One thing that you begin to realize when you really begin throwing yourself into the world of health and wellness, is that you are what you eat, literally. Your diet affects your health in more ways than one; it is a much larger problem than just maintaining and regulating your weight. The food that you eat provides your body with essential vitamins and minerals that it needs to function properly. One of the big vitamins, that people take for granted at times, is the ‘sunshine’ vitamin, more frequently known simply as, vitamin D.
Vitamin D is responsible for maintaining a whole slew of bodily functions. It strengthens your immune system, keeps your bones strong, protects your skin, stimulates cellular growth, and most importantly (for some people) helps to prevent hair loss.
Also Read: Health Risks Associated with Vitamin D Deficiency: Here’s a List of Foods Rich in Vitamin D
Vitamin D and Hair Loss
A vitamin D deficiency can easily lead to the dreaded hair loss that we all fear. Deficiencies in vitamin D have been connected with alopecia, the autoimmune disease that creates bald patches on the scalp and other areas of the body. Recent studies have found that middle aged women experienced alopecia and other forms of hair loss have low levels of vitamin D. The biggest reasons for a vitamin D deficiency to occur are typically, a lack of time in the sunshine, wearing too much sunscreen, or eating a lack of vitamin D foods.
Vitamin D Rich Foods
The most natural source of vitamin D is the sun, but too much sun exposure can be extremely dangerous over time. The safest way to get vitamin D into your system is through vitamin D fortified foods:
- Fatty fish
- Fish liver oil
- Fortified cereal
- Whole Milk
- Cheese
- Mushrooms
- Dark, leafy, green vegetables
Also Read : Healthy Foods to Prevent Hair Loss
