It is important to get vitamin D all year round, but how? This guide lists 5 effective methods of how to get vitamin D in the winter.
The winter is almost upon us. That means sledding, snowballs, holiday cheer, and vitamin D deficiency. Many people don’t get enough of this helpful vitamin but the problem is even worse in the Winter.
Human’s main source of vitamin D is the sun. During the winter we experience shorter days so there are fewer chances for sun exposure. Especially if you spend your day working a 9-5 in an office cubicle.
If you want to know how to get vitamin D in the winter, you’ll need to look toward other sources besides the sunshine. Check out this guide to learn what those sources are so you can stay healthy throughout the bitter cold months.
What Does Vitamin D Do and How Much of it Do You Need?
Vitamin D is also called the sunshine vitamin because the main source humans can get it from is the sun. It helps your body absorb and make use of calcium so you can have strong bones.
This helpful vitamin is also known to give your circulatory, digestive, immune, and nervous system a nice boost and improve the way they function.
In order to get the amount of vitamin D you need to function, you should get around 1000-4000 IU every single day. Especially in the winter.
It’s Crucial to Get Vitamin D in the Winter
It’s important to get a healthy dose of vitamin D all year round but in the winter, it becomes even more crucial. The reason being is that you’re more exposed to infections and diseases.
The problem with getting vitamin D in the winter is that the days are shorter during the cold months. You don’t get as much exposure to the sun so your chances of developing a deficiency are greater.
The website https://leadingvitamins.com/does-vitamin-d-boost-immune-system/ says that once you develop a deficiency it opens the body up to autoimmune diseases. To counteract this problem, try out the following methods.
1. Watch Your Diet
Perhaps the easiest way to increase your vitamin D intake is to change up your diet. Eating foods such as fatty fish, egg yolks, and fortified foods will help make up for the lack of sun you’ll be exposed to in the winter.
Fatty Fish
Fatty fish is going to be the top vitamin D enriched food. For example, eating a whole can of tuna provides about a third of the vitamin D you’ll need for the day.
The amount of vitamin D you’ll receive varies from fish to fish but the ones you can count on are, salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, anchovies, oysters, and shrimp.
Egg Yolks
Eating eggs for breakfast each morning is a delicious way to start your day with vitamin D. The number of nutrients that you can get from the eggs depends on the chicken.
You’ll get more vitamin D from the eggs of pasture-raised chickens than others because they spend most of their time outdoors soaking up the sun.
Mushrooms
Mushrooms make their own vitamin D when they are exposed to sunlight. This makes them a rich and ideal source. The amount of vitamin D you can receive from them varies from species to species.
Fortified Foods
As you can see from this small list. There aren’t many foods that contain vitamin D. That’s why it’s often added to foods during the fortification process.
Staple foods such as milk, cereal, tofu, and yogurt may all contain trace amounts of vitamin D. If you’re not sure if the product in question contains the vitamin, turn the container over to read the list of ingredients on the back.
2. Get Some Fresh Air
The sun doesn’t stick around for long during the winter but that doesn’t mean you can’t make the most of it while it is high in the sky. So, you should pencil in some outdoor time into your day.
Walk to your nearest restaurant instead of taking your car to lunch or go outside with your kids to throw snowballs around. You’ll need exposed skin in order to absorb vitamin D. On warm winter days, try to venture outside without a coat on.
3. Take a Vacation
Speaking of taking advantage of the great outdoors, why not strategically plan a vacation for the winter? Not every country around the world experiences snow and frost. Some stay warm and sunny throughout the entire year.
It may be a little expensive with the holidays right around the corner but it will help you get some vitamin D and much-needed stress relief too.
4. Reach for a Supplement
If no matter what you try you’re still experiencing vitamin D deficiency symptoms, you may need to take a supplement. Always talk to your doctor before picking up a random bottle of vitamins from the store.
A doctor can give you the crucial information you need to make sure that you get the most out of your supplements.
5. Talk to Your Doctor
It is possible to have too much of a good thing. If you take too much vitamin D, you’ll overdose and hurt yourself. Seeing a doctor before trying out the methods on this list can stop that from happening.
They’ll sit down and talk with you about your dosage and even help you find a few supplements that might work for you. Always take their opinion into account.
How to Get Vitamin D in the Winter and Stay Healthy Through the Season
People experience a vitamin D deficiency more in the winter than any other month due to lack of sunshine. The problem is you need it more in the winter in order to boost your immune system and protect yourself from infection.
Talk to your doctor to learn how to get vitamin D in the winter so you can keep tossing snowballs and making snowmen through the cold months.
Vitamin D isn’t the only thing your body needs to stay healthy during the long winter months. Check out the health & wellness section of our blog daily for more posts like this one.
Author: Darcy Reed
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