As we anxiously wait for the spring flowers to start to bloom and the days to get longer, you might feel your body craving sunlight and warmth. Winter time tends to feel like it’s dragging on this time of year, and the short days and long nights don’t help! How can you feel that sunshine while you wait for winter to end? Sunny vitamin D, of course!
Vitamin D is an important vitamin for bone health, because it helps regulate calcium. Calcium the mineral we all know very well, and is most commonly associate with bone health. But without enough vitamin D, calcium can’t do its job. Vitamin D regulates calcium absorption in the body, among other duties, so it’s important to make sure to be eating good food sources to maintain the balance of the vitamins and minerals.
Some good sources of vitamin D include:
- Fish liver oils
- Fatty fish
- Eggs
- Liver, especially beef liver
- Shiitake mushrooms
When we refer to fatty fish on this list, we are talking about fish like salmon, tuna, and mackerel. Fatty fish are excellent sources of vitamin D, but also great sources of other nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids!
Vitamin D is also the sunshine vitamin! A good portion of our vitamin D intake is actually from the sun! It’s important to get outside and get some sun exposure, especially during the winter months. We know it’s hard to get outside when the world is frozen, but our body easily absorbs vitamin D from the sun. Of course, eating a few more of the foods mentioned earlier are the best way for you to boost your intake while you wait for the warmer weather!