Welcome back!
There is a growing trend among health care specialists to recommend vitamin D for a number of reasons. A couple of months ago I visited my doctor and he said that all the doctors in the practice were “pushing” vitamin D.
Since that time, I have noticed an increasing amount of literature on Vitamin D. I recently wrote an article regarding how Vitamin D helps those struggling with SAD.
That is not the only health benefit of this one vitamin. Now experts are saying that the lack of vitamin D is epidemic in our country, and is affecting the health of many more people than originally thought. How vitamin D affects our lives include:
- Cognitive problems – studies have shown people who have higher level of vitamin D score higher on cognitive assessment tests.
- Prevents or delays onset of diabetes due to role in insulin sensitivity
- Reduces complications for those already diagnosed with diabetes
- Chronic deficiency in vitamin D plays a role in heart disease
- Higher levels of vitamin D contribute to increased cancer survival rates
- Stabilizes blood pressure
- Affects the body’s ability to respond to obesity
- Bolsters the ability of calcium to prevent bone loss and maintain bone density
- Reduces colon cancer risk
- Reduces risk of seasonal affective disorder
- Vitamin D deficiency is common among women with breast cancer
- May help prevent osteoarthritis
- Lack of vitamin D increases risk of dying from any cause according to studies
Your doctor can run a simple test to verify your vitamin D level, then increase your intake of the vitamin to improve your body’s ability to ward off these possible risks to your health.
So, other than vitamin supplements, what can you do to increase your vitamin D level? There are several things you can do such as:
- Increase your exposure to natural sunlight. This is especially important to those who live in areas with decreased sunlight throughout the winter months.
- Increase use of fish liver oils and fatty fish
- Drink or eat fortified milk products
- Eat fortified cereals
Following a healthy eating plan, getting plenty of rest, participating in a safe exercise program, and maintaining a good mental attitude allows you to live an overall healthy lifestyle. Now it appears that paying special attention to your vitamin D levels can play an important role in reducing your risk of certain health complications and increasing your longevity.
Talk to your doctor about the pros and cons of increasing your vitamin D intake. Routine tests will monitor your vitamin D level to keep you safe from harmful effects of too much of the vitamin in your system. The added benefits will not only increase your life expectancy, but play a large part in your day-to-day well-being.
Have you increased your vitamin D intake? Do you plan to do so? What are your thoughts about vitamin D?
