TOP UP YOUR VITAMIN D

There’s growing evidence that vitamin D plays an important role in strengthening our immune system. ‘Up to half of us in the UK have lowish vitamin D levels, although we may not actually have

deficiency symptoms,’ says Woman’s

Weekly Doctor Melanie Wynne-Jones. ‘But our lack of winter sunlight makes us particularly vulnerable.’

Get sunshine onto unprotected skin – it’s the most effective way for our bodies to make vitamin D. ‘We need 15 to 30 minutes’ daily outside sun exposure on our faces and arms,’ explains Dr Mel.

✿ Try a vitamin D supplement – Public Health England recommends that anyone over the age of one should consider taking a daily 10mcg vitamin D supplement, particularly during autumn and winter. And those with an

increased risk of deficiency (if you have little skin exposure to the sun) should take one all year round. Try BetterYou

DLux 3000 Vitamin D Oral Spray (£7.99

for 15ml, from Holland & Barrett).

Eat foods naturally high in vitamin

D – oily fish, liver, egg yolks and red meat. But it’s difficult to get enough vitamin D from food alone.

Try a ‘super mushroom’ – new at Sainsbury’s, they’re fortified with 60% of your daily vitamin D requirement. (See p32 for info.) Other vitamin D-enriched foods include cereals and margarines.