to be.  

WALKING TALL: a good stroll on the beach is great for the soul, mind – and body.

If you live too far away from the beach to get there on a regular basis, don’t worry, there is good news on that front. Numerous studies show that rivers, lakes, streams, and even fountains have a positive effect on your well-being.  

Contrary to much of the marketing in the health and fitness industry right now, you don’t need to take out a second mortgage to get healthy.

Until next time, stay healthy.

Ex-Marine, Mark Ames, is the director of Taunton-based Pure Performance Personal Training