The Sunshine Vitamin - Are We Getting Enough?

Now that we are well into Spring, and Summer’s peering round the corner, I thought it timely to think about the Sunshine Vitamin – mostly known as D.

Theoretically, we can get all the Vitamin D we need from spending 15-30 minutes in the sun. Different seasons, air pollution, and fear of sun burns or skin cancer can hinder our ability to obtain enough Vitamin D, naturally.

Vitamin D can also be found in many foods. Egg yolks, fatty fish – like sardines and salmon, and milk are all sources for D. Including a nutritious salmon and scrambled egg combo

in our morning routine can help.

Even though we can get Vitamin D from both natural sunlight and food, studies show that less than 10 percent of women over 50 get the recommended amount of Vitamin D, which is 10 mcg daily (and 15 for women over 70), from food or sunlight alone.

Additional D-Rich Foods To Consider:

Why Should We Care?

Cell growth, inflammation reduction, bone and teeth health, and immunity are all under Vitamin D’s purview. Individuals with low levels of Vitamin D are more likely to get sick than those with higher levels. Some studies have shown that Vitamin D may help stave off conditions such as cancer, type 1 diabetes, and multiple sclerosis.

From the research, it seems pretty clear that Vitamin D is worthy of our attention. A few minutes in the sun (if you can find some), increased fish and eggs in our diet, and a good supplement should be considered.

How Do We Know If We Are Deficient? Or, Is It Menopause? Or, Both??
I researched the symptoms and found that most of them are also linked to menopause. Is this a chicken/egg quandary? Vitamin D deficiency symptoms may include:

Getting sick often
Fatigue
Painful bones and back
Muscle pain
Depressed mood
Impaired wound healing
Hair loss

See what I mean? – Not sure about anyone else, but some of these symptoms randomly appear in my life these days. Of course, the best and safest way, to be assured that we are taking the best care of ourselves is to regularly see our doctors. Well-visits are way better, in my opinion, than the alternative. Course correcting early can make a big difference in our overall health.
The problem with allowing a prolonged Vitamin D deficiency is that it can lead to obesity, hypertension, diabetes, osteoporosis, fibromyalgia, and Alzheimer’s – among others. The list was long enough that it got a little depressing. I stopped reading; made a well-visit appointment with my doc, popped a D supplement, and ate a hardboiled egg on my sunny deck. I suggest you join me.
P.S.
With nearly one in ten people currently affected by diabetes, we thought we’d share this additional, comprehensive guide created to help diabetic individuals and their caretakers prepare for travel. – “Do You or Your Travel Partner Suffer From Diabetes? Here’s What You Need to Know When Traveling Domestically”
The guide provides tips on getting doctor’s notes and packing healthy snacks in advance of travel. it also covers the importance of making flight personnel aware of the condition should an emergency arise.

Did you enjoy this article? Become a Kuel Life Member today to support our ad-free Community. Sign-up for our Sunday newsletter and get your expert content delivered straight to your inbox.