How to Get Enough Vitamin D in Winter?

Vitamin D is a very essential nutrient in the human body and in winters it is seen that the vitamin D level in the body generally goes down. It is important to understand the role of Vitamin D in the body and the risks associated with its deficiency. Considering this, here we try to understand how to get enough vitamin D in winters?

Sunlight is the main source of vitamin D but in winters as the sunlight may not be easily available or is not that effective, the body fails to produce vitamin D. Lack of vitamin D can lead to various health concerns ranging from bone disorders to eye Though there are also certain food items which can suffice the need of vitamin D to some extent. Hence, there are still effective ways to get vitamin D in winters. Let us understand how to get enough vitamin D in winters?

Here are ways to get enough vitamin D in winter from food items. Here are some of vitamin D rich food items that you should take in winters to boost the production of vitamin D in the body.

• Mushrooms – In winters mushrooms can be taken as a vitamin D food rich item since 100 grams of mushrooms contain some amount of vitamin D necessary for the body. By including these in your daily diet along with other important vitamin D rich foods, you can get enough vitamin D in winter.
• Salmon – A serving of more than 100 ounces of salmon at a particular time contains enough vitamin D which is very important for the body especially in winters. Particularly rich in protein, healthy fats and vitamins, this is a great pick to get enough vitamin D in winter.
• Oysters- ½ dozen of oysters contain approximately 60% of the daily need of vitamin D of the body. Along with a good calcium boost, oysters offer you vitamin D required for the body.
• Halibut- Halibut is a white fish which has a very mild flavor. Research says that 3 ounces of halibut has 254% of the daily need of vitamin D which is required in winters
• Shrimp- generally 6 ounces of shrimps have almost 64% of the daily vitamin needs of the body.
• Cod – in 6 ounces of Cod, the fish has approximately 18% of your vitamin D needs
• Egg- 1 large egg has 4% of the daily need of vitamin D.
• Cheese – being a vitamin D rich food can help you get enough vitamin D in winter.
• Fortified Products – Apart from other food items fortified food products like soy milk, tofu etc are very good and they have not much but few percentage of vitamin D.

You may also choose to have almond, walnuts, almond oil and seeds for a boost of healthy fats and vitamin D.

Vitamin D is typically available more in fish products and if you are someone who dislikes fish and its products, then you need to take vitamin D supplements. Talk to your doctor and get some supplements to increase production of vitamin D in the body. This is another great way to get enough vitamin D in winter.

Though there are certain food items listed above that are rich in vitamin D, but direct exposure of skin to sunlight works wonders to produce vitamin D. The human body`s natural way of producing vitamin D cannot be outpaced neither replaced by any supplement or food item. So, one must expose the skin to sunlight for at least 5-10 minutes every day. Sun light kills the cancer growth of cells and stimulates the skin to produce more vitamin D.

Vitamin D helps in many ways to prevent several illnesses and keeping you strong. Here are some of the most important roles vitamin D plays to keep you healthy. It can help prevent conditions like

• Cancers – Vitamin D helps in modulating the immune system of the body. It initiates cell proliferation, induces death of cancers cell. It also inhibits metastasis in the body. Studies conducted by the National Cancer Institute have also shown some remarkable results using the vitamin D therapy. By enhancing the rate of intake of vitamin D from 400 IU to 2000 IU. It was seen that they could reduce colon cancer rates, prostate and breast cancer also.
• High Blood Pressure – Vitamin D lowers the blood pressure by two mechanisms. It inhibits the rennin synthesis in kidney, which is substance that increases blood pressure in people. Vitamin D also helps in absorbing magnesium, which is an element known to increase heart and blood pressure disease.
• Osteoporosis – Vitamin D is very important in absorption and transportation of some major minerals involved in bone metabolism. The elements include calcium, magnesium and phosphorous. Deficiency of vitamin D leads to certain bone diseases. Some of these include osteopenia (low bone minerals in the body), osteoporosis (thinning of bones), osteomalacia (rickets in adults). In such conditions patients generally take vitamin D supplements in order to maintain the strength of bones.
• Diabetes – The deficiency of vitamin D in the body has been linked to both the type of diseases like Type 1 and 2 diabetes. Type 1 is basically an autoimmune disorder, which totally destroys the beta cells of pancreas. The type 2 diabetes involves only the low insulin levels. Sufficient level of vitamin D in the body keeps the sugar levels at optimum level.