Getting Vitamin D with Food & Sunshine
With 300 days of sunshine each year in Colorado, we shouldn't have to worry about obtaining Vitamin D, a.k.a. "The Sunshine Vitamin". However, with our state's distance from the equator, we don't get exposure to UVB rays in the wintertime. Summer is the best time to make up for it, but today's sunscreens block UVB rays and therefore continue to reduce the body's production of Vitamin D. Low levels of Vitamin D have been known to cause numerous health problems such as:
- Weakened immune system
- Fatigue
- Respiratory ailments
- Depression
- Slow injury/wound healing
- Increased likelihood of developing Multiple Sclerosis
- Heart disease
- Osteoporosis
So what's a Coloradan to do? There's always pills available to supplement Vitamin D, but just stepping out in the sun and altering your diet can boost your body's stock of Vitamin D.
According to U.S. News & World Report,
"When the sun's UV-B rays hit the skin, a reaction takes place that enables skin cells to manufacture vitamin D. If you're fair skinned, experts say going outside for 10 minutes in the midday sun—in shorts and a tank top with no sunscreen—will give you enough radiation to produce about 10,000 international units of the vitamin."
Don't go tossing out the sunscreen (because skin cancer biopsies are not cheap), just step into your backyard or go for an afternoon stroll on your lunch break. If you struggle with gauging time, play Lynyrd Skynyrd's full version of Free Bird or The End by The Doors (if you're feeling particularly broody) as both of these songs hover just over the 10-minute mark.
As for food, there are plenty of ways to eat your way to Vitamin D production. Fish like salmon and tuna, dairy products, beef and egg yolks all contribute a healthy dose of Vitamin D. If you're vegan, add items like mushrooms, fortified soy and almond milk, and plant-based Vitamin D supplements to your grocery list.
"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" rings true in this regard. By getting a healthy amount of Vitamin D via food intake or sun exposure, you are doing your part to inhibit a wide array of health issues.
