A lot of people have heard by now that the winter months are when most people become sick, depressed, and gain weight..why? Well the sun sets a lot earlier..around 5pm once daylight saving time ends..which just happened! Oh how I loath daylight savings time LINK to Petition to normalize Day Light Saving Time. However even if the sunlight were out longer..until 6pm if Daylight Saving Time was all year long we’d still be in less light! And less “quality” sun when it comes to vitamin D absorption, especially those with 9-5 jobs…the average persons only sun is on the way to work! That’s not healthy on so many levels..but you can help yourself.
Jenius idea:
Wake up an hour earlier..really your body should be use to it when the time changes anyway. If you can go for a walk or run in your neighborhood before you have to start getting ready for your day. That extra exercise that you haven’t been doing coupled with the sun will give your immune system and your brain a little extra boost, which you will notice immediately and will make you more healthy in the long run. If you don’t live in Southern California or another all year long warm location then go to the room with the most morning sun in it and doing an exercise video, jumping jacks, jump rope, or anything you want to get your heart rate going. A minimum of whatever you can, recommend at least 15 minutes, I try to do an hour a day. I actually did some yoga teacher training new york a few years ago so I enjoy keepig up with my yoga rituals and continuing to improve my techniques every morning. If you don’t have any sunlight where you live then join a gym or find a local place that does and make it a morning ritual, don’t find excuses on why you can’t, figure out ways to make it work for you! It’s a great way to warm your body up for the day – especially when it’s cold outside. If there is no where near your home, check on your way or near your work, pack your shower items, getting ready gear, clothes for the day and get ready wherever you find…I’m thinking there has to be some sort of fitness on your way or near your job…hey you might even be avoiding morning traffic!!
Wouldn’t that be a bonus?! Instead of sitting in traffic you can be getting a workout in while also taking in some much needed sun?!
OKAY OKAY there’s no possible source of sun for you on a daily basis, it’s okay, I know you really tried and wanted to find somewhere it really doesn’t exists, it’s true there are some parts of the world even that the sun doesn’t give anyone nearly enough vitamin D..be sure you are eating enough foods or taking supplements with at least 800 iu of Vitamin D, I mean that is bare bones! It’s recommended that you can take up to 4000 iu of Vitamin D per day. Besides helping you with your strong immune system and your anti-depression there are a ton of other benefits to taking vitamin D..and tons of articles! Here’s one from Harvard that has A LOT of useful info.
You’ve probably heard that mushrooms have a lot of Vitamin D, well it depends which kind!
Here’s a list of mushrooms and their Vitamin D content:
Also! Jenius Tip: Put your mushrooms stem side up in the sun to grab even more Vitamin D. I usually do for 20 min(if I can.)
What has Vitamin D in it?
Fish: trout, salmon(wild is best,) sole, flounder, mackerel, cod, tuna(even canned,) and even eel.
A little bit adds up:
egg yolks..I love eggs and all their benefits so 2 eggs equals 100 iu’s of Vitamin D
beef liver has 40 iu’s or so per 3 oz and offers the additional benefit of vitamin B12 which is another common vitamin deficiency, especially among women.
Certain Mushrooms; you can also I’ve heard if you put them in the sun they have more…really there should be a whole article on figuring out which mushrooms are most nutritious since they are all so different..so here’s a link to a lot of good info and where I grabbed this chart from.
There are a lot of other foods like fortified cereal, orange juice, milk..but they have so many negatives that I personally don’t eat/drink or recommend…that goes for Ultraviolet lamps also. I don’t have any experience with them but in my research people claim they help..only issue..which is a big one is they have the same skin cancer risks as the real sun..so your decision.
Other good source is Cod Liver Oil only issue is tastes gross and if you buy in capsule form it gives you that yucky burping but it is easiest, cheapest way without involving a ton of food.
Also remember that calcium and vitamin D are “sister vitamins” and they feed off each other for many things including absorption, especially when taking it in supplement form…so take them together.
IU’s of Vitamin D in Foods from USDA
Food IU’s per serving*
Cod liver oil, 1 tablespoon 1,360
Swordfish, cooked, 3 ounces 566
Salmon (sockeye), cooked, 3 ounces 447
Tuna fish, canned in water, drained, 3 ounces 154
Orange juice fortified with vitamin D, 1 cup (check product labels) 137
Milk, nonfat, reduced fat, and whole, vitamin D-fortified, 1 cup 115-124
Yogurt, fortified with 20% of the DV for vitamin D, 6 ounces 80
Sardines, canned in oil, drained, 2 sardine s46
Liver, beef, cooked, 3 ounces 42
Egg, 1 large (vitamin D is found in yolk) 41
Ready-to-eat cereal, fortified with 10% of the DV for vitamin D, 0.75-1 cup (more heavily fortified cereals might provide more of the DV) 40
Cheese, Swiss, 1 ounce 6
