Are you getting enough vitamin D?
The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends 400 to 800 IU (international units) of vitamin D daily for adults under 50, and 800 to 1,000 IU for adults 50 and older. But many experts say most people need more - up to 2,000 IU a day - to raise our levels high enough to fight disease.
How do you know where you stand? First, talk to your doctor about a "serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D" test, the only test that accurately measures blood levels for vitamin D.
If you need more vitamin D, here are a few ways to get it.
Eat naturally D-rich foods that include oily, wild-caught fish such as salmon, Atlantic mackerel, sardines, shrimp and tuna a few times a week. Cod liver oil and Shitake mushrooms are also a good source of vitamin D.
Go for fortified vitamin D beverages and foods, including milk and soy milk, orange juice and other fruit juices, butter substitutes, some cereals, yogurt, egg yolks and liver.
Take a supplement. Add a calcium and vitamin D supplement containing at least 400 IU of D daily. (Don't overdo it, though. Very high amounts of vitamin D can be harmful and may result in kidney stones and other kidney problems. Some kidney problems can cause bone loss.)
If you are not at risk of skin cancer, enjoy a little sun. You don't have to burn or overexpose your skin. Experts say about 15 minutes - before sunscreen - is usually enough. Use sunscreen after this initial sun exposure.
Source: National Osteoporosis Foundation and "The Vitamin D Solution"
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