Importance of Vitamin D for Seniors
Have you ever noticed that you feel better on a sunny day? It is not just because it looks gloomy outside when it is overcast and gray. Your body actually needs sunshine. Sunshine helps your body get Vitamin D. Vitamin D is essential for seniors as it helps with calcium absorption. You need calcium to keep your bones strong.
Vitamin D’s Health Effects
Vitamin D does more than keep your bones healthy. It can also reduce your risk of getting cancer, strengthen your immune system, and even reduce depression. No wonder sunshine makes us happy.
Seasonal Depression
The role of vitamin D also helps explain a psychological phenomenon known as SAD or seasonal affective disorder. People with SAD experience depression during the winter. Researchers believe that is because of reduced exposure to sunlight during the winter months. You can treat this depression and sadness with vitamin D supplements and light therapy. You can buy lamps that mimic natural light and use them a few hours a day during the winter. The combination can help you stave off the impact of that seasonal depression.
How Much Sunshine Do We Need?
While sunshine is important, you also need to protect yourself from too much exposure to the sun. Many elderly people have skin cancer due to sun exposure. You may also be on medications that tell you to avoid sunlight. Unfortunately, you may not get all of the benefits of sunshine if you are wearing a high SPF sunscreen. However, even a short period of exposure without sunscreen can give you those benefits. For most people, about 10 minutes each day is enough to keep your body producing vitamin D.
Vitamin D Deficiency
Seniors are at risk for vitamin D deficiency. That is because older bodies have a more difficult time producing and absorbing vitamin D. Instead of sun exposure, you may need vitamin D supplements. You may also need to increase your exposure to more than 10 minutes per day.
If you do not get enough vitamin D, you could experience a variety of symptoms. You may get brittle teeth and bones that are prone to breakage. You could also feel depressed, disoriented, and confused. Finally, your immune system may take a hit.
Increasing Vitamin D
If you need to boost your vitamin D, there are a few things you can do. You can increase the amount of time you spend in the sun. You can take vitamin D supplements. You can also change your diet to foods with vitamin D. Those foods include:
- Vitamin D fortified milk
- Salmon
- Tuna
- Shrimp
- White mushrooms
- Egg yolks
- Cod liver oil
- Fortified cereals
- Fortified yogurts
- Fortified orange juice