Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Kids Need More Vitamin D This Winter

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Vitamin D is an essential nutrient to strengthen your bone, regulate blood sugar, boost the immune system, and more. Sun is the well-known source of it. But with the winter coming in, it’s just hard to get enough since most of the days are gloomy and cold.

The kids need more vitamin D, in particular, because lower levels has been linked to severe asthma in them. And since this nutrient promotes better bone health, they may be weaker when they’re older.

Luckily, supplements are available for consumption. Read more in this report by Katherine Hobson on NPR:

With Winter Here, Many Kids Could Use Vitamin D Supplements

My 3-year-old drinks milk, but not very much of it, and that could be a problem for her.

We live in the Northeast, where the sun’s rays are weaker. And now that the days are shorter, my kid arrives at day care a few hours after sunrise and leaves when it’s dark. That all made me wonder whether she’s getting enough vitamin D, and if not, what we should be doing about it. Read more…

Supplements can be practical since both the adults and kids need more vitamin D this season, but we should not rely on them alone.

Focus on your diet. Eat more fatty fishes, eggs, mushrooms, yogurt, oatmeal, and cheese, as well as drink fortified milk and orange juice. You can still try to get some from the sun, too. The recommended time of exposure is about 20 to 25 minutes, but you can stay for longer this winter.

Always make sure you’re getting enough of the essential nutrients, or else you’ll be at a heightened risk of different illnesses and conditions, including skeletal diseases, metabolic disorders, infections, heart diseases, diabetes, cancers, cognitive disorders, depression, and more.

Image Credit: With Winter Here, Many Kids Could Use Vitamin D Supplements – NPR

The post Kids Need More Vitamin D This Winter appeared first on NUTRITIONCLUB.



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