Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that we can obtain from different foods or nutritional supplements and exposure to UV rays. This vitamin provides various benefits to our body and helps us stay healthy and function efficiently. Vitamin D works through a combination of different systems in our body to strengthen and support our physical needs.
What Are the Benefits of Vitamin D?
One major benefit of vitamin D is the strengthening of the immune system. When we are working through recovery, our immune systems can be overloaded by the withdrawal effects. Ensuring you have a sufficient source of vitamin D in your system can improve the overall functioning of your immune system and allow you to better cope with the psychical withdrawal effects that you will experience through recovery.
As well as helping with your immune system, vitamin D can also reduce inflammation. During the cycle of addiction, cytokines are released that increase levels of inflammation in the neurological system. Having a proper amount of vitamin D can reduce these inflammatory responses and potentially prevent brain damage.
Vitamin D also plays a role in our dopamine regulation. This is the main way vitamin D factors into addiction recovery. There is a positive correlation between deficiency of vitamin D and the consumption of amphetamines. Giving your body a sufficient amount of vitamin D can help you regulate your body’s reward circuit that has been affected by an addictive substance. Allowing your body to feel sensations of well-being and pleasure that are not related to substance use can help the process of recovery feel more natural and comfortable.
It is common to develop different psychological disorders alongside addiction. As you are working to overcome all the struggles that have arisen with substance abuse, you may experience heightened negative emotions. These can potentially bring out signs of depression or anxiety. Receiving an adequate amount of Vitamin D can help to counteract these symptoms and improve your overall mood.
How to Increase Vitamin D Intake
There are a variety of different ways to increase the vitamin D levels within your body. Many of these techniques are simple and can be done with very little effort or adjustment to your daily lifestyle.
Nutrition
One way to obtain a higher vitamin D sufficiency is through the caloric intake. While most food sources do not provide a high amount of vitamin D, it is possible to increase the levels of this vitamin through your diet.
Fatty fish oils are one of the most efficient food sources of increasing levels of vitamin D. Most animal-based products, such as meat, eggs, cheese, milk, and a variety of other products, contain some level of vitamin D. While consuming specific food sources can increase the level of vitamin D in your body; it is often not a sufficient way to obtain enough of this vitamin.
Sun Exposure
One of the most common ways for individuals to supply their bodies with vitamin D is through exposure to UV rays. Exposing your skin to sunlight allows your body to absorb the vitamin for your benefit. If you are exposed to sunlight through glass or a clear blockage of some sort, the vitamin D source does not transfer.
While being exposed to direct sunlight has a lot of benefits, being in the sun for too long without proper protection can lead to many harmful skin effects and possibly skin cancer. Wearing an SPF-protecting sunscreen and limiting your time in direct sunlight can help you obtain its benefits without incurring too many risks.
It is recommended to receive between five and thirty minutes of sunlight a minimum of two times a week. This may seem like a small amount; however, our body can absorb vitamin D relatively fast. Limiting our sun exposure without UV protection to this amount can ensure we are getting a sufficient amount while avoiding the potential skin damage from over-exposure.
Supplements
Supplements are another common way to increase vitamin levels. There are a variety of over-the-counter vitamins that can help improve levels of vitamin D. This is a very easy way to increase this vitamin if you are lacking proper sufficiency. If you choose to take a vitamin D supplement, inform your health provider to ensure you do not have any negative side effects. While taking vitamins is relatively safe, it is important to be aware of the potential risks that come from over-the-counter medications.
Vitamin D can provide a variety of benefits that can be especially helpful for people working through addiction recovery. As you work to counteract the negative effects the substance has had on your physical body, vitamin D can assist you. As this vitamin builds your immune system, getting enough of it may lower the withdrawal effects and physical disturbances of recovery. Vitamin D can be obtained in different ways. Sun exposure is one of the most common ways to ensure adequate vitamin D levels. Supplements and some food sources can also provide some vitamin D. Using the benefits of vitamins and natural sources to assist your progress in recovery can be very beneficial with little effort involved. The benefits are not only great for your recovery but your overall health as well. To learn more about the benefits of Vitamin D, contact Dream Recovery at (949) 732-1960.