Fall is approaching and with it comes cooler weather, fewer hours of daylight, and more time indoors. The combination of these factors can lead you to be at a greater risk of Vitamin D deficiency. It’s the perfect time of year to familiarize yourself with information about the deficiency, so you can better determine the potential impacts it may have on your life. Making small changes to your daily habits can help reduce your risk of becoming deficient. Check out these common questions, so you can learn how to prevent vitamin D deficiency.
Understanding Vitamin D Deficiency
What Is Vitamin D Deficiency?
In order to figure out how to prevent vitamin D deficiency, it’s important to know what the condition is. Vitamin D deficiency is the condition that occurs when your body is not absorbing enough vitamin D. It is often difficult to determine whether or not you are suffering from vitamin D deficiency. This is because there’s not one clear symptom of the condition.
Who Is At Risk of Vitamin D Deficiency?
There are several factors that can put you at a greater risk for Vitamin D deficiency. These factors include your skin tone, the region you live in, your weight, and your age. In general, your risk for Vitamin D deficiency increases as your age and weight increase. Those with darker skin tones are also at a greater risk. This is because people in these categories typically require more vitamin D than the average person. Those who live in northern regions of the world may also be at greater risk. If you fall into one of these categories, you might want to consider options that could increase your absorption and help prevent Vitamin D deficiency.
What are the Causes of Vitamin D Deficiency?
The primary cause of Vitamin D deficiency is a lack of sun exposure. Your diet also contributes to your absorption, so a diet lacking in Vitamin D can also lead to the condition. It’s important to remember that every person’s body requires a unique amount of vitamin D. Your sun exposure and dietary habits may vary greatly from others, but you could still be getting the vitamin D your body needs to function properly.
What are the Symptoms of Vitamin D Deficiency?
The deficiency typically results in a combination of several minor conditions that can become more severe. Symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency include tiredness, aches and pains, and a weak immune system.
How to Prevent Vitamin D Deficiency
The easiest way to treat Vitamin D deficiency is to prevent it from happening in the first place. There are simple changes you can make to your daily routine to help you absorb more Vitamin D.
1. Increase Your Sun Exposure
- Spend Time Outside – Go for a walk, a run, or just read a book out on your patio. Make an extra effort to spend time outside on sunny days throughout the cool seasons.
- Wear a lower dosage of sunscreen – Protecting your skin from the damaging effects of the sun is very important, but too much sun protection could be preventing your body from absorbing the vitamin D it needs. If you’re constantly slathering on the SPF 50, you may want to consider reducing to SPF 30 or SPF 15 sunscreen.
- Travel to a Warmer, Sunnier Climate – It’s the perfect time of year to take a trip down south. Consider taking a short vacation to let your body soak up the sun. If you’re looking for an extended stay in warmer weather, consider applying to positions in the south throughout the winter months. There are plenty of great fall destinations for those in the allied travel industry.
2. Add Vitamin D to Your Diet
- Eat Vitamin D Rich Foods – Increasing your vitamin D can be as simple as eating a little extra of your favorite foods. Eggs, salmon, oranges, cereal, and milk are all packed with vitamin D.
- Take a Supplement – If you’re not fitting vitamin D into your diet through the foods you eat, consider taking a supplement. Taking a vitamin may be the boost your body needs.
Making these changes to your diet and increasing your amount of sun exposure could help lessen your risk of developing Vitamin D deficiency. Also, be sure to discuss any potential changes to your diet with your doctor. If you’re not sure if you’re at risk for the condition, or if you are already Vitamin D deficient, talk to your doctor to decide how to prevent Vitamin D deficiency in your life.
What are you doing to prevent Vitamin D deficiency?
