The Sunshine Vitamin: How to Get Vitamin D from the Sun

We all know that getting enough Vitamin D is important for our health and wellbeing, but where does it come from? As it turns out, we can get a good portion of our daily recommended dose of Vitamin D from the sun! Let’s explore what vitamin D is, how it’s made in the body, and how you can get your daily dose of sunshine.

Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that helps keep bones strong and healthy. It also regulates levels of phosphorus and calcium in the body, which helps with muscle function, nerve signaling, and boosting immunity. Our bodies make vitamin D when our skin is exposed to direct sunlight.  This means that if you are spending time outdoors without a sunscreen or protective clothing on (gasp!), you are actually doing your body some good by getting your daily dose of sunshine!

So how does this process work exactly? When ultraviolet B (UVB) rays hit our skin, they trigger a process in which cholesterol-like molecules called provitamins produce vitamin D3. This vitamin D3 then circulates through the bloodstream to be taken up by organs including our kidneys and liver. Here it is converted into an active form of the vitamin called calcitriol, which can then be used by the body to help maintain healthy bones and muscles.  The amount of UVB radiation that reaches us depends on many factors such as season, time of day, latitude, altitude and cloud cover – so if you want to maximize your exposure to this sunshine vitamin make sure you get outside when possible!

When it comes to getting enough Vitamin D there are two ways to go about it - either through food sources or through direct sunlight exposure on unprotected skin. Eating foods rich in Vitamin D, like fatty fish like salmon or tuna, as well as eggs, mushrooms. and algae can help provide some extra vitamins for those days when you don’t get outside much. Additionally supplementation with a high quality supplement may also be beneficial for those who live in areas with limited access to natural sunlight year-round or for people who have trouble absorbing Vitamin  D due to medical conditions such as celiac disease or Crohn's Disease.

Vitamin D plays an important role in keeping bones strong and healthy as well as regulating levels of phosphorus and calcium in the body - making it an essential part of any holistic mom’s diet! Fortunately getting enough Vitamin D doesn't have to be complicated; simply spending 10-30 minutes outside each day without sunscreen will give you your daily dose of sunshine while helping protect against deficiency related illnesses such as osteoporosis or rickets. So next time you find yourself stuck indoors looking out longingly at warmer weather outside don't forget that not only do you deserve some fun outdoor time - but that fun outdoor time can also provide your body with some much needed nutrients too! That's one way we moms really can have it all!