How to get your vitamin D: Most people can make enough vitamin D from being out in the sun daily for short periods of about 20 minutes at a time with their forearms, hands or lower legs uncovered and without sunscreen from late March or early April to the end of September, especially from 11 am to 3 pm, says Pearson.
People with dark skin, such as those of African, African-Caribbean or south Asian origin, will need to spend longer in the sun to produce the same amount of vitamin D as someone with lighter skin.
Some foods are rich in vitamin D – though they won’t provide anywhere near what you get from sunlight – and these include fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel and tuna as well as egg yolks, cheese, liver, and foods fortified with vitamin D such as some cereals, dairy products, soy milk, and cereals.
Are you getting enough?
Having optimal vitamin D levels depends on your skin’s ability to produce enough when you’re exposed to the sun.Those with darker skin naturally produce less vitamin D, as the melanin in their skin naturally provides more protection against UV rays.This means those with lighter skins must spend more time in the sun than those with lighter skins to get adequate amounts.
