Heading in to winter and a few months of chilly weather, it’s easy for us to miss out on our Vitamin D intake. There may not be a lot of sunshine about, or the idea of spending time outdoors in the cold is not your thing! Normally our body takes in Vitamin D in the form of sun-synthesis through the skin, but during the colder months we may spend countless hours inside and our actual exposure to the sun is limited. This fact may be a principle cause of many ailments, including depression.
For this reason, it is very important to have a diet high in Vitamin D.
What are the health benefits of Vitamin D?
- Prevention of chronic diseases such as many forms of cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension
- Protection and lubrication of your bones, teeth and hair
- Regulation of cellular growth and healthy cell activity
- Overall reduction of the inflammatory response – a condition known to cause many chronic diseases, from cancer to diabetes to obesity
- Protection against adult osteoporosis
- Reduction in the risk of breast cancer in post menopausal women.
How best to fix this? Through our diet! Here is a list of foods containing Vitamin D, as well as some great potential benefits of the vitamin.
Shiitake and Button Mushrooms
Surprisingly, the dried versions of shiitake mushrooms are high in Vitamin D, due to the fact that these mushrooms are adept at sucking up sunlight. Make sure you find mushrooms that have been dried in the sun, rather than by some artificial means though.
Salmon
A small 100g portion of this Omega-3 rich fish will give you 90 percent of the recommended daily intake for Vitamin D. Make sure you buy salmon that has been caught from the wild or sustainably farmed.
Sardines
Sardines are one of the best foods containing Vitamin D. One small can of sardines will provide you with approximately 70 percent of your daily needs, as well as being a great source of Vitamin B12, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, protein and selenium.
Cod Liver Oil
Despite its “strong” aroma, this oil is super-rich in sunlight Vitamin D. If you can stomach the terrible-tasting oil – just one tablespoon a day – you’ll get more than enough of your daily dose of Vitamin D. It also helps you increase the ability of your bones to stay strong and healthy, and has been shown to prevent osteoporosis in adults, improve brain function and optimise the functioning of the nervous system.
Eggs
Eggs are another food containing Vitamin D in small amounts – one egg will provide you with about 10 percent of your daily needs. Remember to buy free range.
If you are finding the winter months long, with too much time indoors and maybe a little too much indulgence in “comfort” foods, consider a juice cleanse delivered to your door in and around Geelong and Melbourne. Press restart on your health and wellbeing with a juice cleanse, and then once completed remember to incorporate the foods mentioned above to ensure you get your daily Vitamin D dose!
