Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin which you can either get from food or your body can make it. Your skin can make vitamin D when it is exposed to ultraviolet-B light from the sun.

Lighter skinned people only need to have their hands, face and arms exposed to the sun for 15 minutes a day a few times a week is to make enough vitamin D. Darker skinned people more exposure to the sun as their darker skin pigments both protect them from sun damage but also reduces the amount of vitamin D synthesized by the skin. Darker skinned people need to stay in sunlight around 1.5 hours to get the same vitamin D benefit as lighter skinned people.

Of course for many people who live in areas where it is either too cold or cloudy outside at least part of the year won’t be able to get enough sunlight exposure to meet all of their vitamin D needs.

In addition, since many people use sunscreen and protective clothing when outside and also don’t spend a lot of time outside anyway - getting vitamin D from food sources becomes more important.

The American Medical Women’s Association recommends that both women and men over 50 should get 800 to 1,000 I.U.’s of vitamin D each day.

Foods that are high in vitamin D include milk. For those who area lactose intolerant (like myself) 100% lactose free milk is available in many areas. If you are lactose intolerant and cannot buy lactose free milk where you live you may want to consider talking to your doctor about how you can get more vitamin D and calcium in your diet.

Adequate amounts of vitamin D, calcium and exercise are all necessary to help prevent osteoporosis.

To read more about osteoporosis see this article: http://www.ideasforwomen.com/health/osteoporosis1.php

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