Vitamin D is an essential vitamin in the body. Having enough of it helps you keep your bones and teeth strong.
Vitamin D deficiency is a problem that is affecting people on a public and global scale. In fact, recent studies show that more than 16% of the total global population is deficient in vitamin D. Yet, there are easy and effective ways of boosting your vitamin D levels. This article is your informant. It shares some of the easy and effective ways through which you can boost your vitamin D levels.
Spend time in the morning sunshine
You probably have heard people referring to vitamin D as the sunshine vitamin. This is because vitamin D is mostly produced when your body is exposed to sunshine, hence the name. Naturally, the body has a unique form of cholesterol which serves as a precursor to vitamin D. Upon exposure to sunshine, the body converts the cholesterol precursor to vitamin D. Studies show that the vitamin D produced from sunlight is more helpful than that obtained from dietary supplements or foods.
Try more mushrooms
The other thing that will definitely improve the circulation of vitamin D in the body is taking more mushrooms. Research suggests that taking in mushrooms is one of the ways of boosting vitamin D in the body, as these fungi have a lot of vitamin D. Interestingly, mushrooms are the only vegetarian source of vitamin D. Some types like the shiitake and maitake mushrooms have pretty higher amounts of vitamin D.
Of course, both mushrooms and human beings can make vitamin D. While humans make vitamin D3, mushrooms make vitamin D2. Both are helpful and boost the vitamin D levels in the body, but research gives more credit to vitamin D3 for heightening vitamin D circulation in the body. However, when mushrooms and humans are compared, mushrooms can supply as much as three times vitamin D humans make. That’s why eating mushrooms helps boost vitamin D levels in the body. In fact, UV-treated mushrooms can do a wonderful job raising the body’s vitamin D levels. The only crucial reminder as you go about buying mushrooms is that some varieties can be exposed to poisonous substances or themselves are poisonous, and so you have to choose a reputable vendor from whom you will be getting your mushrooms. Otherwise, wild mushrooms are a better alternative.
Concentrate on seafood and fatty fish
Besides eating mushrooms and spending some time basking in the sun for vitamin D, eating fatty fish and seafood will help you boost your vitamin D levels. This will also help on their circulation. One thing you definitely appreciate about fatty fish is that they help boost your omega-3 levels, helping you develop cognitive abilities. Yet, alongside seafood, fatty fish help boost vitamin D levels. One study found out that taking 100g of canned fish, such as salmon, adds up about 50% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin D, which is approximately 386 UI.
You have to remember that the benefits you can get in seafood usually vary depending on several things. One such factor is the type of seafood. While you will be able to extract about 100% of the vitamin D offered by wild-caught salmon, you can only get 25% from farm-caught salmon. Still, there is a handful of options you can benefit from, and these include anchovies, mackerel, sardines, oysters, and shrimps.
Try egg yolks
Including egg yolks in your diet will also help you boost your body’s vitamin D levels and vitamin circulation. Like in the case of fatty fish and seafood, some factors affect the amount of vitamin D harbored by the egg-producing animals. For instance, the type of farming. Chicken left to roam freely or feed on pasture can provide as much as 20% of the RDI. However, the in-house chicken that rarely roam outside may only harbor 2-5% of the RDI of vitamin D. In addition, the type of feed you put your poultry on also matters. If you enrich them with vitamin D, you may reap as much as 100% of the RDI of vitamin D.
Have UV lamps
UV-B emitting lamps might be expensive, but yet a good way of boosting the vitamin D levels in the body and taking its circulation to another level. UV-B rays from these lamps have a way of imitating the action of the sun’s rays on your body, turning the cholesterol precursor to vitamin D. This happens as soon as the body interacts with the UV radiation from the lamp. As you use these lamps, you should take care not to burn your skin by ensuring that you do not stay under the lamps for more than 15minutes per session. The functionality of UV lamps has helped people with skin conditions for a long time. Boosting vitamin D is the newest role in the market and has the full backing of scientists.
Take vitamin D supplements
The other way to increase your vitamin D is by taking vitamin D supplements. There are two types of supplements; vitamin D2 supplements (with vitamin D from plants) and vitamin D3 supplements (with vitamin D from animals). Although both forms are good, vitamin D3 supplements receive more credit. Therefore, you can look for such supplements to increase your vitamin D levels. As you source the supplements, focus on those tested by third parties such as Informed Choice, US Pharmacopeia (USP), and Banned Substances Control Group (BSCG). Third-party testing ensures that the supplements meet the set standards of safety for use.
Try fortified foods
Vitamin D does not occur naturally in plants, except in mushrooms. Thus, it is added to the staples in a process known as fortification. Fortified foods will boost vitamin D levels and increase how the vitamin circulates in the body. There are many fortified food options, and these include ready-to-eat cereals, tofu, some yogurt brands, orange juice, and cow’s milk.
The Bottom Line
Vitamin D is undoubtedly one of the nutrients the body needs, and not having enough of it may lead to deficiency diseases such as rickets. Still, many people suffer from vitamin D deficiency. This article has shared even easy and effective ways to boost your vitamin D levels, and these include spending time basking in the sun, supplementing with vitamin D, eating egg yolk & mushrooms, and using UV lamps.
Ksenia Sobchak enjoys blogging on fashion, style, lifestyle, love and CBD areas. Prior to becoming a blogger, Ksenia worked for a renowned fashion brand. Ksenia is a contributing author to leading fashion, lifestyle and CBD magazines and blogs. You can bump into Ksenia at her favourite cafe in South Kensington where she has written most blogs. Ksenia is a staunch advocate of CBD and its benefits to people. Ksenia is also on the panel of CBD reviewers at CBD Life Mag and Chill Hempire. Her favourite form of CBD are CBD gummies and CBD tinctures. Ksenia is a regular contributor at leading fashion, lifestyle as well as CBD magazines and blogs.
- NOVICA: A Journey of Empowerment and Cultural Preservation - July 29, 2023
- BocaHeal: Empowering Your Journey to Optimal Health - June 10, 2023
- Custom Made Boots for the Perfect Fit: Fillies and Boots - June 7, 2023
