Five Ways to Avoid Deficiency of Vitamin D During Winters

Vitamin D helps the absorption of calcium in the body and therefore we are told to consume milk, since both, the vitamin and calcium make improve bone health. Vitamin D is naturally occurring in less food and is mostly found in food items with high levels of calcium.

The biggest source of Vitamin D remains sunlight, and just the exposure of Sun to bare skin does the trick. During winters when this source is highly reduced chances of deficiency increase, therefore regularly moving out and eating food high in vitamin D becomes a necessity because a deficiency in the vitamin can lead to issues like muscle pain, unexplained fatigue, weakness, and problems walking in an earlier stage, and deep bone pain and easy fractures increased chances of heart and vascular disease and chances of developing cancer like prostate, breast or colon cancer.

Deficiency in Vitamin D also plays a role in cognitive impairment. On the other hand, richness in the vitamin can help fight chronic conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure.

Ways to avoid deficiency in winter are-

– Vitamin D Supplement- Getting essential vitamin and nutrients in the form of supplement is recommended, you can meet a nutritionist or a doctor to get over-the-counter prescription drugs in case seriously low levels of vitamin d is found in your body.

– Exposure to the Sun- Remember that the key here is limited exposure to the sun at the idealistic hours with the least UV Rays since exposure to Ultraviolet rays could lead to problems like skin cancer. It is commonly recommended to get twenty minutes of sun exposure several times a week.

– Food choices- Some vitamin d rich foods are canned salmon, tuna, mushrooms, and milk. Some other food recommendations are soy, yogurt, orange juice, cereal, and eggs. These are easily available and can be included in our winter diet.

– Light therapy with Vitamin D lamp- for people who don’t easily get exposure to the Sun, light therapy boxes are available which work wonders on seasonal affective disorders, not all these lamps are known to raise vitamin d levels, but good research can help find the most beneficial one out there, it can be used every day.

– Cod Liver Oil- Cod liver oil consists of omega and fatty acids; it is recommended to take a spoon full of the oil which will give you the same advantage as supplements and therefore acts as a great alternative.

Vitamin D is required for proper bone functioning, maintaining our bones, teeth, and muscles. Seriously low levels of calcium can lead to problems like osteoporosis, and the deficiency aggravates in winters and therefore it is important to maintain levels during peak winters.