When most people think of vitamin D, it probably conjures up images of milk. And while this is a major source of the vitamin for people in this country, it\u2019s not the only source and far from the best. Before we delve into how to get your daily dose of vitamin D, let\u2019s first talk about why we need it.<\/p>\n
Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin. This means when consumed, a fat source needs to be present in order for the body to properly absorb the nutrient. Remember this, as it will come back later as a critical consideration for your food sources of vitamin D.\u00a0 There are actually a couple forms of vitamin D, D2 being the plant source and D3 being the animal source. Without going into too much detail, these forms are metabolized by the liver and kidneys, and converted into the active form of vitamin D that our body actually uses. What does it use it for, you might ask? Well, a load of things.<\/p>\n
First, vitamin D is critical in the regulation of gene expression. It also stimulates cell differentiation. In other words, vitamin D is necessary to help our cells become the type of cells they\u2019re supposed to be (organ, tissue, bone, heart, liver, brain, etc.).\u00a0 Vitamin D also plays a crucial role in the bone mineralization process by regulating calcium and phosphate homeostasis.\u00a0 I know, that was a lot of technical jargon. Essentially, if the levels of calcium in the blood stream become low, vitamin D helps to increase these levels by increasing calcium absorption in the intestines from our food, encouraging less calcium excretion by the kidneys, and even mobilizing calcium from the bone.\u00a0 Finally, vitamin D plays a significant role as an immune system modulator, helping to ensure the immune system is working as it should.<\/p>\n
Ok, so what happens when our vitamin D levels are low? Well, first,\u00a0 our bone health is compromised, as calcium is not able to be regulated and maintained as it should be, leaving the bones open to deterioration and breakdown, leading to osteoporosis.\u00a0 Some studies have found an increased risk for colorectal and breast cancer when vitamin D levels are low.\u00a0 There have also been findings to suggest a strong correlation between vitamin D status and one\u2019s susceptibility to or the severity of autoimmune disorders like diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis.\u00a0 This means that as vitamin D levels go down, the risk of these diseases and the severity of them goes up. Given vitamin D\u2019s close relationship with our immune system, this isn\u2019t necessarily surprising.\u00a0 Even on a less severe level like a full-out autoimmune disorder, a vitamin D deficiency can compromise the immune system and lead to an inappropriate immune response.<\/p>\n
Fine, so where do we get our vitamin D? Unfortunately, there are very few food sources of vitamin D. The best sources include cod liver oil, swordfish, canned tuna, salmon, and egg.\u00a0 Yes, milk does contain vitamin D, but mostly because it is fortified with it. That means the manufacturer adds synthetic vitamin D into the milk, essentially creating a sort of \u201csupplement\u201d.\u00a0 And remember when we said that vitamin D is fat soluble? Well, that\u2019s super important here, because more and more people are drinking skim milk. What doesn\u2019t skim milk have? Fat! Which means if you\u2019re drinking a big old glass of skim milk in the hopes of getting some vitamin D, well, you\u2019re unlikely to be doing the body much good, as without the milk fat, that vitamin D isn\u2019t really getting absorbed. So, if your main source of vitamin D is milk, I recommend AT LEAST 1%. Ok, so if vitamin D is so important to your health, why are there so few ways to get it? Well, Mother Nature seems to know what she\u2019s doing. While food sources may be limited, our body actually has the unique ability to MAKE vitamin D, all by itself, just add sunlight. Our skin uses the UV rays from the sun to synthesize our own vitamin D. So, the best source of vitamin D? 10-15 minutes per day of good sun exposure \u2013 as much bare skin as possible, no sunscreen or shade.\u00a0 It\u2019s not enough to get burned, but plenty to re-fill your vitamin D tanks on a daily basis. And, there\u2019s no danger of toxicity like there is if you overdo it on the vitamin D supplements.<\/p>\n
So, kill two birds with one stone; go out for a walk, burn some calories, and make some vitamin D at the same time.\u00a0 Remember, our goal at CoreLife isn\u2019t just to merely change your weight, but to change your health. Nutrition and exercise are essential components for both of those goals. It\u2019s always nice when you can do both at once!<\/p>\n
Aubrey Phelps MS RDN<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
When most people think of vitamin D, it probably conjures up images of milk. And while this is a major source of the vitamin for people in this country, it\u2019s…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":1652,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[7],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n