Sunshine And Supplements

As the Beatles once said, “Here comes the sun.” With winter finally beginning to wind down, it’ll be beach-bumming season before you can say SPF 50. But along with the sunshine comes a major misconception: that a little sunshine is all you need to replenish your body’s vitamin D supply. Unfortunately, for many of us, laying out on the beach simply won’t do.

But let’s back up for a minute. What exactly is vitamin D and why is it important for your health and happiness? Vitamin D manages calcium in your blood, bones and gut, and helps the cells throughout your body talk to each other. It provides many huge benefits, including:

– Increased bone strength
– Decreased risk of death from cardiovascular disease
– Decreased risk of developing the flu
– Improved weight loss
– Improved mood and decreased depression and anxiety

How can you tell if you’re vitamin D deficient? Well, that’s a bit harder to answer. Many symptoms can be super subtle—from irritability to aches and pains. But staying indoors, constant use of sunscreen, and even having darker skin can lead to a higher risk of vitamin D deficiency.

So, what are you supposed to do? Unfortunately, very few foods are naturally high in vitamin D, but keep an eye out for “fortified” foods like skim milk, eggs and grains. These guys are enhanced with added vitamin D. Supplements can also help boost your levels, but for those who want an easier solution than popping pills, we’d like to introduce you to your new best friend: the Vitamin D shot.

Now offered at IV Lounge, this intramuscular shot delivers vitamin D deep within your muscle (meaning, it’s quickly absorbed into the bloodstream). Why now? Because an increasing number of us are tied to our desks and locked in dark offices instead of enjoying the outdoors and soaking in sun rays. That means even those of us who aren’t naturally lacking in vitamin D can become deficient and are therefore susceptible to the moodiness, sickliness and general weakness that comes with deficiency.

So, give yourself a boost your body needs—after all, a little more vitamin D just might make all the difference.