Supplement Your Health This Winter With These Vitamins

Vitamin D: The Sunshine Vitamin

Vitamin D, affectionately referred to as the sunshine vitamin, is essential for developing and maintaining healthy bone mass by helping our bodies absorb calcium. It’s also important to your nervous system, immune system and musculoskeletal system. There are two key ways to get enough Vitamin D – diet and sun exposure, however, many people of all ages aren’t getting enough Vitamin D in their system. While a Vitamin D deficiency often comes with no noticeable symptoms, it can have lasting effects on the body, including bone pain, bone brittleness, muscle pain, increased sensitivity to pain and muscle weakness to name a few. 

Additionally, a Vitamin D deficiency can be a byproduct of living in a part of the world that experiences limited sunlight for large stretches of time. This decrease in sun exposure and a resulting decrease in Vitamin D absorption can lead to what’s known as seasonal affective disorder, or S.A.D. Symptoms can include low energy, trouble sleeping, difficulty concentrating or feeling down or depressed. 

For these reasons, it’s essential to pack your diet with Vitamin D-friendly foods, such as:

• Eggs
• Salmon
• Almond milk
• Sardines
• Cheese

Also look for foods fortified with Vitamin D such as orange juice, milk, yogurt and some breakfast cereals. Talk with your primary care provider about whether or not you should take a Vitamin D supplement and, if so, which dosage is correct for you. Many multivitamins offer a healthy amount of Vitamin D. 

Boosting Immunity with Vitamin C

Vitamin C has long been a go-to when it comes to combating cold and flu season for good reason. This powerful player helps maintain bones and cartilage, keeps cells healthy, boosts our immune systems, and supports brain health. Vitamin C can’t prevent you from getting a cold, but according to the National Institutes of Health, this potent water-soluble antioxidant gives your immune system a boost. It’s important to ensure your winter diet includes plenty of foods rich in Vitamin C, including:

• Red peppers
• Orange juice
• Grapefruit juice
• Kiwi fruit
• Broccoli
• Strawberries
• Brussels sprouts
• Cantaloupe
• Cabbage
• Baked potatoes
• Spinach

Like Vitamin D, it might be worth considering taking a Vitamin C supplement if you’re worried you’re not getting enough through your diet. The recommended daily amount is 75 milligrams per day for women and 90 milligrams per day for men. Some women might choose to take more during pregnancy, but the daily amount should not exceed 2,000 milligrams per day. Talk with your doctor about the best, most absorbable Vitamin C supplements for your family. 

Powerful Antioxidant: Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a powerhouse of antioxidant activity. A variety of harmful conditions, including cancer, aging, arthritis and cataracts, have been linked to oxidation in the body. Vitamin E is an important defense against these. In the winter, it can help stave off skin conditions resulting from harsher, colder weather, nourishing your skin from within. It works its way through the body, protecting against free radicals. 

To attain the skin healing powers of Vitamin E, make sure your diet contains enough of it. Vitamin E-rich foods include:

• Wheat germ oil
• Sunflower seeds
• Almonds
• Peanuts and peanut butter
• Sunflower or soybean oil
• Pumpkin
• Red bell peppers
• Mangoes
• Avocados

You can also turn to some dairy, leafy greens and other fortified foods for your daily dose. If you don’t feel you’re getting enough, you might want to add a Vitamin E supplement. 

Winter Blues and Vitamin B

B vitamins are as essential to mental health and mood as Vitamin E is to keeping your skin glowing during darker winter months. Low levels of B-12, B-6 and folate may be linked to depression. In fact, the National Institutes of Health directly correlate a person’s B vitamin status to a benefit in brain health and mood. Couple this with trying to avoid S.A.D. this winter and you have another key tool in your vitamin and mineral suite.

To help keep your B levels up, try these B-licious foods:

• Salmon
• Green peas
• Tofu
• Beef
• Avocados
• Eggs
• Spinach and other leafy greens
• Chicken
• Brown rice
• Mushrooms
• Lentils
• Oysters, clams and mussels

This winter, boost your energy levels and demolish dim winter moods with a proper amount of B vitamins. 

Bone Health Essentials: Vitamin K

Consider Vitamin K your Popeye of vitamins. It helps make proteins that are needed for building strong bones and blood clotting. Notably, it also helps with anticalcification, which is the process of calcium reduction in the body’s tissues and blood vessels. Maintaining proper bone health also lowers the risk of fractures. 

If you’re wanting to infuse your diet with some additional Vitamin K, turn to these foods:

• Broccoli
• Collard greens
• Brussels sprouts
• Lettuce
• Grapes
• Beef
• Spinach
• Eggs
• Carrots
• Pine nuts
• Edamame
• Kale
• Blueberries
• Chicken
• Pumpkin
• Okra

Additionally, fermented foods such as natto, kimchi and pickled cucumbers are rich in probiotics. These probiotics help maintain healthy probiotics in the GI system, which in turn help produce Vitamin K2. Win, win.