Get Some Sun, Better Your Health

Vitamin D does more than build strong teeth and bones; it can also help keep you trim, boost your mood, ward off colds, and even help fight heart disease. According to one study, 150,000 cases of cancer could be prevented annually if we increased vitamin D to optimal levels of 2,000 IU daily.

While drinking milk provides this crucial vitamin, the most significant source of the vitamin is good old-fashioned sunlight. However, with increasing awareness of skin protection from UV rays, Vitamin D levels have plummeted. In fact, 75 percent of women lack high enough amounts of the vitamin for it to provide optimal benefits.

So what is the key to obtaining adequate sunshine? Depending on your complexion, you should spend at least 5 minutes, 3 days a week between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. in the sunshine without sunscreen (with the exception of at least SPF 30 on your face). People with fair complexions should spend 5-10 minutes; medium tones 15 to 20 minutes; and darker skinned tones up to 30 minutes a day of exposure. If you have a family history of skin cancer, make sure to be extra careful when exposing yourself and talk to your doctor for an individual evaluation.

Vitamin D can also be obtained by eating oily fish such as salmon, sardines, and tuna a few times a week. Fortified foods like orange juice, soy milk, yogurt, and butter substitutes are also rich in the vitamin. Still not getting enough? Try taking vitamin D supplements or multivitamins. These should contain about 1,000 IU, half of the recommended daily dose.