Of all the vitamins that the human body needs and requires, Vitamin D is possibly the only one that is so easily acquirable – yet, at least half of the world’s population suffers from its deficiency. The most prevalent source of Vitamin D is sunlight, and needless to say, it is also the purest form of it. The fact of the matter, however, is that even if you spend 5 hours in the sun throughout summer, you’re still at risk of Vitamin D deficiency – especially during the cold months of winter.

Why Is Vitamin D So Important?

The plethora of reasons as to why Vitamin D is so important not just for human beings, but for plants and other living organisms too, has a lot to do with the fact that it helps our body absorb calcium and helps our bones become stronger. As for plants and other living organisms, you must have noticed how they wither and deteriorate when they do not get the required exposure to sunlight. This is because Vitamin D actually gives life to living things. If you were to take a person and lock them up in a room that receives no sunlight, for a minimum of two-three months, you’ll notice the color of their skin turning to an unhealthy pale, while their hair, teeth and even eyesight will get weaker by the mark. Thus, it is proven that Vitamin D helps your skin, nails, hair, teeth and even your eyesight.

It’s Not Just a Vitamin

Despite the fact that it is merely classified as just another vitamin, it’s a well known fact that Vitamin D is actually even a hormone. In fact, the human body is designed in such a way that calcium absorption or digestion without a sufficient amount of Vitamin D3 is practically impossible. In fact, research has proven that a person who suffers from Vitamin D deficiency is actually at a higher risk of developing high blood pressure, obesity, depression, osteoporosis, fibromyalgia, and many others. Long-term deficiency might even lead to prostrate, breast or colon cancer.

Sources of Vitamin D

As aforementioned, the purest and most prevalent source of Vitamin D is the sun. It shines above all our heads, and there’s no way we’d be unable to have access to it, unless you live in a country where you barely have summers. But the good part is that there are many more sources through which you can incorporate Vitamin D into your diet and ensure that you are taking in a good amount of it. Here are some foods that are rich in this elixir of a good life:

• Beef Liver
• Wild Salmon
• Sardines
• Cod Liver Oil
• Egg Yolks
• Mackerel
• Fortified Milk

Although it is best if you incorporate these foods into your diet to ensure that you have a good amount of Vitamin D in your system, it is also possible that you may have difficulty in doing so. But there’s no reason to fret over that, you can just turn to Vitamin D supplements to acquire the required amount.