We don’t get enough vitamin D in the UK, and as for the winter months forget it we are hardly outside and daylight hours are so short. It’s an ongoing discussion by our Government and especially when we know we should stay out of the sun because it’s damaging to skin. So what is the right thing to do?
Personally I always take a Vitamin D supplement all year round, have done for years and I really notice I have a stronger immune system than a lot of people I know who don’t. I have recently tried the Vega Vitamin D supplements and can recommend them as a range I like.
Well, of course protecting our skin using a good SPF cream all year round is a must and yes you should still use SPF in the winter. Also trying to keep out of the scorching sun, especially in summer is highly recommended. But then we wonder – what happens when we don’t get any sun at all?
The thing is, in the UK, it’s actually impossible to get the right amount of sunshine in the autumn and winter months anyway, it just isn’t enough. Around 60% of people living in urban areas have low vitamin D in winter. With shorter days and more cloud than sun, we can see how hard it becomes. Trying a healthy diet is really important, eating more oily fish is really good for you anyway, but experts say that it’s still not enough to get the vitamin D we need.
It’s actually now recommended we take vitamin D supplements all year round, not just throughout the colder months. This is because we need this vitamin to absorb calcium, healthy bones, teeth and muscle growth, as well as supporting our immune system.
We’ve been trying out Vega’s new Vitamin D range. These come in different flavours – blackcurrant or mint – and you can choose from chewable tablets or sprays, however you prefer. They even have a range for infants too.
Vega Vitamin D range is available in food stores nationwide and online at Vega Vitamins.