JUST SAY YES TO VITAMIN D
How much do you really know about Vitamin D and vitamin D deficiency? If you are like most individuals, your knowledge is probably limited. This sunshine vitamin may be the key to boosting your immunity against the flu. Individuals that have low levels of vitamin D in their system are more likely to have more colds and catch the flu easier. Vitamin D deficiency mean that you have a blood level of less than 30 nanograms per milliliter of blood. If you have enough vitamin D you produce a protein known as cathelicidin which is known for helping your immune system to fight off infections. The solution here is simple:
Do you get enough Vitamin D? The truth is that many of us are short on this vitamin. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and plays a major role in bone density and the prevention of osteoporosis. There is also a lot of research that is suggesting that vitamin D may play a role in protecting us from cancer,diabetes and autoimmune diseases.
Sunlight is the main supplier of vitamin D. Many of us are confined to the inside of buildings and have very little opportunity for exposure to sunshine, in turn we are not getting the minimum requirement of exposure of daily sunlight. In addition, we eat very few foods that naturally contain vitamin D. Foods high in vitamin D are cod liver oil and oily fish such as salmon, sardines and mackerel. How many individuals do you know that have a diet with a large percentage of their food coming from these sources? Chances are you are one of these individuals.
A lack of vitamin D causes the body not to be able to manufacture 1,25-d.OH-D, which in turns results in the decreased absorption of dietary calcium and increases the loss of calcium in bowel movements. The bones are affected because it results in lack of bone mineralization. In younger growing individuals this is called calcification. In the older adults it causes an increased demineralization known as decalcification. This all translates that vitamin D is essential to calcium absorption and is involved in proper bone mineralization. It also helps to maintain a healthy immune system.
Living in northern countries or with many of our elderly population living in nursing homes, it is a reason for decreased exposure to sunlight. If you have dark skin, have an infant child, chances are the exposure to sun is also less than what is needed. If you are a Arabic female and cover your face and body with black cloth, wear a veil and black gloves, there is no way the sun can provide you with vitamin D when you are outside. It is actually possible for an Arabic woman to develop a vitamin D deficiency even though she is living in a sunny climate.
Obesity is another cause of vitamin D deficiency. If you are obese and have adequate sun exposure you may still develop a vitamin D deficiency. The reason is because vitamin D is not available for use by the body because it is stored in large amount of body fat that an obese individual has.
The elderly because of aging skin also can develop a vitamin D deficiency. If a 75 year is exposed to the same sunlight as a 25 year old, the 75 year old will only make 25% of the vitamin D in comparison to the 25 year old.
Vitamin D is also responsible for regulating cholesterol. This is what contributes to a healthy heart. Vitamin D is known to help with mood disorders, specifically for its role in fighting depression.
Vitamin D is important for a healthy body. Make sure you get enough sun exposure, which is estimated to be 15 to 20 minutes of direct sunlight. Add fish to your diet, use vitamin supplements as needed. If you buy a vitamin D supplement, make sure it is Vitamin D3, this will provide you with the best source of vitamin D available in a supplement.
Because most of the foods we eat contain very little or in some case no vitamin D, sunshine is the major source for vitamin D. You can look for products that are fortified. If a product is fortified it means the manufacture added vitamins. Examples are milk and baby formula. It is also of interest to know that breast milk is low in vitamin D.
The recommended requirement of vitamin D for an adult is 200 international units ( IU). If you have a low intake of vitamin D for a few days or a month no major health issues will happen. But if the deficiency occurs for months or years , even though it is rare in the US, rickets or osteomalcia can develop.
Rickets
You will see bowed legs and bowed arms because of the softening of bones that occurs. The bones will actually bend if they are weight bearing. You may also see bead like prominences at the junction of the ribs ( known as Rachitic Rosary).
Ostemalcia
This is very rare in the United States. This causes decreased bone strength and an increase in bone fractures. There is pain associated with this disease, along with muscle weakness and a waddling walk.
Evidence is showing that having adequate vitamin D can prevent some common cancers, autoimmune diseases, heart disease, osteoporosis and type 1 diabetes, it is essential that you have adequate vitamin D. Typical symptoms with vitamin D deficiency are complaints of aching bones and muscle discomfort. Vitamin D deficiency is sometimes misdiagnosed as fibromylagia or chronic fatigue syndrome. It is essential that you maintain a healthy supply of vitamin D either by sunlight, foods or vitamin supplements. Usually it takes a combination of all three of these to maintain an adequate supply of vitamin D.