Prathiba Roy
Sunglasses, sunscreen lotions, scarfs, sun coats and what not! We have so many things and products in the market to save ourselves from the Sun. Even though we know that it is one of the major sources of Vitamin D.
The internet is full of articles, blogs, research papers and websites speaking about the vitality of Vitamin D for our body. This blog is no different. It is just another attempt to propagate to the world that Vitamin D is the one that’s extremely important and utmost necessary for our body and overall health.
Vitamin D is essential for building our immunity, making our teeth stronger and even maintaining the strength of our bones. It is mainly a cluster consisting of Vitamin D3 and Vitamin D2 and it benefits our body in more ways than you can imagine.
Role Of Vitamin D
Fun fact – Vitamin D is not actually a vitamin though it is called so. Vitamin D is absorbed in the skin through sunlight hence it is nothing but a hormone that helps the body to absorb calcium which is a must for our bones. Helps to regulate insulin levels . It actually assists your body in producing hormones that help adjust and balance out blood sugar level. So low levels of Vitamin D may cause diseases like diabetes to come knocking at your door. The sunshine vitamin is fat soluble and besides calcium it also helps the body to absorb phosphorus which is also responsible for maintaining bone health and dental health.
Vitamin D is necessary in keeping our immune system to the optimum level. It helps the body’s defence mechanism to work well and function smoothly. It also helps the body to not only control and reduce the inflammations and infections in the body but also proves useful in preventing and keeping them at bay.
New research and studies have shown and proved another life-saving feature of Vitamin D – it can stunt the growth of cancer cells.
Vitamin D in Kids
As this vitamin is cardinal in keeping up the bone and teeth health it is obviously one of the very fundamental vitamins for growing kids and even in babies born prematurely. As most of the Vitamin D is made and absorbed in the skin through sunlight it is quite advisable, to never stop the children from playing outside in the sun in open arenas. Depending on their age, children need various levels of Vitamin D which you can easily administer to them through many food items. The lack of Vitamin D in kids can be covered up using various Vitamin D supplements which lend a strong hand in stimulating the levels back to normal. Make sure you take these supplements through the recommendation and observation of your pediatricians as they would prescribe the appropriate supplements taking into account the child’s age, weight and many other factors.
Vitamin D For Bones
As mentioned above, Vitamin D helps in the absorption of calcium. Once absorbed, calcium maintains the strength of our bones as well as our muscles. So basically, D and calcium work together as a team to keep our bone health optimum and better. As both of them are needed it is prudent to take both of them in required amounts. The excess of calcium or vitamin D also causes issues to the bones as well as body.
Vitamin D also helps in soaking up phosphorus, another nutrient that builds up our bone health and is very crucial for maintaining the strength of your bones.
Food containing Vitamin D
Even though the major sources of Vitamin D are sunlight and supplements, many food items also assist the body in sustaining Vitamin D levels.
Fish
Fishes like Salmon, Tuna, Trout and Mackerel are some of the fish that are loaded with Vitamin D which is imperative for our bodies.
Oily and fatty fishes are excellent sources and have more Vitamin D as compared to the other fishes.
Egg Yolks
While the white part of the egg is rich in protein, the yolk is rich in fats and vitamins. The vitamin D content of the eggs depends on the sun exposure of chickens and their food.
Eggs are a favorable and easily available source of D, you can have eggs for breakfast, lunch or even dinner and can cook them in a variety of ways. You can also consume them by just boiling them, losing the shell and adding some salt & pepper.
Mushrooms
These are the only plant based, non meat source of Vitamin D so mushrooms prove to be the holy grail of Vitamin D for vegans and vegetarians. Not all mushrooms are rich in D except for some wild mushrooms. These plants absorb vitamin D through sunlight, just like us humans. The vitamin D content in mushrooms increases with the increased exposure to sunlight. They also aid our body in maintaining and improving health.
Meat
Red meat and poultry can help your body with some amount of Vitamin D, even though these are not very remarkable sources but are tasty and can be included in your diet to induce the vitamin D.
Benifits of Vitamin D
Hair
We all love a mane with luscious hair. Vitamin D is very important to keep your locks healthy and dense. It improves the rate of creation of hair follicles which promotes the growth of new hair. It also prevents premature hair fall, alopecia and many other diseases which cause hair thinning or balding.
Skin
Vitamin D boosts the formation of a protective layer on the skin surface which helps in preventing dry skin and various other skin conditions. It also contains anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties which further helps the skin to be healthy and keeps pimples at bay.
Nails
If your nails tend to break easily then it may mean you have low levels of Vitamin D in your body. Vitamin D improves and controls the calcium levels in the body which is very vital for cuticle health – the one thing we generally tend to ignore. Improving your levels of Vitamin D can restore your cuticle health and prevent nail chipping.
Bone Health
Healthy Bones = Healthy Life, the equation is pretty straightforward and simple. Bones constitute a major part of your body and are responsible for your daily activities. Making sure your bones are healthy and strong should be at the top of your daily to-do lists. As mentioned above Vitamin D helps in absorption of calcium and minerals which are primarily essential for our bones. Lack of Vitamin D leads to osteoporosis and other bone related diseases which can turn out to be painful.
Side Effect of vitamin D
Anything in excess is harmful and the same is the case with Vitamin D. Excess of Vitamin D causes hypervitaminosis D which basically is a toxic outcome of over supplementing. It can also increase the level of calcium and phosphates in the body which can be pernicious and can lead to nausea, bad abdominal conditions, high blood pressure issues and kidney dysfunctions.
Conclusion
Vitamin D is associated with reducing depression and anxiety. It is said that the active form of Vitamin D helps maintain the levels of serotonin and melatonin. These two hormones are responsible for your moods and mental health.
You see, Vitamin D is quite a hero! So it’s ok to ditch the sunscreens and sunglasses at times and soak up the sun and the Vitamin D!
