7 Ways To Increase Your Vitamin D
Vitamin D is key to practically all the processes carried out by the body. Although it’s best known for strengthening the health of bones and muscles, reducing the risk of cancer, autoimmune diseases, or heart problems, it can do so much more for your overall health. In short, this particular vitamin will help lengthen your life. Therefore, let me tell you the best 7 vitamin D tips for ensuring you’re getting enough of this vitamin in your body.
Sun exposure, of course!
There are several ways in which you can obtain the daily vitamin D that your body needs, although the main source is through sun exposure. The skin can produce this important vitamin simply by being in direct contact with sunlight; in general, it takes between 10 and 20 minutes of exposure in summer and two hours in winter for your skin to synthesize the amount that your body needs.
Consume salmon
You might have heard that eating fatty fish such as salmon, anchovy, mackerel, or herring is one of the best ways to top up on this vitamin. This is true – just a single serving of salmon provides you with up to 100% of the recommended daily amount. For this reason, experts recommend including these fish in your diet 2 or 3 times a week, although check with your doctor first if you are overweight or pregnant.
Include egg yolks in your diet
Although fatty fish are the foods that contain, by far, the highest amounts of this vitamin, eggs, specifically the yolk, can also help increase the vitamin D levels in your body. There is a lot of research that indicates that consumption of at least half an egg daily could prevent many health issues in schoolchildren between 9 and 12 years of age.
Take cod liver oil
This oil is not only rich in vitamin D but also offers multiple other health benefits. It strengthens the tissues, protects the vision, promotes better digestion, and has also been linked to improving depression. As with any other supplement, if you want to take cod liver oil, you should check with a medical professional first.
Eat more mushrooms
It has been proved that, like the body, mushrooms exposed to the sun for 30 to 60 minutes transform ultraviolet rays into vitamin D, which, crucially, is not lost when cooked. However, the levels of this vitamin in mushrooms are usually moderate, well below those of the fish mentioned above.
Snack on walnuts
Walnuts can be a great addition to the diet, as they play a key role in protecting cell membranes, which therefore improves the condition of the skin and hair. They’re a great source of nutrients, and easy to incorporate into meals and snacks.
Take supplements
You could also boost your levels of vitamin D by consuming multivitamins, fortified foods, and dietary supplements. The best option, if you think you have a deficiency of this vitamin, is to consult your doctor about which products are most suitable, and the frequency with which you should take them.
If you have a vitamin D deficiency and follow our advice, you can fix this issue easily. For more Vitamin D tips, contact me via my website.