First, let me explain why Vit D is so important for you. Most people know that Vit D is healthy for bones. This is because it helps the body absorb calcium and phosphorus which are critical for bone health.
But did you know that Vit D also helps with
boosting immune system
reversing fatigue
enhancing sleep
reducing brain fog & improving concentration
heart health
and so much more!
Depending where you live and how much sun you get greatly affects how much Vit D you get naturally. Here in MI, in the winter, even when the sun is out, we don't get enough direct sunlight on our skin because we are bundled up! If you follow my personal FB page you know if it's over 30 and sunny I will sit in a tee shirt for a while to get my boost! But that's rare.
Even in the summer most people don't get enough direct sunlight for optimal Vit D. Especially with how much people use SPF. I personally do not use SPF, ever. Not on my face or skin. (I use Deep Healing Serum as my "SPF") I'm not going to tell people not to use SPF because you have to decide what you feel is safest for you. I don't use it because I protect and heal my skin from any sun damage naturally. That's what works for me. I want as much sunlight on my body as I can get.
Lack of sunlight causes most people to be severely deficient in Vit D. Causing many issues including depression, sleep issues, fatigue, and more. This is why it is so important to supplement this essential vitamin.
I'm not talking the Vit D added to your milk or other "enriched" foods. That Vit D is synthetic and I do not, and will not, ever promote putting anything synthetic in your body. I will never understand why we decided lab made synthetic vitamins were better for us than real food based vitamins, or the sun!
My absolute favorite supplement that I have found so far is CytoD+K2. Made from natural ingredients. They combine Vit D with K2 for maximum potency & absorption. (I don't get paid for sharing this). I have taken a few different supplements and this is the one I can FEEL a difference from. Just 1 dose a day is enough for me.
Speaking of doses, let's talk Vit D "overdose". I have heard so much talk about having to be careful about how much Vit D you take because it's fat soluble and builds up in the body. First, the source and quality are the most important thing to look at. Getting excess synthetic vitamins can definitely do more harm than good. So always stick to food/plant or animal based supplements. If you are taking a good quality vitamin it is very hard to take so m much that you'd get sick from it.
This is from the healthline.com site "Another study found that 30 minutes of midday summer sun exposure in Oslo, Norway was equivalent to consuming 10,000 - 20,000 of vitamin D (8). The commonly recommended daily dose of vitamin D is 600 IU (15 mcg) (3)"
As you can see, 30 minutes of sun can give up to 20k IU of Vit D. The supplement I mention above is 2k per dose, recommended once per day. (I take 2 sometimes, but not often) So, you'd have to take 10 doses just to get the equivalent to 30 minutes in the sun. See how hard it would be to "overdose". I want to repeat this part so I know it's clear, I'm talking natural Vit D, not synthetic.
So, if you suffer from winter depression, I highly recommend checking out the supplement I mentioned above, or find another supplement you feel good about. Improving your Vit D levels is something you can control, since you can't always control how much sun you get!