Boost your immune system with Vitamin D

Vitamin D is essential for healthy bones, teeth and muscles. It also helps absorb calcium and phosphate from our diet.

For the elderly, who are at a higher risk of falls and weaker bones, it’s especially important they get enough of this essential vitamin. Low levels can lead to low moods, fatigue and even depression.

A good place to start getting the vitamin is in your garden! As we’re all staying at home at the moment, why not pop into your garden on a sunny day for lunch?

The body creates vitamin D from direct sunlight on the skin when outdoors. You cannot overdose through exposure to sunlight. However, you should always cover up or protect your skin if you’re out in the sun for long periods to reduce the risk of skin damage and skin cancer.

From now until the end of September, most people should be able to get enough of the vitamin from sunlight.

If you don’t have a garden or can’t get to it, the vitamin can also be found in oily fish such as salmon, sardines, herring and mackerel. It’s also in red meat, liver, egg yolks, fat spreads and some breakfast cereals.

You’ll more than likely need to get your vitamin D from your diet during the autumn and winter months.

Alternatively, there are also supplements available, but a doctor should always be consulted before taking these.

There have been some news reports about vitamin D reducing the risk of coronavirus. However, according to the NHS, there is no evidence that this is the case.