Vitamin D Essentials

Sometimes reading about dietary vitamins can sound a lot like alphabet soup. Given the time of year, I thought it might be appropriate to talk about one vitamin that often accompanies discussion of sunny weather: Vitamin D, which is important for strong bones and a hearty immune system.  

It is true that exposure to the sun's UVB radiation allows our own bodies to manufacture vitamin D. However, research from Skincancer.org indicates that only five minutes of high-intensity sun exposure a day are needed for maximum vitamin D production. What happens after that? Sun burn, probably.

In fact, the best ways to get vitamin D are through diet and supplements. Pair a big glass of skim milk with breakfast, chow down on oily fish (like salmon), or pop a go-down-easy liquid gel to ensure proper levels.