June 13, 202305:00
Outside the office and the home: to assimilate this vitamin you need to be outdoors, sea or mountain it doesn’t matter
The Vitamin D it is not very present in foods and it is necessary to synthesize it expose yourself to sunlight: Here because go out as much as possible from indoors and spend time outside it is so important. A good habit to be consolidated above all with advancing age, when the need for this vitamin increases considerably.
As important as
hard to find in foodsto be able to summarize it is
exposure to sunlight is required and the
beautiful season becomes the
perfect occasion to make one
nice stash.
So that’s why the
vitamin D it is so precious to our
well being.
AN AUTHENTIC CONCENTRATE OF WELL-BEING: vitamin D, as well as ensuring a strong and robust skeletal system, also acts on many other organs such as the heart, lungs and also on the immune system, as we have learned in recent history afflicted by the pandemic. Studies and research show that vitamin D affects the prevention of certain diseases such as type 1 diabetes, as well as preventing or slowing the development of cancer by slowing down cell growth. Not only that, since it is also useful in counteracting the onset of certain skin diseases, such as psoriasis and atopic dermatitis.
FUNDAMENTAL FOR THE SKELETAL SYSTEM: vitamin D is essential for fixing calcium to the bones, and it is for this reason that children during development need it so much. This vitamin is also very important during pregnancy: in fact, future mothers must provide all the necessary intake for themselves and for the baby they are carrying. Finally, it is an absolutely essential micronutrient also for women entering menopause, because osteoporosis, or the dreaded bone fragility, occurs in this phase of life.
THE DEFICIENCY IS INCREASINGLY MARKED: vitamin D insufficiency in recent years is becoming more and more frequent among adults and especially among the elderly, often forced to stay at home or in hospitalization facilities where they are unable to enjoy sufficient solar radiation. A scarcity which, however, also involves the youngest, taking into account that in our country its insufficiency is increasing due to a sedentary lifestyle and smart working. Nonetheless, a recent study reveals that it is enough to expose yourself to the rays for 15 minutes three times a week to enjoy the benefits of a substance that strengthens bones, muscles and the immune system. Being outdoors, in addition to giving benefits to the bones, is a miraculous medicine for the mood: having fun with a walk lightens the soul and eases tensions.
A NECESSARY AND FUNDAMENTAL RESERVE: the so-called “sun vitamin” is synthesized by the skin when solar radiation reaches a certain intensity. Here then is the reason why summer is the perfect season to make a good supply of them, taking into account that in winter it is much more complicated to do it. It should be noted that the amount of vitamin D that the skin produces under the action of the sun’s rays decreases with increasing age and weight gain, as adipose tissue tends to retain vitamin D: a further boost to keep us in shape with an eye on the scales, being careful not to indulge too much in satisfying the palate and paying attention to what we put on our plate.
LIPOSOLUBLE, AN IMPORTANT FEATURE: vitamin D, also called calciferol, has the ability to dissolve in fat. It is present in our body in the form of ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) and colecalciferol (vitamin D3). Type D2 is present in foods of plant origin; D3, the most active form of vitamin D, is found in animal products and is formed in the skin when it is exposed to direct sunlight. The most common dietary sources of this vitamin are fortified foods, especially grains and dairy products. Both vitamins D2 and D3 are not active in the body, but must be metabolized in the liver and kidneys into an active form that stimulates the absorption of calcium and phosphorus in the intestine. These two minerals are absorbed into the bones to make them strong and dense in the mineralization process: vitamin D is therefore necessary for bone formation, growth and repair.
THE SUN, AN IRREPLACEABLE ALLY: you don’t need to roast yourself under UV rays for a good full of vitamin D, it’s enough to avoid being indoors all the time. Between work, home and family it’s not easy, but spending some time outdoors exposing the epidermis of long bones to sunlight is absolutely necessary. In nature there are two sources of supply of vitamin D, namely sunlight and food, it is sufficient to spend half an hour a day in a T-shirt and shorts in the summer for a supply of this micronutrient. One more reason to have fun in freedom with beneficial walks or going for a ride in the park: we’ll make our bones stronger and maybe we’ll even be able to throw down a few pounds, a result that is certainly appreciable in view of the swimsuit fitting.
THE IMPORTANCE OF DIET: it is possible to obtain vitamin D also by consuming some foods that are rich in it, for example fish. Indeed, cod liver oil and fatty fish, such as salmon and herring, are particularly rich in it; egg yolks, liver, red meat and green vegetables are also very good, excellent allies to supply us with this precious vitamin. But be careful: these foods with vitamin D should be consumed every day, which is not easy to achieve, so much so that the intake of vitamin D with a correct diet allows us to introduce only between 10 and 20% of our needs.
FOOD SUPPLEMENT, IF NECESSARY: There are many products available for the treatment of vitamin D deficiency. However, it is also enough to pay attention when we are at the supermarket: there are now many items that are enriched with Vitamin D precisely to make up for the now chronic deficiency given that, as some studies report, 70% of the Italian population is below the minimum levels of vitamin D in the blood.