The Benefits of Vitamin D and How to Avoid Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D is one of the most important vitamins for good health, and it is also one of the cheapest and easiest needs to meet. Vitamin D has long been known to be important for your teeth and bones. More recent researchers have also discovered that it might protect you from some types of cancer and some forms of heart disease. It even appears to improve your immune system! In fact, Vitamin D appears to be important for the health of every system in your body.

Studies have found that in some parts of our country 70% of children do not have enough Vitamin D in their bodies. Vitamin D is often referred to as the sunshine vitamin, because our bodies can make it when our skin is exposed to natural sunlight. Since this is so, why is there such a lack of Vitamin D among people in our country? Many of us spend long hours indoors at work or school during the day. In the winter, especially in the northern parts of the United States, we are often covered by clothing and scarves, leaving very little skin exposed. In addition, the winter sun in northern states is weak, and not a good source of Vitamin D production. Even in the southern states, when people do go outside, their skin is often covered by sun screen, which also reduces Vitamin D production. As a result, you probably are not getting enough Vitamin D from the sun alone. What can you do to increase the amount of Vitamin D in your body?

The first and best way to increase the amount of Vitamin D in your body is completely free. Simply spend about 20 minutes a day outdoors when the sun is at its brightest. Expose your skin during this time without sunscreen, at least on your face and forearms! Your body is able to manufacture its own Vitamin D, with just a little help from natural sunshine! If you do this daily, you may be able to get all the Vitamin D you need. Unfortunately, one reason for the current deficiencies in children is because they no longer spend as much time playing outside in the sun as they did 40 years ago!

However, as mentioned above, sunshine may not be the solution for everyone. Some people live in Northern climates, where the sun may not be strong enough, especially in the winter. It may also be too cold in the winter to expose your skin for very long. In addition, you may have had skin cancer or take a medication which requires you to use sun screen all the time. What other alternatives do you have?

In addition to the sun, It is also possible to get enough Vitamin D from food sources. Fish is one source, especially salmon, tuna and sardines. Fortified milk and other dairy products, including butter, are also good sources of Vitamin D. So are eggs. Milk and many cereals are supplemented with extra Vitamin D. Cod Liver Oil has been used for generations to satisfy the need for Vitamin D. You can even purchase cod liver oil in capsule form, if you don’t like the taste.

If you aren't spending enough time in the sun, and you're not sure if you are consuming enough milk, fish, fish oil, butter and eggs, it is often a good idea to supplement your diet. Nearly all multiple vitamins contain Vitamin D, and you can also buy it separately. However you decide to get your Vitamin D, everyone should make sure that they have an adequate amount every day if they want to maintain maximum health!

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