With winter comes the cold weather and the shorter days and this can threaten the integrity of our health. We need to find creative ways to get enough vitamin D in the colder months of the year. Here we bring you a set of tips of advice so you can learn about the various sources of vitamin D and how to procure them easily. It will drastically improve your quality of life.
Why is vitamin D important?
All vitamins are important and we need to make sure we get enough of them. But vitamin D is a very special one, the benefits we get from it can be life changing. It helps you prevent heart diseases and high blood pressure. Recent studies have shown that getting the necessary amount of vitamin D throughout the year can reduce the risk of strokes, prevent Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes, fight cancer, reduce the risk of developing osteoarthritis and even slow down the aging process.
Use the sun for vitamin D
The most efficient way to get all the vitamin D we need is by soaking sun rays with our skin. It’s free and abundant. We only need 15 minutes of sun hitting our bare skin in summer, our body will do the rest. The amount of time can vary depending on the amount of cloud cover, altitude and skin color. In winter, we’ll have to compensate with longer exposure to the sun. Try to stay outdoors as much as you can to increase your chances of absorbing sunlight.
Eating food for vitamin D
The sun isn’t the only source of vitamin D available. Especially in winter, when we can’t rely on sun exposure alone to get the proper amount, we can consume go ahead and certain foods that contain high doses of vitamin D. Wild salmon, for instance, is an incredible source of vitamin D, but not all people are fond of fish. Other alternatives are eggs, mushrooms and various types of milk such as almond, coconut, soy and cow’s milk. Keep a balanced diet to ensure vitamins and nutrients you need.
Include vitamin-based supplements
What if it’s still not enough vitamin D? Pay attention at the product labels of certain milk and juices that are now fortified with vitamin D and favor those more than others. You can also go to the pharmacy and ask for supplements. It might not be the most natural way to do it, but it gets the job done. Our bodies can store vitamin D, so for a time you don’t need to worry too much right away. As always, plenty of sunlight and a balanced diet will keep our bodies healthy.
Getting to know how to get enough vitamin D during the wintertime is very important to maintain the health of our bodies.