Vitamin D Facts & Natural Ways to Get Enough

Vitamin D has received more attention lately, thanks to its powerful immune-supporting properties, but it does so much more for our overall health. I’m sharing the vitamin D facts you need to know about, plus natural ways to give your body a boost of this important vitamin.

What is Vitamin D?

Vitamin D, aka the sunshine vitamin, comes in two different forms (D2 & D3) and has both steroid and hormone activity in the body. It plays a role in helping regulate the functions of over 200 different genes! Not only that, but vitamin D is an essential vitamin for both growth and development.

Why Vitamin D is So Important

In addition to its important role in growth, development, and regulating genes, here is a list of reasons why we need to get enough vitamin D.

Vitamin D plays a role in:

Supporting strong bones.
Modeling the immune system.
Communicating messages from the brain to other parts of the body.

Vitamin deficiency has also been linked to:

Depression
Osteoporosis
Chronic fatigue
Obesity
Diabetes
Autoimmune disease

Some research even supports that vitamin D deficiency may be associated with an increased risk of cancer.

The bottom line is that it’s crucial that we are getting enough.

Natural Ways to Get More of the Sunshine Vitamin

We know that vitamin D plays a crucial role in supporting overall health, but how do we make sure that we are getting enough?

While there are supplement options available, there are other natural options to support our vitamin D levels as well.

Here are some simple ways to get your daily dose of the Sunshine Vitamin.

Get out in the sunshine each day! Even better, try bringing your meditation outside, going for a walk, or doing yoga to soak up that vitamin D while also doing something really good for your mind and body.

Note that you don’t want to burn, and some research suggests that we get 15-20 minutes of sunshine per day, with 40% of the surface of our skin exposed.

Always speak with your health care provider if you have reasons that you shouldn’t be out in the sun to discuss other ways to support vitamin D levels.

Enjoy vitamin D rich foods like wild-caught fatty fish, eggs, beef liver (you can fry this up with some coconut oil and onion if you don’t love the taste).

Getting Your Daily Dose of Vitamin D For Better Health

Whether you already know that your vitamin D levels may be low or you haven’t been getting outside in the fresh air and sunshine as much as usual, getting enough vitamin D may be the missing link to helping you feel your best.

With all the roles it plays in the body, and the risks that come with not getting enough, optimizing our vitamin D levels is a huge part of supporting better health.

So, bring your lunch outside or just get outside for a brisk walk before your day gets started to soak up this sunshine vitamin — it may even boost your mood to help you tackle your busy day!