Vitamin D not only helps to fight common cold and depression but is also vital for good bone health and warding off diseases of the heart, immune system, and even certain cancers. Quite unbelievably, a staggering 20% of the population could be suffering Vitamin D deficiency. However, despite being worrisome, it is relatively easy to set it right. The top sources of Vitamin D explained:
Sunshine
The most effective and definitely the cheapest way of getting your dose of Vitamin D is to expose your skin to the sunlight for 20-25 minutes though if you live in the higher latitudes or are dark-skinned, you will need more time. Remember, putting on sunscreen will negate any benefits of the exposure. You need the direct exposure of the sun; sunshine streaming in through glass windows is of no use as the UV radiation is largely filtered.
Eat Oily Fish
Among all the food substances you can eat, oily fish is among the best sources of Vitamin D. Especially good are fatty fish like mackerel, salmon, trout, eel, and tuna. You can expect to get around 450 IU of Vitamin D from a three-ounce fillet of salmon; that’s three-quarters of the recommended 600 IUs for most people. If getting access to fresh fish is too much of a bother, you can also try canned tuna and sardines that are not only rich in Vitamin D but are relatively cheaper too. Being canned products, you can stock up and use as per convenience.
Cod Liver Oil
While this is not available fresh you can have it just like a medicine out of a bottle or as a capsule. Just one tablespoon of cod liver oil delivers 1,300 IU that is more than two times the daily recommended allowance. If you are exercising to build muscle mass you could consider buying anabolic steroids online along with cod liver oil.
Egg Yolks
Since eggs are a very popular constituent of our meals, the egg yolks are a very convenient way of meeting your daily requirement of Vitamin D. Since one egg yolk has only 40 IU of Vitamin D, you should not attempt to fulfill your entire requirement only from eggs even though there are no more fears about the cholesterol content of eggs being harmful to health.
Fortified Foods
Keeping in mind the general deficiency of Vitamin D, suppliers of milk fortify it with Vitamin D; you will averagely get 100 IUs in an 8-ounce glass of milk and 80 IUs is a 6-ounce yogurt serving. Certain brands of soy milk, as well as orange juice, are also fortified. Some cereal brands are also fortified with Vitamin D, which means that a breakfast of cereals and fortified milk with a glass of orange juice can get you a substantial portion of your daily requirement.
Conclusion
You should ideally try and get as much sunshine as required, and make up the shortfall with a diet rich in Vitamin D. Testing the level periodically will ensure that any deficiency can be rectified before it causes any significant damage.
Author Bio: Mary Edwards is a professional nutritionist. Passionate about the subject, she blogs and writes about ensuring the proper level of micronutrients in diets as well as safe practices for buying anabolic steroids online.
