Increasing Your Vitamin D Intake

Vitamin D is frequently referred to as the “sunshine vitamin” because your body creates it through direct exposure to the sun. If you don’t get enough direct sunlight, your body can’t process enough vitamin D. And in the northern parts of the country, it’s just not possible to get enough vitamin D through sunlight alone for much of the year. Fortunately, there are other ways to get vitamin D. Vitamin D is found in some (but not many) foods, including certain species of fatty fish like sardines and mackerel, as well as in eggs and liver (many people remember taking cod liver oil as a child, and it’s still a good idea). Organic dairy products fortified with vitamin D can also help meet the requirement (as long as you’re not sensitive to dairy). And of course, vitamin D supplements are a lifesaver for many people. But why is vitamin D so important to health? Turns out it can help protect your body from a whole host of diseases. Read more…