The Sunshine Vitamin
Summer is here in full force, bringing with it all that lovely Texas heat! But did you know that spending time outside is actually a great way to help your body get enough vitamin D? Bring on the barbecues, pool days, and time in the sun!
You might have heard that vitamin D plays a role in bone health, and it certainly does! It helps our bodies absorb calcium, which is essential for strong, healthy bones. But vitamin D also plays a role in supporting a healthy immune system, and in decreasing inflammation. So, if you’re deficient in vitamin D, these areas of wellness are often weaker! Vitamin D is also one of several fat-soluble vitamins, which means dietary fat is needed for our bodies to absorb it best.
Vitamin D is an important nutrient, but it’s only found naturally in a few foods: namely fatty fish like salmon and trout, beef liver, and egg yolks. In the US, most dairy milk and milk alternatives are fortified with vitamin D, as are many ready-to-eat cereals and some brands of orange juice (make sure to check the nutrition label to see if these foods are fortified). But one of the biggest sources of vitamin D actually comes from spending time in the sun!
When we spend time outside and the sun hits our skin, the process starts of creating vitamin D from a compound naturally in our skin. Our liver and kidneys then finish the job and produce the active form of vitamin D. There are a lot of factors that impact how much time is needed to get adequate vitamin D from the sun – the season, time of day, cloud cover, skin color, age, and sunscreen use all impact the amount of vitamin D created. With all these factors at play, current literature recommends spending 5-30 minutes/day outside to get enough vitamin D.
Getting vitamin D is just one of the positive health benefits of being outside on a sunny day. Spending time outdoors has also been shown to decrease stress and cortisol levels and improve mental health. So, enjoy the sunshine (but be mindful of extra hot days) and get some vitamin D in the process! If you have any questions, we’d love for you to reach out!