April 10, 2012

A few minutes of daily sunlight can help your body make much of the vitamin D it needs. Is that bad for your skin as you age? Not if you dont overdo it, many experts say, and the payoff could be huge.

More than half of all women are thought to be deficient in vitamin D, and the latest evidence from Johns Hopkins University confirms that failing to get enough boosts your risk of death by 26%.

Thats why its probably worth getting your levels checked with a simple blood test. If youre low, eat more D–rich foods: dairy, fish like salmon and tuna, and fortified cereals and orange juice. Talk to your doctor about supplements too.