Empower Your Health: Embrace the Sunshine Vitamin This Winter!

Vitamin D (also referred to as calciferol), is a fat-soluble vitamin that is naturally present in a few foods and available as a dietary supplement. It is also produced endogenously when ultraviolet (UV) rays from sunlight strike your skin and trigger vitamin D synthesis; that is why vitamin D is often called "the sunshine vitamin." This vitamin is essential for strong bones, as it helps your body keep calcium and phosphorus which are the key building blocks for bones. It can slow down the growth of tumor cells, fight off infections, and ease inflammation. Let us explore this nutrient in more detail!

Factors influencing Vitamin D production:

Here is what can lower your skin's Vitamin D3 production:

• Using sunscreen is great for protecting against sunburn but can cut down Vitamin D absorption by over 90%.

• Covering up with clothes from head to toe.

• Not spending much time outside.

• Darker skin–as the melanin pigment acts like a natural sunscreen.

• Aging–getting older because your skin changes, and you might not go outdoors as much.

• Living far from the equator where UVB rays are weaker for several months a year. In these places, people can't get enough Vitamin D from the sun for parts of the year. 

Remember, even though the sun helps with Vitamin D, too much can increase the risk of skin cancer. So, it's a balancing act – enjoy the sun, but be careful not to overdo it, and maybe skip the tanning beds altogether. Stay safe while you soak up what you need!

Dietary Sources of Vitamin D:

If you want to boost your vitamin D through meals, there are a few options mentioned below:

• Cod liver oil (if you're okay with the taste!)

• Yummy salmon

• Adventure with swordfish

• Classic tuna fish

• Orange juice that's fortified with vitamin D

• Dairy or plant milk is also fortified with vitamin D

• Sardines, for a quick snack or salad topping

• Beef liver for the brave

• Egg yolks – think breakfast omelets

• Cereals 

So, next time you are grocery shopping, keep an eye out for these foods; mix and match these options to keep your vitamin D levels and meals interesting!

Vitamin D Supplements:

Sunlight is the most natural way of getting your Vitamin D, but unfortunately, everyone might not get it. So, if you are not getting enough sunlight, a vitamin D3 supplement could help you boost your vitamin D, especially during this winter!

Vitamin D Deficiency:

If you don’t get enough Vitamin D or are not a fan of milk, eggs, and fish, or if you are vegan or lactose intolerant, you are more likely to run low on Vitamin D, ending in vitamin D deficiency.

Here's who else needs to be more cautious:

• If you have gut issues like Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, your body might struggle to absorb Vitamin D since it needs dietary fat.

• If you are dealing with obesity, your body might store Vitamin D in fat tissues, making it hard to use. Losing weight can raise your Vitamin D levels.

• Had gastric bypass surgery? It might affect your Vitamin D absorption since the surgery changes parts of your small intestine.

If you are not vigilant, you will end up with vitamin D deficiency resulting in rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. Kids might develop rickets, which make their bones soft and cause skeletal deformities, while adults can get osteomalacia, where bones get weak and soft, but not to worry; Vitamin D3 supplements can fix this. This deficiency differs from the condition called osteoporosis, where bones become porous and brittle and are harder to reverse. So, watch your Vitamin D to keep those bones strong and healthy!