7 Ways to Get More Vitamin D

There has been growing evidence that Vitamin D may contain certain protective effects against getting infected. Now more than ever, people are looking for the best ways to stay healthy. Here are 7 things you can do to get Vitamin D. 

1. Get More Sunlight

Often called the “sunshine vitamin” due to it being able to produce in your skin with a direct response to sunlight. The Sun makes Vitamin D from cholesterol. This is accomplished by the sun’s ultraviolet B rays hitting the cholesterol in the skin cells, providing the energy needed for vitamin D synthesis to occur. This is a fat-soluble vitamin that includes D-1, D-2, and D-3.

The majority of people can get their daily intake of Vitamin D from sunlight by only being in the sun for short periods of time. This can just be accomplished from the direct sun to areas of the forearms, lower legs, and hands.

Yummy Orange Juice

2. Eat Fortified Foods

Unfortunately, natural sources of vitamin D are limited. This is a huge problem for people that don’t like fish or are vegetarian. But there are some food products listed below that don’t naturally contain vitamin D but are fortified with this essential nutrient.

Cow Milk & Soy Milk

In many countries milk is fortified with vitamin D. It often contains about 115-130 IU per cup. This is about 15-22% of the daily amount.

Cereal & Oatmeal

Please note that this only pertains to certain cereals and instant oatmeals. The standard is about half a cup of either one of these foods, which provides 54-136 IU - about 17% of the daily amount.

Orange Juice

Due to around 75% of the world’s population being lactose intolerant, this has led to more and more companies fortifying orange juice with vitamin D as well as calcium. One cup of OJ can give you approximately 12% of the recommended daily amount.

Mushrooms are a Plant Source for Vitamin D

3. Adding Mushrooms to Your Diet

Initially, mushrooms were researched for their effects on a range of illnesses from depression to cancer. Lately, though, it has been found that if exposed to prolonged ultraviolet light, mushrooms can lead to increased levels of vitamin D.

Similar to humans with direct sunlight, mushrooms can create a precursor to vitamin D known as ergosterol. This is converted into vitamin D2 when exposed to UV light.

4. Eat More Egg Yolks

Egg Yolks can be a great source of vitamin D due to being applicable to many breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert recipes. The yolk from the egg is where the vitamin D comes from so it’s important to use the whole egg and not just the whites. It is not recommended to solely rely on eggs to get your vitamin D due to one yolk only giving you 40 IUs.

5. Consuming Fatty Fish

Fattier fishes such as trout, salmon, sardines, tuna, and cod liver all are excellent sources of vitamin D. An added bonus is that fish also give you a highly important dose of Omega-3 fatty acids which are good for the heart.

6. Try A UV Lamp

Ultraviolet Lamps are a great way to get vitamin D for people that are highly deficient. People with malabsorption (unable to absorb the vitamin) or those who suffer from vitamin D deficiency in the winter months. These lamps are roughly 24 in by 16 in and are similar to tanning beds, but smaller. Since these lamps do carry the same skin-cancer risks and need protective eyewear they should only be recommended by a doctor.

Taking Vitamin D Can Strengthen Your Immune System

7. Taking A Vitamin D Supplement

While vitamin D supplementation is still being heavily studied in its role in preventing and lessening the symptoms of the virus, more and more experts are turning to this vitamin to help treat patients.

With many studies being performed, the majority have shown that vitamin D deficient people who take vitamin D supplements on a regular basis has led to patients recovering quicker than those who didn’t take it. Studies have also found that daily vitamin D3 supplementation helps in achieving impressive results in a vast majority of participants by day 14.

Completely avoiding the risks of getting sick is not possible, but keeping your health as optimized as you can is extremely important, especially during a pandemic. Vitamin D appears to be a great source for keeping your immune system strong.

And, don't forget that everyone should still take common sense precautions like wearing masks and continuing to use sanitizer to stay safe and protected.