The Sun is your best source for Vitamin D. Image Courtesy: Elien Smid
Are all those long hours in front of the computer giving you a vitamin D deficiency? Lifestyles have changed dramatically in recent decades and many of us spend long hours working indoors, away from the sun. That keeps us away from the best source of Vitamin D that nature has provided us with, and a deficiency occurs in our bodies with all its accompanying health issues. Let’s have a look at why we should get our fill of Vitamin D and how exactly it works for us.
Vitamin D’s Greatest Benefit
Vitamin D’s greatest benefit is that it works in the small intestine to aid the body in absorbing calcium, which helps the body maintain healthy bones and joints. Usually the human body produces vitamin D on its own when it’s exposed to adequate amounts of sunlight. However, many people today work indoors and spend hardly any time outside, meaning that they just aren’t getting enough sun exposure to produce healthy levels of this crucial nutrient leading to a serious vitamin d deficiency. It’s hard to believe, but true – some people don’t even spend 10 minutes a day outside in daylight!
Supplement Your Vitamin D Intake
Of course, we shouldn’t spend dangerous amounts of time in the sun either, because this puts us at a risk for melanoma and other skin complications. But we should remember to supplement our D intake even as we work at our computers, because as we age, our bodies create less vitamin D even if we’re out in the sun enough. This means that the body is more vulnerable to the bone-weakening effects of osteoporosis.
Therefore, older adults should be especially careful to get enough vitamin D. If you work indoors and have very limited amounts of outdoor time during daylight hours – if you don’t get at least an hour a week of sun exposure – you might be in this risk group. Your computer’s glow doesn’t work the same way as the sun. Look for a good vitamin D supplementation which is natural and safe to use. Beware of less reputable and unproven brands on the market.
Other Benefits of Vitamin D
Vitamin D has many other benefits, too – it acts as a booster for the immune system, and it can keep away diabetes, gum disease, multiple sclerosis, hypertension, and even certain cancers. This important nutrient is found in fish, eggs, and cod liver oil and many fortified milk products contain different levels of vitamin D, but very few other foods contain vitamin D, which is the bad news. It should therefore be noted that it’s fairly difficult to eat enough of the foods to supplement all your vitamin D intake.
You should definitely take a vitamin D supplement if you don’t eat eggs or fish, and choose one with at least 1000 IU of Vitamin D. Some supplements are unnecessary, but others can mean the difference between healthy bones and brittle ones. If there’s anyway that you can prevent a vitamin D deficiency, then, please, take the necessary measures to do so. Even if you don’t like getting out there and enjoy the sun, make sure you enjoy the benefits it offers!
Maria (Niina) Pollari is a poet, editor, writer and translator. She wrote two chapbooks, Fabulous Essential (2009) and Book Four (2011). Pollari’s writing has been featured in numerous literary journals as well as the Brooklyn Rail and Jezebel.com. She has received her Master’s in Creative Writing from Sarah Lawrence College.