Last Updated on January 24, 2024 by The Health Master
The sunshine vitamin: Vitamin D
The pandemic and lockdown have made all of us spend a lot of time indoors. Jogging and walking, meeting friends and a day at the beach may all have to wait, but good health needs a bit of outdoors too.
That’s right. Vitamin D, the nutrient that naturally occurs in food, is, however, mostly sourced by your body from sunlight. Vitamin D intake is recommended at 1000–4000 IU (25–100 micrograms) to maintain optimal blood levels. Staying indoors may cause a deficiency of Vitamin D which may jeopardise our good health.
Why Vitamin D?
This super nutrient has the following properties:
Builds immunity
Vitamin D increases your body’s overall resistance to diseases. Reports by the American Medical Association show that it could reduce your risk of multiple sclerosis. It also reduces your chance of developing most illnesses – the common cold to heart ailments.
Also read: Skin care: expert advice
Boosts your mental health
Research by the Journal of Internal Medicine has shown that Vitamin D might play an important role in regulating mood and warding off depression.
Great for weight loss
A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition claims that people taking daily calcium and vitamin D supplement were able to lose more weight than subjects taking a placebo supplement.
How to know if you are D-deficient?
Vitamin D deficiency can cause many health issues. Here are the major symptoms:
Tiredness, aches and pains, fatigue Severe bone or muscle pain or weakness that may cause difficulty climbing stairs or getting up from the floor or a low chair
Stress fractures, especially in your legs, pelvis, and hips
Diet is the answer
The second best way to get sufficient Vitamin D in your system (if you live in a polluted area, or do not have access to outdoors right now) is a healthy diet. Following are few food items to include in your diet:
Salmon Sardines
Egg yolk Shrimp
Milk Mushrooms
Cod liver oil
Orange juice
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