Dark days cause us to be deficient in vitamin D, making us more likely to get colds and flu. We can counter this lack by eating smart

"It's so cold". It is perhaps the phrase you say and hear the most in the last days. Normal, it is almost winter, temperatures are low and there is no sun. Behind this obvious is a possible problem for your health. Which? Dark days cause us to be deficient in vitamin D, which we have plenty of in summer, since our body produces when the skin absorbs the rays. All this leads to an increase in flu and colds.

Consuming research has shown that eating food with this vitamin at least once a week dramatically reduces the risk in some people who become ill with respiratory infections by as much as 50 percent. One of them is led by British scientists from Queen Mary University of London, which suggests that if everyone took this vitamin in pills, or ate foods rich in it, it could reduce the number of people infected with these diseases at least 5 percent.

You should eat more salmon. Provides a large amount of protein, about 18%, vitamins, especially B, A and D groups, and minerals

Vitamin D helps the body digest calcium, which is good for our bones and muscle movement. The immune system also uses it to fight the viruses and bacteria that invade it and helps not to develop osteoporosis. But experts are concerned that the modern lifestyle causes us not to take enough and recommend taking a 10mg supplement daily from October to March. In the case of dark-skinned or pregnant people should take it throughout the year.

The aforementioned study, published in the 'British Medical Journal', analyzed the data of almost 11,000 people who participated in 25 clinical trials carried out in 14 countries. Among people who were already deficient in vitamin D, taking supplements reduced the risk of respiratory infection by 50 percent, and among others the risk was reduced by up to 20 percent.



So, when the days are shortened and the sun barely hits our faces, how can we increase their consumption? An easy solution is to consume foods rich in vitamin D. And it is in dishes that you usually take often:

1) Fish
One of the foods of animal origin that seems healthy to everyone is fatty fish, such as salmon. It provides a large amount of protein, about 18%, vitamins, especially groups B, A and D, and minerals, as the so important and sometimes scarce in our diet iodine. Thus, taking salmon will have an effect not only on our cardiovascular health, but also on the eye, the maintenance of our bones and the functioning of the thyroid, among others. Like eggs, salmon fulfills the ideal magical combination for weight loss: it satiates a lot, but gains little weight.

Eating food with vitamin D at least once a week reduces the risk of respiratory infections by up to 50%

If the salmon does not convince you, you can try the tuna. With the quantity of 80 grams of bluefin or white tuna we cover half of the needs of vitamin D. In addition, it is perfect for a weight loss diet, since it is low in calories, high in protein and has little fat. Also the can, but in this case it is preferable to opt for the "natural" variety and not "in oil". It is popular with bodybuilders and models for the rapid evolution of muscles.

2) Eggs
Eggs, specifically yolks, also contain vitamin D. In addition, they have omega 3s, and vitamins A, E, and B12. Also minerals like selenium. In addition to the obvious health benefits were added the price of them, affordable to almost all budgets, and the protein they provide, which is a valuable contribution to muscle strength as an energy source and also promotes the feeling of satiety. . In this regard, the magazine 'Nutrition Today' reviewed analyzes of more than 25 studies on proteins and concluded that the natural and high quality present in eggs contribute to the strength, power and energy of our body in various ways.

They provide sustained energy because they do not cause an increase in blood sugar or insulin levels. And as for muscle strength, its intake influences mass and function in people of all ages. A single egg provides more than six grams of protein (13% of the recommended), which can help people strengthen and preserve their muscle mass, or at least prevent their loss in the elderly.





3) Milk
Milk is one of the best ways to get vitamin D multiple times throughout the day, as you are unlikely to eat salmon in the morning, noon, and evening. In addition, it will provide you with a good dose of calcium, a mineral that our body does not generate, it is through the diet and its mobilization from the bones that it reaches our body, therefore a permanent intake of foods rich in calcium is important for skeleton health and to prevent diseases.

It is the best vehicle to take calcium and promote its absorption: our body absorbs 32% of the calcium contained in milk. The positive effects of this food are also due to the proteins and vitamin K that they provide to the body.



4) Orange Juice
Like milk, orange juice is enriched with vitamin D. A single cup contains around 137 IU, which also provides, by the way, the recommended daily amount of vitamin C.

Milk is one of the best ways to get vitamin D multiple times throughout the day. In addition, it is the best vehicle to take calcium



5) Mushrooms
Among the endless variety of fungi that exist, the mycologist Daniel Reyes, a graduate of the University of Texas (USA), highlights in conversation with 'Efe' the properties of one of the most common, the oyster mushroom (Pleutorus ostreatus ), rich in vitamin C, vitamin D and antioxidants, in addition to being good for speeding up metabolism. The expert wanted to clarify that "it is a myth" that mushrooms are pure fiber and carbohydrates, since they also contain proteins and "many things that we are hardly discovering in mycology".

Another variety, Ganoderma lucidum, known in traditional Asian cultures as "the mushroom of immortality", helps regenerate and preserve the immune system. For its part, Trametes versicolor, also called "turkey tail", a very colorful fungus, can be useful to prevent the appearance of malignant tumors.