If you were affected by the MASSIVE thunderstorm yesterday, otherwise know as #demonWeather you were not alone! The safest (and quickest) way to get to your destination was to run, walk, crawl or row your way there. In fact you may have needed a flashlight it was so dark! I was tempted to write about “Training in the Dark” 😉

Part of living a healthy life is to make sure you are getting vitamins and minerals in your body needs in order to function. Three major ones are D, and B complex, Calcium. Each of these play a critical role in helping you fight illness, fatigue and stress.

Vitamin D. Technically its not a vitamin. But we all call it Vitamin D, so for the sake of this post we will stick w/ what people know. People typically know that Vitamin D comes from the Sun (beach anyone?) and milk, and assume they are getting enough. But most of us don’t spend hours in the sun nor do we drink 50 glasses of milk- A DAY. A lack of Vitamin D has been linked to heart disease, stroke, hypertension, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, depression, chronic pain, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, muscle wasting, birth defects, periodontal disease, and more.The best way is to get a blood test to see if you are deficient.

B Complex. This is also known as Stress B Complex, because Vitamin B is more then just one B. It is B1, B2, B3, etc. B complex helps manage stress. It also helps support and increase metabolism, maintain healthy skin and muscle tone, support the immune & nervous system. Stay away from processed foods (that would mean cupcakes:)). Eat whole wheat pasta, potatoes, peppers, beans, turkey and tune. B12 is not found in a vegan diet, so make sure you take a supplement

Calcium. This is another important mineral to make sure you get in your diet. You don’t just need Calcium for strong bones and healthy teeth, but to ensure proper functioning of muscles and nerves. Did you know it even helps your blood clot? Beside the usual suspects like milk, cheese and yogurt, try eating broccoli, kale, okra (this is one of my favorite veggies!!!) and even nuts.

So thanks to the storms, this weekend should be cooler. Which means there is no reason not to get out and sweat outdoors! Try kayaking on the Potomac. Ride your bike on the Mount Vernon Trail. Do yoga with a friend on the Mall (and because we live in DC we know that doesn’t mean the shopping mall:)). Get up and be active!

Have a great weekend! And take your vitamins like Sarah told you to 🙂

Sarah Stanley is a sarcastic ultra marathoner who enjoys running, yoga and dreaming of visiting Australia. Follow her on Twitter @sarahstanley or visit www.sarahstanleyinspired.com