It’s hard to believe that Labor Day has come and gone, schools are in session and pretty soon the kids will be dressing up for Halloween.

If you’re already missing summer, here’s something else we’ll all be missing soon – that extra boost of vitamin D we get from the summer sun.

Since, like other fat-soluble vitamins, our body will store away unneeded supplies of vitamin D, now is the time to take advantage of those remaining few weeks of beneficial sunshine.

Aim for 5 to 15 minutes of sun daily

Try to get from five to 15 minutes daily from now through October, preferably between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. And when you do, be sure not to use any sunscreen, which blocks the benefits of those rays.

Despite all those dire warnings about unprotected sun exposure, being out in the sun for a brief period each day is the very best way to up your vitamin D levels. If you’re fair-skinned, five minutes will probably be enough to do the trick.

Just how important is the “D” that your body synthesizes from the sun?

Support your heart and ward off cancer with vitamin D

Well, besides bolstering your immune system against colds and viruses this winter, it can also help…

• make your heart healthier,
• your bones denser,
• protect you from getting various types of cancer,
• and help prevent depression.

Getting just that small amount of sun in the next few weeks is especially important if you live in a latitude north of, say, Atlanta, because no matter how bright those winter days might seem, the seasonal slant of the earth won’t allow you to get sufficient sun exposure.

That’s when vitamin-D rich foods come in, such as egg yolks, salmon, and (BPA-free) canned tuna, along with vitamin D supplements.

If you’re taking a supplement, the recommended dose is about 2,000 IUs of D3 daily, taken with a meal that contains fat to maximize absorption.