It's that time of year where we lose an hour of sunlight, the time of year to make sure you are getting enough vitamin D through nutrition. During these late fall and winter months in the northern latitudes, the sun does not get high enough in the sky for UBV rates to penetrate the atmosphere and reach your skin. This is important because our skin relies on the sunshine to produce vitamin D. It is important to obtain adequate vitamin D levels because Vitamin D can help important roles and factors in the body.
There are three ways to obtain vitamin D; through sunlight, specific foods, and supplements. Exposing your skin is the easiest way to obtain vitamin D; however, we don’t all have access to sunshine all year round! Vitamin D can also be obtained through food, although it is difficult to fulfill the vitamin levels needed this way. It is very common that doctors provide a vitamin D supplement during these sunless months. Many foods today have added vitamin D to them so be mindful when you are shopping, read the nutrition labels to see the levels of vitamin D contained, if any.
Check out what foods you can contribute to your diet to make sure you are getting adequate vitamin d this winter!
Vitamin D is a bit different than other common vitamins; it is created by the body. The vitamin must be transformed by the body before it can provide its benefits. The body produces vitamin d when our skin is exposed to adequate sunlight. There is a chemical in the body’s skin that turns into vitamin D3 when it receives the sun’s energy. Vitamin D3 is then carried through to the liver and to the kidneys to be transformed into active vitamin D. Calcium absorption is one of the major role of this vitamin. This helps the body build strong bones and ward off osteoporosis. As an athlete, strong bones and good bone density is important to minimize fractures. Proper immune and muscle function also rely on vitamin D. So to all my fellow athletes out there, double check your food intake and make sure you are eating vitamin d rich foods to stay strong and healthy over the next few months.
For more in depth info on the importance of this vitamin, take a read through either of the links below.