Are You Getting Enough of the Sunshine Vitamin?

Often referred to as the “sunshine vitamin,” vitamin D has made headlines in recent years for its possible health benefits. According to some reports, a deficiency of this vitamin is implicated in numerous serious health conditions such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, dementia, Alzheimer’s and more.

When your vitamin D level is optimized, you may be able to reduce your risk for those conditions as well as avoid cold and flu viruses.

So how do you get sufficient vitamin D? According to the Vitamin D Council, exposing your bare skin to sunlight and taking vitamin D supplements are the only two ways to get the vitamin D your body needs.

Here Comes the Sun

Of course, sunshine is a free and easy way to get sufficient vitamin D, but one study found that the use of sunscreen can reduce vitamin D formation by as much as 99 percent. Too much sun can result in sunburn, which could lead to skin cancer. You never need to tan or burn to get adequate vitamin D from sunlight. Small daily doses of vitamin D from the sun are best.

The amount of vitamin D you get when exposing your skin to the sun depends on several factors. These are the time of day, where you live, the color of your skin and the amount of skin you expose.

Other Sources of Vitamin D

Although getting enough vitamin D from your diet is unlikely,  the following do provide small amounts.

• Eggs, particularly the yolk
• Beef liver
• Fatty Fish including salmon, tuna and mackerel
• Fortified milk, bread and cereal products

How Much Should I Take?

According to the Vitamin D Council, it’s advisable to take 5,000 IU of Vitamin D3 daily if you’re unable to get vitamin D from safe and sensible exposure to the sun. Ensuring you’re getting enough vitamin D can be simple and inexpensive (if not free). At your next visit, let’s talk about how optimi[z]ed levels of vitamin D, along with regular chiropractic care, may help maximize your health potential.