Let The Sunshine In

I'm so excited! Finally, the medical community is pushing health, not pills!! Have you been to the Dr. lately? They are now routinely monitoring vitamin D levels. In my opinion, if the "health community" would start talking to their patients about "food as medicine", Dr. visits would start declining and so would our insurance bills! I had two Dr. appointments last week. Yearly stuff. The only thing they have ever asked me is, "Do you take a calcium supplement?" To have them interested in my vitamin levels, to me, is so encouraging .

I'm not sure where all the chatter is coming from, but everywhere I look lately, I have run into another article about Vitamin D. More research is coming to light and the importance of this vitamin is being taken more seriously. Why is this? I believe one of the reasons is our culture has changed. And as new research has come to light relating illnesses to our diet, people (our health community) are starting to pay attention. Baby Boomers perhaps? We have moved inside as a society. Our businesses, our homes, our work, all activities are more predominately indoors than they were 50 years ago. Also, our use of sunscreen has blocked our skin's natural abilty to produce Vit D. Plus, if a person lives north of a line between San Francisco and Philadelphia, they do not get enough natural sunlight, most of the year, to produce the vitamin. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, 57% of patients admitted to a Boston hospital were shown to be deficient in Vitamin D (2006). So between our lifestlyle, geography, and our excessive use of sunscreen, supplementation, for most of us, is probably going to be the answer. Let's look at some of Vit D's health properties.

Vitamin D is not really a vitamin because our bodies naturally produce it. However, the name vitamin has stuck to it even if it acts more like a hormone. Prolonged deficiency of vitamin D causes rickets. A disease of long ago, or so the thinking goes. This disease is actually being diagnosed again. Our bodies ability to absorb calcium and phosphorous is reduced when Vit D levels are low for long periods of time. Hence, soft, deformed, weak bones and teeth. Good bone health is important from infancy thru senior years.

Some of the studies have shown that optimal levels of vitamin D may help prevent breast, prostate, and colon cancer, also diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and multiple sclerosis. (Whoa! That horse has left the barn!) When I read about the diabetes, I thought Hmmm? Might there be some connection between our nationally low levels of vitamin D and our diabetic epedemic? Hmmm? Just a thought. Researchers have found that calcium is absorbed better with vitamin D and magnesium. Hip fractures are less in the elderly who have supplemented with the vitamin. Researchers are finding that vitamin D is as important as calcium supplements in preventing osteoporosis, in the elderly.
Low levels of vitamin D are showing a correlation to a higher risk of the cancers mentioned above. Test tube and in-vivo studies have shown Vitamin D kills cancer cells and can help cells differentiate between normal cells and cancer cells. And I could go on, but this is not a diffinitive paper on the subject.

OK. Where do we get vitamin D, if not from the sun? The foods that contain it are...
liver, egg yolks from chickens that are fed Vit D, shrimp, and fish. Dairy that is fortified. However, the dairy does not give amounts per serving. They give percentage of daily RDI, which isn't much, in my opinion. Best thing for your kids is to look at the food labels. I understand that more and more foods are being fortified.

Now, the question of "How Much"? Many in the "health community", ie. researchers and Drs. are now suggesting that the old FDA requirements are far too low. Old guidelines have been 200 IU daily for those under 50, 400 IU for those 51-70, and 600 IU for those over 70. And no, I do not know how to explain IU(international units) to you. Most are now recomending 400, 1000 and 1200IU respectively. That would mean 400IU of vitamin D per day for children, instead of 200IU. From what I understand about the vitamin, that amount would not produce any toxicty in children. Remember, when the label says 25% of RDI, that means 25% of 200IU.

I have been taking, between my various other supplements, per day, 8oo IU of Vit D. Then I added 1,000 IU of Vit D3. So, now after learning so much more, I have just added another 1,000IU per day. So that will be a total of 2,800IU per day. I know many in the MS community suggest more than that. Think I'll stay here for awhile and re-evaluate as time goes by.

As Always, Best of Health to You, Your Happy Maven

"Secrets of Supplements, The Good, the Bad, and the Totally Terrific" by Gloria Askew, R.R.N. and Jerre Parquette, PH.D.

Article published on Goodshape.net from nj.com 2008 The Star-Ledger (14/07/08)

"Perscription for Nutritional Healing" by James F. Balch, M.D. and Phyllis A. Balch, C.N.C.
You got it, I don't know how to post references or bibliographies, anymore.

Any inaccuracies in my writing above are not intentional and no medical advice is
given or intended to replace your personal health care provider.

Remember, I'm "verbally challenged" when it comes to the written word.