Zašto uzimati vitamin D tijekom ljeta?

Jeste li čuli za staro pravilo da se ulje jetre bakalara uzima samo u mjesecima koji u nazivu imaju slovo „r“ (engleski)? No, jesu li dodaci vitamina D zaista potrebni samo u zimskim mjesecima?

Uvijek nam govore koliko je važno unositi dovoljno vitamina D tijekom zime, dok ljeti navodno nije potrebno jer smo češće izloženi suncu.

No, ljeto zna biti nepredvidivo. Što kada se sunce sakrije iza oblaka ili danima neprestano pada kiša? Tada najčešće ostajemo u zatvorenim prostorima ili, ako izlazimo, obučeni smo od glave do pete.

A kada sunce ipak zasja, koristimo kreme za sunčanje koje, iako štite kožu od štetnih sunčevih zraka, također sprječavaju njezino stvaranje vitamina D.

Zato je korisno razmisliti o uzimanju vitamina D tijekom cijele godine, a ne samo zimi.

Što vitamin D čini za vas?

Vitamin D doprinosi zdravlju zubi i održavanju normalne strukture kostiju. Također podržava normalnu funkciju imunološkog sustava te na taj način pomaže održavanju općeg zdravlja.

Manjak vitamina D manje je prisutan u južnim krajevima nego u sjevernijim podnebljima. Međutim, osobe tamnije kože koje se dosele u sjeverne zemlje s manje sunca mogu imati povećanu potrebu za ovim vitaminom.

Starije osobe također trebaju biti posebno oprezne i osigurati dovoljan unos vitamina D za očuvanje zdravlja kostiju.

Jedan od najboljih izvora vitamina D

Malo je namirnica koje sadrže veće količine vitamina D. Masne ribe poput lososa, skuše, haringe i pastrve odličan su izvor vitamina D. Manje količine nalaze se i u mliječnim proizvodima obogaćenim vitaminom D. Dnevni unos od 200 grama masne ribe gotovo pokriva dnevnu potrebu za vitaminom D. Ipak, većini ljudi, čak ni uz zdravu prehranu, nije lako osigurati dovoljan unos ovog vitamina.

Jedan od najboljih dodataka prehrani s vitaminom D je ulje jetre bakalara, zbog čega ga mnogi redovito uzimaju tijekom cijele godine. To je najjednostavniji način osiguranja potrebne dnevne doze vitamina D.

What is good health?

Body changes in later life call for changes in your diet

Do you have a good lifestyle?

Lifestyle simply means the way in which you live. Health and lifestyle go hand in hand. You might feel you have a good lifestyle if you are physically active, eat healthily and generally experience a sense of wellbeing. Conversely, if you want good health you should also have a good lifestyle.

Physical activity is the major contributor to a good lifestyle, but diet, drugs, stress, sleep and social conditions are also play an important role. Being able to use the body properly to avoid injury also affects lifestyle. Physical activity can also prevent depression and help you to recover more quickly from mental illness, both of which obviously affect your lifestyle.

How does the aging process affect your immune system?

Diet can be a difficult topic for many. Perhaps you eat too much or too little or maybe you find it hard to know what foods to combine to have a balanced diet. It’s also important to eat food that contains important vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre, omega-3 and antioxidants. On top of all this, you also need to get enough energy, protein and the correct fatty acids. The requirement for these nutrients changes throughout your life. When you are older you also have different requirements than children and younger adults. Women also have different requirements than men. Pregnant and breastfeeding mothers also have special requirements.

When you get older, you lose muscle mass and your body requires less energy and therefore less food. You may lead a less active life than you did before, which is why you require less food. However, your need for minerals, vitamins and other nutrients remains the same. Of course, there are plenty of healthy and active older people, but when you reach 70 to 80 years of age, it’s easier to become ill, especially during flu season.

Some steps you can take to improve your lifestyle and health are to:

eat a healthy and varied diet
stay active
watch your weight
avoid too much alcohol and don’t smoke
get enough sleep
think positive
practise good hygiene

What is good quality of life?

The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines quality of life as a state where the individual can realise their potential, cope with normal stressful situations, work in a rewarding and positive way, and be able to contribute to others and society.

Quality of life is a wide and somewhat diffuse concept that includes joy in, and a desire for, life. These are values that are rather felt than measured, which in turn are based on personal environment and choices. Quality of life doesn’t necessarily depend on being healthy or sick. It’s the moments between worries, sorrows, problems and ailments that matter. For example, if you have a chronic illness, a feeling of mastery can be important when talking about quality of life.

To sum up, quality of life is a combination of health, lifestyle, networks and social support. It’s about experiencing joy, meaning in life, satisfaction, security and a sense of belonging, as well as being able to use your strengths. It’s also about feeling interest in life, coping with everyday situations and a being committed to something or someone. If you have good quality of life, you will be able to cope better with the inevitable stressful situations in life.