Vitamin-D considers as an essential nutrient for the proper functioning of our body. We also call Vitamin-D as the sunshine vitamin because it also produces in our body with the help of ultraviolet rays from the sunlight. Vitamin-D helps our body in cell growth, muscle functions, fighting infections, and reducing inflammation. It also helps in protecting the vital organs like the heart, kidneys, lungs, and liver.
In reality, it is a vitamin-D deficiency that invites many diseases to our bodies. Here, I will discuss the five easy ways to make up for the vitamin-D deficiency, particularly in diabetics.
Vitamin-D deficiency and medical problems
About 13% of the world’s population is deficient in vitamin-D. Such a large number of people suffering from this deficiency is significant and alarming because it causes irreparable damage to our bodies. For example:
- Vitamin-D deficiency causes dryness and crookedness of bones, pain, and discomfort in the body
- Vitamin-D deficient people face constant fatigue, body aches, and lethargy
- Vitamin-D deficient people don’t absorb calcium properly in their bones, resulting in more sweating all the time
- People who are deficient in vitamin-D may also suffer from joint pains
Vitamin-D deficiency and symptoms
The process of diagnosing vitamin-D deficiency is simple because its effects cause significant health problems on human bodies.
Vitamin-D deficiency can be identified with the following symptoms:
- Weakened immune system: such as taking a long time to recover from any infection or virus, or get well late from any injury
- Back and joint pains
- Persistent fatigue, body aches, and lethargy prevail
- Depression, boredom, and irritability
- Excessive sweating
- Weak muscles or discomfort, etc.
How to make up for the Vitamin-D shortfall in Diabetics?
Though the correct level of vitamin-D varies from person to person, ideally it should be between 60 ng/ml and 80 ng/ml in diabetic people. This amount also helps to keep blood glucose levels under control that is vital for diabetes. (reference: diabetes.co.uk)
Include these five easy natural ways in your daily diet to get a boost of vitamin-D:
Excessive use of mushrooms
Mushrooms are a complete plant source of vitamin-D. Like humans, mushrooms can produce vitamin-D through the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Different types of mushrooms provide different amounts of vitamin-D, and the best ones are those that are treated with ultraviolet rays. For example, with a half cup of grilled portobello mushrooms, you can get 316 IU of vitamin-D. (reference: health.gov)
Fatty fish and seafood
Fatty fish and seafood are rich in vitamin-D. 100 grams of wild salmon fish provide 988 IU of vitamin-D. The amount of vitamin-D varies in different seafood. For example, other seafood that is high in vitamin-D is tuna, gray fish, oyster fish, prawns, and sardines.
Egg-yolk
Egg yolk is also rich in vitamin-D. It can be added to your daily diet to get vitamin-D. One egg yolk contains 39 IU of vitamin-D. It can be 4-5 times more if you get farm fed raised chicken egg yolks.
Fortified food
Some foods naturally contain adequate amounts of vitamin-D, but most of them are supplemented with vitamin-D during the fortification process. Cow’s milk, soy milk, almonds milk, orange juice, cereals, and oatmeals are good examples of fortified food that are having an acceptable amount of vitamin-D.
So, include these fortified foods in your daily diet, and get a boost of vitamin-D.
Spend time in the sun
The term sunshine vitamin is commonly used for vitamin-D. It is because sunlight is one of the best sources to get vitamin-D in your body. According to experts, spending at least half an hour daily in the sun is sufficient enough to make up for the vitamin-D deficiency. The cholesterol found on your skin acts as a precursor of vitamin-D, and when this cholesterol is exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet rays, it converts to vitamin-D.
Besides these natural ways of getting vitamin-D in your daily diet, you can also opt for vitamin-D supplements. But before taking these supplements, you must consult your doctor and take these supplements under his supervision only.