How to get enough vitamin D
Why is it important to get enough vitamin D?
Many bodily functions need vitamin d such as our body needs vitamin d for proper calcium absorption in order to keep our bones, muscles and heart healthy and strong all the time. Vitamin d deficiency results in increased chance of having thin and brittle bones (osteoporosis) in their elderly years. Therefore, in order to keep our bones healthy, it is important to get enough vitamin D as a child and as an adult. It helps keep your bones strong as you get older and protects against possible breaks.
Vitamin D deficiency can also cause weak muscles, cramps and other muscle related problems and you may also have long-term (chronic) muscle aches and pains. Getting enough vitamin D helps prevent these problems.
According to the research vitamin d deficiency may also cause several other health related problems such as high blood pressure, cancer, and heart disease.
Recommended daily amount of vitamin D:
The recommended amount of vitamin D changes as you get older.
Children and teens = 200 to 400 IU a day.
Up to 50 = 400 to 800 IU a day.
50 or older = 800 to 1,000 IU a day.
How to get enough vitamin D?
You can get enough vitamin d from pills and drops but according to me it is not a safe method of getting vitamin D. Most of the people don’t get enough vitamin D through diet alone. Therefore, in order to fulfill your daily need you should have to rely on them.
DIET
Another way to get vitamin D is from the foods you eat.. And you would have to eat a lot of them to get 800 to 1,000 IU a day. Here are some vitamin D sources:
Eggs= approx. 20 IU found in the yolk.
Liver = A 3.5oz serving of beef liver has about 15 IU of vitamin D.
Oily fishes = 3oz gives you about 200 IU (tuna, mackerel, and salmon)
Whole milk, non fat milk = 1 cup give you about 98 IU of vitamin D
Fortified breakfast cereal = 1 cup about 40 IU.
SUNSHINE
Natural way of getting vitamin D is to get it from the sun light. Our body uses sunshine to make vitamin D, people with lighter skin need to let the sun shine on their arms and legs for 10 to 15 minutes a day for a few days a week. People with dark skin would need to spend more time in the sun.
