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All about Vitamin D
All about Vitamin D
12/23/21
Vitamin D is an essential vitamin our bodies need also called the “sunshine vitamin” because our bodies make it when our skin is in the sun!
At CMSD, our Registered Dietitian works hard to make sure we get all the essential vitamins we need from the food we eat at school. We also need to make sure we get enough vitamins (especially Vitamin D) from the food we eat outside of school too. There are many ways to get vitamin D like through the food we eat and the sunshine we play in outside.
Why do we need Vitamin D and why is it so important?
Vitamin D is most importantly known for bone growth and maintaining healthy teeth. It helps our bodies absorb another essential vitamin known as Calcium. When combined with calcium, vitamin D helps strengthen our bones and prevents bone disease in kids and adults which causes softening and weakness in the bones. Vitamin D also reduces inflammation, reduces the risk of infections, prevents cancer, and keeps our immune system healthy.
Where can we get it?
During the winter season, it becomes harder for us to get enough vitamin D because we are spending more time inside. This can cause us to develop a vitamin deficiency, meaning that we have too little of vitamin D. Since we're not spending as much time in the sun now that the chilly weather is here, we need to make sure we are getting vitamin D from our food instead. Foods like milk, fortified orange juice, eggs, cheese, yogurt, and mushrooms are all great food sources of vitamin D. When a food is labeled as fortified, it means that extra nutrients were added to it that are not normally there which reduces the risk of developing a deficiency. Some of these vitamin D-containing foods are all offered here at CMSD for breakfast and lunch including milk, orange juice, yogurt, breakfast cereals which are all offered daily.
If you enjoy spending time outside during the snowy season and doing fun things like making a snowman, building an igloo, or even going sledding, take advantage of the light in the daytime to get some vitamin D from the sun. Your body will thank you for it!
Science tie-in (Grades K-8, Scientific inquiry and process): Are you deficient in vitamin D? Have students explore how vitamin D helps us stay healthy. Discuss with students how vitamin D affects bone health, how much they need, and the consequences of vitamin D deficiency. Have students complete the “No Bones About It…Calcium & Vitamin D Count” worksheet while presenting on the slides labeled “Vitamin D- Why and How Much”, “Good Sources of Vitamin D”, and “Food and Supplement Labels.” The lesson plan provided below is appropriate for grades 9-12. Full lesson plan can be found here.
About the Author: Alyssa Joachimi