Suffering from pain in your bones and having difficulty getting up? Don’t be so quick to blame your age, says doctor. One simple 8-10 minute habit can help you feel better

Vitamin D deficiency can definitely make you feel older than you really are. Taking to X, internal medicine expert Dr Priyam Bordoloi revealed some tell-tale signs your body is giving you that it severely lacks this nutrient, and you either need to spend more time in the sunshine (a major source of vitamin D) or eat more foods rich in vitamin D.

You Can’t Stand Up Without Your Hands

The armrests are pushed off. It feels more difficult to climb stairs. It becomes a chore to get off the ground. The muscles surrounding your hips may get weaker if you don't get enough vitamin D. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D is the appropriate blood test.

Your Bones Hurt

Do you often feel pain in the lower back, hips, legs and pelvis? Does the bone feel tender when you touch it gingerly? It needs medical evaluation.

Your Muscles Feel Cramped

When vitamin D feels severely low, your muscles can feel extremely cramped, as vitamin D deficiency also causes low calcium. You may also experience tingling around your mouth. Dr Bordoloi added that if you are discovered to have low vitamin D, make sure you check if you are deficient in the several nutrients and bodily functions - calcium, magnesium, kidney function as well.

You Fracture Easily

A minor fall can be painful and cause bruises, but it shouldn’t lead to fractures. If a minor fall to the ground causes a major fracture, this means that long-term vitamin D deficiency has weakened your bones through osteomalacia.

What Are Some Vitamin D-Rich Foods?

According to Healthline, here are some foods that are rich in vitamin D:

Fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel

Eggs

Mushrooms.

However, as a Cleveland Clinic report shows, the easiest way to get more vitamin D is, was and will always be spending more time outdoors, in the sun. According to Dr Robert Ashley, assistant professor of medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, you may need anything from just 8 to 10 minutes of exposure to the sunlight to get enough vitamin D.