Strengthen your bones with Vitamin D

Vitamin D is one of the most important vitamins needed by your body. It promotes calcium absorption and helps in its deposition in the bones, making them stronger and healthier.

Without vitamin D, the bones will become brittle, weak and fragile.

Good to know:

Did you know that in countries where women are not exposed to the sun, a high number suffer from osteoporosis?

Then how do we prevent vitamin D deficiency and help maintain strong and healthy bones?

It is recommended to expose the hands and face to sunlight for 20 minutes, 3 times per week. However, this is sometimes impossible in the Arab countries especially in the summer because of the excessive heat, and during winter because UV rays are less effective in vitamin D synthesis. Other factors contributing to lower vitamin D synthesis in the body are:

• Clothes that cover most of the body prevent exposure to the sun and thus less vitamin D synthesis in the skin.
• Modern life: like living and working indoors and the tall buildings that increase shade and reduce exposure to sunlight.
• Time of day: UV rays are most effective between 11:30 a.m. and 15:30 p.m., knowing well that during this time, it is very hot and not recommended to expose ourselves to sunlight.
• Skin color: the darker the skin color, the less the ability of the skin to synthesize vitamin D.

What about vitamin D food sources?

Most of the common foods are poor sources of Vitamin D. It is only found in fish oil, salmon and sardines. All other common foods contain minimal amounts of Vitamin D.

However, there is another important source of this vitamin, which are foods fortified with vitamin D, like fortified milk.

Good to know:

Nestlé KLIM® Low Fat or surpasses other kinds of milk, because it is fortified with calcium and vitamin D (a constituent of CalcilockTM, a unique combination of nutrients that helps absorb and lock the calcium into the bones). Drinking only 2 glasses instead of 4 glasses of normal milk, will help meet your calcium and vitamin D daily needs.