Other Nutrients Associated with the Sun and Vitamin D
Magnesium is an important nutrient to help the body regulate vitamin D. This mineral is often low in athletes. In fact, having done a dietary analysis on almost all athletes I’ve seen over decades of work, magnesium is one of the more common deficiencies. The best food sources are organically grown vegetables and raw nuts and seeds. These foods will also help you obtain other nutrients needed for better utilization of vitamin D; they include zinc and the vitamins A and K. In the case of vitamin A, however, you’ll need egg yolks and other animal foods such as fish since plant foods don’t contain vitamin A (they contain large amounts of beta-carotene which the human body can convert to vitamin A but not as efficiently as other animals). Most cod liver oil supplements also contain vitamin A.
As research continues we’ll find out more about the nutrients that we need to protect us when spending time in the sun. Various naturally occurring antioxidants from foods, and omega-3 fats, for example, are used by the body in helping to protect us from the possible harm of overexposure, so these nutrients will be needed in adequate amounts especially in sunny seasons. For a long time it’s been known that sun exposure reduces the body’s folic acid, another reason to consume ten servings of vegetables and fruits each day, which should provide sufficient folic acid.
