Vitamin D has many benefits, including supporting a healthy immune system, controlling inflammation of the body, and even weight loss. Most chronic diseases, if not all of them, are related to chronic inflammation. As Dr. Stengler explains in our One-Minute Video series, Vitamin D also helps your body to utilize nutrients like calcium more effectively. Human skin can make large amounts of vitamin D it is exposed to sunlight. The most natural way to get vitamin D is by exposing your bare skin to sunlight (ultraviolet B rays). This can happen very quickly, particularly in the summer. You don’t need to tan or burn your skin to get vitamin D. You only need to expose your skin for around half the time it takes for your skin to turn pink and begin to burn. How much vitamin D is produced from sunlight depends on the time of day, where you live in the world and your age and the color of your skin (skin pigment blocks UVB rays and the process of converting UVB to Vitamin D gets less efficient with age).

You can also get vitamin D by taking a supplement. This is a good way to get your vitamin D if you can’t get enough sunlight, or if you’re worried about spending too much time in the sun. Vitamin D3 is the supplement we recommend. We feel so strongly about the benefits and importance of Vitamin D3, that we've included two options in our line of Natural Health Products: 1,000 IU and 5,000 IU. We find that many of our patients need at least 2000 units of vitamin D a day – but most actually need 5000. To find out how much Vitamin D you need, you should have your blood vitamin D levels checked. You want to have 50 units or higher on a blood test. Today, go outside and aim to spend about 20 minutes in the sun. And if you don't have time, grab your Vitamin D at our clinic or in our online store.