May 16th, 2015

VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY AND THE FOODS WE NEED TO REPAIR IT

 

Vitamin D deficiency is a growing problem in the United States, but many Americans, are not aware that they may be lacking this important nutrient. Despite its name, vitamin D is not a regular vitamin. It's actually a steroid hormone that you get primarily from either sun exposure or supplementation. If you don’t get enough sun, suffer from milk allergies, or adhere to a strict vegan diet, you may be at risk for vitamin D deficiency. Known as the sunshine vitamin, vitamin D is produced by the body in response to skin being exposed to sunlight. Regular exposure to sunlight allows our skin cells to use ultraviolet-B rays to synthesize vitamin D, which has several benefits, including:

 It helps the intestine absorb nutrients, including calcium and phosphorus. This ensures strong bones and a strong immune system.

Vitamin D prevents osteomalacia and rickets. Osteomalacia, which causes weakness of the muscular system and brittle bones, is most prevalent among adults with vitamin D deficiency. Rickets is a skeletal deformity mostly seen in children with vitamin D deficiency.

It also, provides calcium balance in the body that prevents osteoporosis or arthritis.

 

Besides absorbing rays of sun via our skin, there are a few food choices that can assist with our quest for vitamin D. They are:

1. Salmon, Salmon has by far the most vitamin D of any food (and wild salmon has much more than farm raised salmon.
   
   
2. Tuna, A serving of tuna has more than one-third of a daily dose of vitamin D.
   
   
3. Milk, Fortified milk has about one-fifth a day's worth of vitamin D — and whole milk has more than skim.
   
   
4. Shiitake mushrooms, are also a good source of vitamin D and dietary fiber.  Additionally, they are concentrated in minerals, being an excellent source of selenium and copper, a very good source of zinc, and a good source of manganese. 
   
   
5. Eggs, this wonderful little food that is surrounded by much controversy is full of vitamin D and many other vitamins and nutrients needed in our daily diets.
   
   
6. Sardines, Sardines are rich in vitamin D and in numerous other nutrients that have been found to support cardiovascular health. They are one of the most concentrated sources of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, which have been found to lower triglycerides and cholesterol levels.
   
   

 Vitamin D is one of many hormones involved in the maturation of white blood cells, our first line against most types of infection. It has been known for some time that the risk of high blood sugar and diabetes are higher in people with low vitamin D levels. Health professionals and nutritionist from around the globe have demonstrated that bringing these levels back up to normal can help reverse some of the risk.

 BEWARE OF D-FICIENCY:

 Many lifestyle and environmental factors can affect your ability to get sufficient amounts of this vitamin through the sun alone. These factors include:

• pollution
  
  
• use of sunscreen
  
  
• spending more time indoors
  
  
• working longer hours in offices
  
  
• living in big cities where buildings block sunlight
  
  These factors contribute to vitamin D deficiency in an increasing number of people. That’s why it’s important to get some of your vitamin D from sources besides sunlight.
  
  How Much Vitamin D Do You Need?
  
  There has been some controversy over the amount of vitamin D needed for healthy functioning.
  
  

The (IFAS), The Institute for Agricultural Sciences reports the intake recommendations (based on international units—IUs—per day):

• children and teens: 600 IU
  
  
• adults up to age 70: 600 IU
  
  
• adults over age 70: 800 IU
  
  
• pregnant or breastfeeding women: 600 IU
  
   
  
  So now that we know and understand some of the truths about Vitamin D, lets make an effort to do more. Momma and Grandma always told us to drink our milk because it makes strong bones. They were actually on to something; unfortunately most of them didn’t have the complete truth. Vitamin D is much more important than originally thought, and milk is not our only source.
  
   
  
  THIS IS THE HEALING CHEF REMEMBER EAT TO LIVE; NOT LIVE TO EAT! BECAUSE FOODS CAN HEAL!
  
   
  
  Content copyright 2015. SoLo Parenting Magazine. All rights reserved.
  
  

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