Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is so essential for optimal health, but many individuals are simply not getting enough and are considered deficient.
Vitamin D is so essential for optimal health, but many individuals are simply not getting enough and are considered deficient.

The only way to know if you actually are deficient is to get a blood test. You can get too much, so make sure to get a test before you start supplementing. If you are low, it can take a lot of supplementation to get you back to a healthy level.

You can get vitamin D via food, supplements and the sun.

The best type of food where vitamin D is found naturally is oily fish (canned tuna, sardines, salmon, halibut).

Fortified cereals, milk, and juice can also provide the nutrient.

Vitamin D supplements are measured in IUs (International Units). If you have normal levels of vitamin D, you need approximately 600-800 IUs daily. However, if you're severely deficient, you may need to take thousands of IUs each day.

Make sure to take your vitamin D supplements with some sort of fat.

To get enough D from the sun, you need to be exposed to direct sunlight (no sunscreen) for 15-20 minutes twice per week.

Listen in as Michelle Dudash, Chef & Clean Eating Expert, joins host Lisa Davis to explain the benefits of vitamin D and the best ways to get the nutrient.

Additional Info

  • Segment Number: 2
  • Audio File: clean_food_network/1630cf1b.mp3
  • Featured Speaker: Michelle Dudash, Chef & Clean Eating Expert
  • Book Title: Clean Eating For Busy Families: Get Meals on the Table in Minutes with Simple and Satisfying Whole-Foods Recipes You and Your Kids Will Love
  • Guest Facebook Account: https://www.facebook.com/MichelleDudashRD/
  • Guest Twitter Account: @michelledudash
  • Guest Bio: Michelle-Dudash croppedMichelle Dudash is the creator of CleanEatingCookingSchool.com and a writer whose “Dish with Dudash” column is published in the Arizona Republic. It reaches over 1.5 million readers per week.

    She is also a featured monthly guest on KPNX-TV’s Arizona Midday show, and a regular contributor to the Food Network’s Healthy Eats blog, one of the most heavily read columns on the television network’s site.
  • Waiver Received: No