Summer's a great time to get some vitamin D

Summer is nearing. The days are longer. Sunshine is abundant.

It’s a perfect opportunity to get much-needed vitamin D.

Why is vitamin D important?

Vitamin D performs several important functions in your body. It helps your body properly absorb calcium, a necessary component of strong bones. Without healthy vitamin D levels, you won’t absorb enough calcium, which will put your body at risk for bone disease, such as osteoporosis in adults or rickets in children.

Vitamin D also contributes to healthy muscle tissue, ensuring your body can move smoothly.

The vitamin also supports healthy nerves, the parts of your body that relay messages from both your brain to the rest of your body and from your body to your brain.

Lastly, vitamin D helps support your immune system so your body can fight off sickness effectively.

If you are interested in knowing what your vitamin D levels are, you can ask your health care provider to order a blood test. Many people are deficient in vitamin D levels without knowing it, so this is a great way to check if you need to optimize your vitamin D levels through supplementing or sun exposure.

How to get vitamin D

You can get vitamin D in three main ways:

• food
• supplementing
• sunlight

Among the few foods in which vitamin D naturally occurs are egg yolks, saltwater fish, and liver. Because of the limited number of foods that naturally contain vitamin D, some foods, such as cereal, milk, and yogurt, are fortified with vitamin D. This means companies add vitamin D to these foods when they are being processed.

Supplementing is another way to increase vitamin D levels.

Many multivitamins include vitamin D. You can also get vitamin D-only supplements in pill and drop forms. If you want to start supplementing with vitamin D, it’s a good idea to check with your health care provider to determine exactly how much vitamin D you should be taking each day. Your personal vitamin D requirements will depend on your age and other factors, such as pregnancy, breastfeeding, or other health conditions, such as celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis, that may affect your ability to absorb vitamin D. Too much vitamin D can even cause heart palpitations.

Walking in sunshine

The most common cause of vitamin D deficiency is lack of exposure to the sun. When your body is exposed to sunlight, the active form of vitamin D, called calcitriol, is formed in your skin.

It’s important to note that while sun exposure is a great way to increase your vitamin D levels, you need to protect yourself from overexposure, which can cause sunburn and skin damage. Be smart about wearing sunscreen and protective layers.

Some health care professionals believe that you can get enough vitamin D through 15 minutes of sunlight three times a week.

How to boost vitamin D levels through sun exposure

Here are five fun outdoor ideas to boost your vitamin D levels that are great options for you and the whole family:

1. Go for a walk. This is an activity you can do every day. It’s simple and doesn’t require much preparation. Plus, the health benefits of walking aren’t limited to vitamin D absorption. Get some exercise and give yourself a vitamin D boost at the same time.
2. Garden. This activity not only exposes you to the sun, but you can grow some greens (spinach and kale have some vitamin D, for instance) and incorporate them into your family’s diet.
3. Have a picnic. Pack some food, invite some friends and family, enjoy the weather, and get some sunshine.
4. Shop at a local farmer’s market. You can support local agribusinesses, connect with those in your community, and boost your vitamin D levels all at the same time.
5. Hike. Hiking is a great opportunity to spend time enjoying creation, plus it’s another activity you can include the whole family in.

You’ll find that by making time to pursue these outdoor activities, not only will you be boosting your vitamin D levels, you’ll also be supporting your overall well-being through exercise, fresh air, and time with family.