Sunny holidays can boost immune system over winter months

At this time of year the summer tan is starting to well and truly wear off and the next holiday seems a long way away.

While it may mean you are starting to look a little paler than usual, there could also be some health problems caused by a lack of sunlight and vitamin D, which can be resolved by a winter holiday in the sun.

During the winter months, the angle of the sun means there is not enough of the right type of light reaching the body, particularly in northern Europe.

There has been research that suggests a lack of vitamin D, which is caused when people are not exposed to enough sunlight, may explain higher rates of heart disease in northern countries such as Scotland.

Scientists from the University of Kansas who analysed the records of more than 10,000 hospital patients found seven out of ten were deficient in vitamin D.

While it is possible to correct a deficiency with vitamin supplements, simply taking a winter break somewhere sunny can help boost your body's immune system, and of course give you a healthy complexion.

Andrew Johnson, herbalist and nutritional therapist, noted that vitamin D deficiency is very common in between January and March, with researching pointing to the fact that more people pick up minor illnesses and infections at this time of year.

He noted that a very high percentage of people will be vitamin D deficient if they take the time to get it checked.

Mr Johnson went on to note that taking a sunny winter holiday would be a "very good thing" as it can help support immunity from minor ailments, such as colds and sniffles.

"This time of year, if you had to do one thing, that would probably be one of the most important things to do," he concluded.