As you age, your risk of certain diseases increases. For women over 50, this includes metabolic syndrome, a group of conditions that raise the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
Here’s one easy way to keep your risk low.
To mitigate your risk of metabolic syndrome, try upping your vitamin D intake first. Research shows women with adequate vitamin D levels are less likely to develop this.
An analysis from Sao Paulo State University’s Botucatu Medical School found that women with low vitamin D levels in their blood were more than twice as likely to develop metabolic syndrome. Compare that to women with an adequate vitamin D intake, who were only around 40 percent more likely to develop it. That’s an average reduction of 18 percent.
Here are 3 easy ways to get your fill:
- Eat fatty animal-derived products. Foods such as fatty fish, cheese, and egg yolks are great sources of vitamin D.
- Look for vitamin D fortified foods. Some dairy and cereal products are fortified with this key vitamin to help you stay healthy.
- Get some sun. Vitamin D is also known as the sunshine vitamin, and just 15 minutes of sun exposure can raise your intake of vitamin D. Make sure to wear ample sunscreen protection before going outside, however, as it can also be harmful to the skin.
With a few simple changes to your diet, you can reap the rewards of a healthy diet–and a life free of metabolic syndrome too!
