To get enough Vitamin D in winter

In winter, getting natural vitamin D from sunlight can be a challenge. So how do you get enough Vitamin D this season?

“Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is important for maintaining minerals like calcium and phosphorus,” says Rhiannon Lambert, nutritionist and author of Re-nourish. “Vitamin D also helps with calcium absorption, which is important for building and maintaining strong bones.”

Our main source of vitamin D is sunlight, ultraviolet B rays from sunlight can be synthesized by vitamin D3, the active form of Vitamin D, when exposed to the skin.

There are four main benefits of vitamin D:

1. Helps absorb calcium and phosphorus

2. Supports bone health

3. Improve brain development and function

4. Reduce inflammation

Insufficient vitamin D can lead to defects such as rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults.

Other signs of vitamin D deficiency can be seen in common health conditions such as coughs and colds, fatigue, seasonal affective disorder, poor bone and tooth health, and low mood.

How much vitamin D we need each day is still a bit controversial. Last year Public Health England only recommended daily intakes for babies, pregnant women and older people.

However, the guidelines have now been revised and nutritionists recommend that everyone should get 10 micrograms per day. This number can vary depending on how much each person's body needs and how much the body absorbs.

So how do you get enough vitamin D when the sun isn't shining in the winter? Make sure you eat the right foods that provide the essential vitamin D.

Main food sources of Vitamin D:

Fatty fish; salmon, sardines.

Orange juice

Breakfast cereal

Red meat

Egg yolk

Tofu

Enhanced products

The vitamin D levels in the above foods will vary. We can also take vitamin D supplements during the winter. However, we need to be careful when using them because if we overdose, it will not be good for the body.

Before using additional supplements, we should see a doctor or nutritionist for a suitable prescription. Each person may have a blood test to check the level of Vitamin D needed to supplement each person.

Regardless, eating a balanced, healthy diet will help us have a stable level of nutrition that is good for our health. Always try to eat foods rich in vitamin D, nutritious, rich in nutrients such as salmon, eggs and tofu. These are also good sources of macronutrients and micronutrients for the body.

If you are still wondering whether your body has enough Vitamin D for the winter months, see your doctor for an examination and testing to change your diet appropriately and take necessary medications to help your body stay healthy.

According to Dantri