If you’re like many Americans, you don’t spend enough time outside or, when you do go outside, you use sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher. Though that is good for your skin, it does put you at risk for a Vitamin D deficiency, a.k.a. “hypovitaminosis D”.
Over time, this can lead to lower moods, increased risk of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, cognitive impairment later in life, and even cancer! But don’t worry: Neighbors Emergency Center is here with some simple solutions.
More and more, studies are linking a lack of vitamin D with depression and cognitive disorders like alzheimer’s. In order to combat this and ensure a long and happy life, drink milk! Most milks are now fortified with vitamin D (even some cereals are, too), so they provide a natural source of the vitamin that also helps bolster your bones, too.
Good news for those who may be lactose intolerant, vegan, or prefer something other than regular milk: Soymilk, almond milk, and rice milk are also high in vitamin D.
The fatty fats of your body work like solar panels in that they absorb vitamin D from the sun and only release it when they don’t detect sunlight. Just 6 days of casual sun exposure can make up for 49 days of non-exposure; however, even SPF 15 reduces your vitamin D synthesis capacity by 98%.
Be smart about the time you spend in the sun. Vitamin D helps the body absorb and process calcium, phosphorus, zinc, iron, and magnesium and you get 80 – 95% of it from sun exposure. Take a walk around the neighborhood, go to the park, or just lay on the grass and relax for 15 minutes this weekend! Every little bit helps.
A well known and easy source of vitamin D are fishes rich in Omega 3 oils like salmon, tuna, trout, or even eel (if you’re the adventurous type). What many people don’t realize is that egg yolks, tofu, and portobello mushrooms are also extremely good sources of vitamin D.
So whether you’re a rugged outdoors person, a couch enthusiast, or somewhere in between, having vitamin D in your life is a simple way to elevate your quality of life and prevent hardships later in life.
As a few bonus facts: vitamin D also helps boost your immune system, can be found in various juices, and can even help treat and prevent type 1/type 2 diabetes and multiple sclerosis. With so many wonderful benefits and it being much more readily available these days in sources other than the sun, no one has an excuse to be vitamin D deficient!