October 2021 Nutrition Blog
Get Your Vitamin D Here
By - Ellen Levine, MS, RDN, EP
If you live in the northeastern United States, there is a very good chance that your serum Vitamin D is not at the optimal level. This widespread deficiency does not affect only this area of the country, or the world. In any environment, even one with sunny days most of the year, deficiencies are likely to occur in the modern world. Why is this? We synthesize Vitamin D3 in our skin by way of ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun and we tend to limit our sun exposure resulting is less being naturally produced within the body. If our sun exposure is not limited, but we wear sunblock, moisturizers, cosmetics, or clothes (which most of us do outdoors!) when we are enjoying a sunny day this blocks the skin’s ability to make the needed daily amount of Vitamin D. Protecting our skin from the sun is important since we know this will help prevent skin cancer, so we are not going to stop taking protective measures. However, allowing our skin to be unexposed daily for 30 minutes can naturally improve our serum Vitamin D3. This is certainly something you would run by your medical doctor before doing and fortunately there are other options. Food options include fatty fish like wild caught salmon, herring, mackerel and sardines, organic Vitamin D fortified milk, and egg yolks. Eating these regularly through the week will improve your D3 status. The final option is, of course, supplementation. A high-quality Vitamin D supplement taken after a meal that contains healthy fat may need to become a part of your nutrition regimen. It should be taken with a meal the contains fat since it is a fat-soluble vitamin. Remember, it does not matter what you take, it matters what you absorb and the fat aids in the absorption of the vitamin.
So, why should you do this? Vitamin D has numerous roles in throughout our entire body. From immunity to heart health, hormonal function, skeletal strength and brain growth, development, and maintenance. The impact that it has on the brain can also help with decreasing emotional stress, anxiety, depression, as well as increase focus. There are also many promising areas of research in the prevention of certain cancers. Act today to improve your Vitamin D status for a healthier tomorrow!