Check out what our intern/trainer, Brittany Knoch, has to say about Vitamin D!
Vitamins and minerals are something we talk about in nutrition class in college, we see it talked about on the food network, on Instagram, and blogs, and other media outlets. We do not talk about it very much though on a smaller scale, like in our lives with our peers, or even just with ourselves. Would you say this is true for you? Do you make sure on a regular basis that your body is obtaining the basic nutrients it needs to thrive? If not, that is very normal! Much of society eats anything they want, and a lot of people do not consider how much zinc is in their meal, to name one. That is okay, but it is important that these topics of discussion become more common. Today let’s keep it simple and talk about just one vitamin, vitamin D.
I can say from experience, that not paying attention to nutrients I am receiving or not receiving has not ended well. A few years ago, I had blood work done and my results came back “severely deficient” in vitamin D, and “extremely low red blood cell count” and “anemic”. To say that I was nervous reading this was an understatement. I was given supplements to get back to a “healthy” state and eventually had great results and was no longer anemic.
Keep in mind, I am a rare case because I gave up eating meat and dairy and a few months later had these adverse health effects. If your meals consist of some dairy and some meat, you will not have to worry like I did about going deficient in certain vitamins. What I am here to tell you is this, paying attention to small details like our vitamin D intake is important for our overall health. Vitamin D helps our body to absorb calcium, allowing bones to grow. Vitamin D is also important for our cells to grow and function properly, as well as proper functioning of nerves, muscles, and the immune system. Without a proper intake of vitamin D, you could have more regular fatigue, muscle weakness, pains in the body (for me I had back pain), and potentially even depression.
To ensure you go through the day getting enough of this vitamin, there are some foods that contain it more than others. Some foods that you may already be eating with D in them, are eggs, foods fortified with Vitamin D, like soymilk, orange juice, milk, and cheese. Not a popular favorite but mushrooms are a good source and fish as well!
Like I said before, you may already be eating these foods, so you do not have too much to worry about. Spending ample amounts of time in the sun is also helpful for your body to absorb this vitamin, but make sure to still apply sunscreen! I like to spread my nutrients out over the day, so be encouraged by knowing that you do not have to worry about getting all the vitamin D in one meal; you can eat a little at each meal and that is a good way to incorporate it into your diet!
By: Brittany Knoch
Brittany is just finishing up her internship and her senior year at Malone University. She plans to start her professional career in fitness at Impulse Training as well as continue coaching Tennis at Perry High School. We are excited for to join our team.