Continued from our Retreat & Renew Daily Tip.

If you live in a Northern climate, chances are you may not be getting enough vitamin D during the colder darker months.

According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) more than a third of most Americans are not getting enough vitamin D. A vitamin D deficiency can cause everything from an increased likelihood of getting the flu and colds to osteoporosis and even diabetes.

Talk with your doctor if you’re not sure if you’re getting enough, or try these vitamin D rich foods:

Natural Sources of D

• Wild Salmon (3.5 oz) about 600-1000 IU of D3
• Farmed Salmon (3.5 oz) about 100-250 IU of D3 or D2
• Sardines, canned (3.5 oz) about 300 IU of D3
• Mackerel, canned (3.5 oz) about 250 IU of D3
• Tuna, canned (3.6 oz) about 230 IU of D3
• Cod Liver Oil (1 tsp) about 400-1000 IU of D3
• Shitake mushrooms: Fresh (3.5 oz) about 100 IU of D2, Sun-dried (3.5 oz) about 1600 IU of D2
• Egg Yolks about 20 IU of D2 or D3

Sunlight: 5-10 minutes of direct UVB to arms and legs about 3,000 IU of D3.

Foods currently fortified include milk, orange juice, infant formula, yogurts, butter, margarine, cheeses, and cereals. Check the labels.