Are you getting enough vitamin D this winter?
Vitamin D plays an important role in our overall health. It aids in calcium absorption, which is important for keeping our bones strong and healthy. This is especially important for young children when they are still growing and in preventing osteoporosis in later life. It also plays a large role in muscle function, our nervous system and our immune system, which is responsible for protecting us from bugs and helping to fight infections. Furthermore, a drop in vitamin D levels in winter, when there is less sunlight, has been linked to a drop in our mood, hence the term “winter blues”.
So how do we get vitamin D?
We can get some through what we eat, but not in the quantities our body needs e.g. oily fish such as salmon and tuna, eggs yolks and liver
Eating food that has been fortified with Vitamin D, many cereals, milk and juices have vitamin D
added.
Getting 10 minutes of sun exposure on bare skin per day, without using sunscreen (but take care not to burn).
Taking a good quality supplement.
Exercising daily – researchers at Harvard School of Public Health found that 3 hours of exercise per week significantly increased Vitamin D levels
So make sure you are getting enough vitamin D and stay healthy this winter.
References:
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/chomistek-exercise-vitamin-d-heart-risk/
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/vitamins-minerals/Pages/Vitamin-D.asp
http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20504538,00.html
