MegaFood | September 2020

During the shorter days of autumn and winter, we naturally spend more time inside, and get less sun exposure. Why does this matter for your health?

Shining a Light on D3

Aside from the role that sunlight and spending time outdoors plays in our well-being^{Footnote 1}, sunlight is critical for the formation of vitamin D.

Vitamin D3 is created when our skin is exposed to sunlight. A natural chemical reaction happens in our bodies that results in increased levels of this fat-soluble nutrient. Layered clothing, daily use of sunscreens, increased time spent indoors and less available light in the fall and winter all contribute to falling numbers of this vitamin throughout the US. In fact, 66 million Americans suffer from a vitamin D insufficiency, which equates to one in five people!^{Footnote 2} This is especially noticeable in higher latitudes, where days tend to be even shorter, and winters even colder.

Vitamin D3 supports many vital processes in the body, including the development and maintenance of bones and teeth, the absorption of calcium and other minerals, the overall function of our cells, and much more! Another area where vitamin D3 shines is promoting the healthy functioning of our immune system.* Vitamin D is thought to increase our resistance to seasonal immune challenges^{Footnote 3}, so having optimal levels becomes especially important during the winter season, which unfortunately tends to coordinate with increased time spent indoors.

Gotta Catch it All!

So how can you ensure you’re getting enough Vitamin D3? First, try to increase vitamin D food sources in your diet. Food sources of vitamin D include salmon, sardines, tuna, milk, eggs and cheese. Then, be sure to work with your healthcare practitioner to test your vitamin D levels to see where they are at. In addition to spending extra time outdoors and eating foods with vitamin D, the results of your vitamin D test can help to guide you to the right amount of high quality vitamin D3 to supplement with.

We offer Vitamin D3 tablets in three different potencies - 1000 IU, 2000 IU and 5000 IU - so that you can pick the amount of supplementation that is right for you! In addition we have a delicious D3 Wellness Gummy, that provides 1000 IU per serving and is made with farm fresh oranges, cranberries and blueberries to give them a distinctive, real fruit flavor.* Plus, they have one gram of sugar or less per serving!

All of our vitamin D options are non-GMO, gluten, dairy and soy-free, plus tested for 125+ pesticides and herbicides and certified glyphosate residue free.

We all have different needs, so be sure to work with your healthcare practitioner to determine yours. If you find you’re in need of additional Vitamin D3 support, MegaFood has your back!

Looking for other supplements to help with optimal health? Support your body from the ground up with our Energy, Digestion and Sleep & Stress products today!

Want to choose a multivitamin that suits your unique needs? Find your multi.

¹ HuffPost, 6.22.2014: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/22/how-the-outdoors-make-you_n_5508964.html ² Fortify Your Life, Tieraona Low Dog, M.D., p. 131 ³ Fortify Your Life, Tieraona Low Dog, M.D., p. 129