Get your daily dose of Vitamin D

Do you feel tired often? Have you been trying to lose weight but are unable to? It would be a good idea to get your Vitamin D level tested. Vitamin D deficiency is more common than we can imagine, even though we live in a country where we get ample sunlight. The fact is most of us spend more time indoors than outdoors. It is also a fact that people with dark skin tend to assimilate and process Vitamin D from the sun much less due to pigmentation. The deficiency can result in obesity, diabetes, hypertension, depression, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, osteoporosis and neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's. Vitamin D deficiency, it is thought, may also contribute to development of cancers, especially in breast, prostrate and colon.
Addressing this problem is not as simple or straightforward. Neither does it mean that you can get away by popping supplements. So, what do you do to prevent it?
Before we answer that question, it is important to note that Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin and is different from other nutrients because our bodies can make most of what we need with exposure to sunlight. It also plays an important role in calcium absorption into the bones. I have drawn a list of food items that could help boost the level of Vitamin D in your body. So take a look, and get started!
Fatty fish
Be it salmon, trout, mackerel, tuna or eel, all of them are a great source of Vitamin D. In fact, a three-ounce salmon fillet contains about 450 international units of Vitamin D. Daily recommended units of Vitamin D are 600 IU, or 800 IU if you are above 70 years of age.
Mushrooms
Some mushrooms have the capacity to produce Vitamin D when exposed to ultraviolet light. Mushrooms, however, are grown in the dark and hence don't contain enough of the vitamin. Some are grown in ultraviolet light to spur Vitamin D production. This is a great option for vegans and vegetarians looking for plant-based foods that contain the vitamin.
Fortified orange juice
Not a dairy fan? No reason to worry. An eight-ounce glass of fortified juice usually has around 100 IUs of Vitamin D. However, the amount varies from brand to brand.
Fortified soya milk or almond milk
Many manufacturers have started fortifying dairy and non-dairy milk with Vitamin D and calcium. Those are the ones to go for if you have been diagnosed with a Vitamin D deficiency. Make sure you always read the label in case you are a strict vegan.
Considering all the ailments that can result due to the lack of Vitamin D, it makes sense to get those vitamin levels checked with your medical practitioner and address the issue as soon as possible. Getting some sun whilst away from your desk for 30 minutes each day would not be a bad idea either.
wknd@khaleejtimes.com