As the days get shorter and the sun sets earlier, it’s likely you’re getting less exposure to sunshine, one of the primary sources of Vitamin D. In case you’re unaware, Vitamin D is an essential nutrient for bones, teeth and an assortment of other health areas including muscle strength, cardiac health, immune functioning, and diabetes and cancer risks. So less sun exposure means more possible health concerns. For a good overview of the role of Vitamin D for healthy aging, and the risks you run when you’re deficient, take off those sunglasses and read more here.

Essentially, there are 3 ways to get Vitamin D into your system: sunlight, food, and vitamin supplements. Older individuals stand a greater chance of being Vitamin D deficient, which can be a serious concern for those diagnosed with osteoporosis, as Vitamin D helps with calcium absorption, necessary for keeping bones strong. Over at Medline Plus,(the National Institutes of Health website for patients and families), you can find a variety of useful fact sheets about Vitamin D, calcium and other data and research supporting the important role of Vitamin D for healthy aging. You can also read this factsheet from the NIH outlining not only the importance of Vitamin D in conjunction with calcium but the exact quantities of calcium found in different foods. For calcium requirements beyond age 70, take a look here.

And in these days of diminishing sun, how do you make sure to keep up your vitamin D count? Beyond supplements (and you can see supplement recommendations here) there are both Vitamin D fortified foods and foods that naturally have Vitamin D in them, including mushrooms and egg yolks. So make sure you’re in the know and keep up your Vitamin D count.