7 Ways to Maximize Your Vitamin D Intake Without Having to go Outside

Vitamin D, despite its name, is actually a hormone our bodies need to be able to perform at its best.

Your Vitamin D health helps your bones absorb calcium and promote bone growth. It can also help your nervous system.

If our body doesn’t get enough vitamin D, it could lead to misshapen bones, known as osteomalacia, or soft bones known as rickets in children. Some medical professionals have linked a vitamin D deficiency to heart disease, weight gain, depression, and even cancer.

The recommended daily dose of vitamin D for adults aged 18-70 is 600 International Units (IU). Adults 71 and older should be getting 800 UI daily.

How to Get Your Daily Vitamin D Naturally

There’s no need to use harmful supplements for your vitamin D intake. Most commercial supplements have misleading packaging and unlabeled ingredients, so take the safe route and use these natural tips to getting your daily vitamin D.

1. Sunshine

We all know the sun is the best place to get our vitamin D! It’s recommended you try to get 15-30 minutes of natural sunlight daily.

If you live in a cloudy, dark place though, don’t worry! There’s lots of other ways to get vitamin D into your body.

2. Fatty Fish

Four ounces a day of fatty fishes, like salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, or sardines, will give you enough vitamin D to stay healthy.

3. Mushrooms

Mushrooms are naturally high in vitamin D, especially button mushrooms. It’s not hard to get these into your meals as mushrooms make a great add-on to any meal! Try them on your pizza, in your meatloaf, or an omelette for breakfast and you’ll be well on your way to strong bones.

4. Beef Liver

Only grass-fed cows have naturally high vitamin D levels in their liver. Using grass-fed has more benefits than just vitamin D though, so be sure to always check where your beef is coming from.

5. Butter

Butter is great in everything from breakfast to desserts. Be sure to use a real butter made from grass-fed cows to get a significant source of vitamin D.

6. Eggs

Pastured, free-range hens have the most vitamin D you can get from eggs.

7. Tallow

Tallow is rendered fat from sheep, cows, or goats. Again, grass-fed cows have higher levels of vitamin D. Use the tallow to fry up some eggs or in fries and you’ll be getting enough vitamin D for the day.

8. Cod liver oil

If you’ve tried all of the above and still find that you’re still struggling to maintain a normal vitamin D level, using a cod liver oil supplement is recommended. It’s all natural and won’t contain any chemicals found in a regular vitamin D supplement pill.

Sources:

http://www.webmd.com/osteoporosis/features/are-you-getting-enough-vitamin-d-calcium
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/1Wm8Ld/gnowfglins.com/2014/04/07/8-ways-to-increase-vitamin-d-intake-naturally/?_notoolbar&_nospa=true