It’s common knowledge that Vitamin D is important to the health of our teeth and bones, but more studies are being reported about the importance of Vitamin D for your overall health as well.
According to WomentoWomen.com, a website devoted to natural health of women, Vitamin D is vital in keeping certain health problems at bay and essential in maintaining balance in your body’s natural functioning. WomentoWomen.com notes Vitamin D deficiency is becoming widespread and seems to be related to many health concerns including; osteoporosis, depression, heart disease and stroke, cancer, diabetes, parathyroid problems, immune function — even weight loss. Also, researchers are discovering Vitamin D promotes normal cell growth throughout the body, a key factor in maintaining hormonal balance and a healthy immune system. In other words, it helps to regulate the processes that keep your body functioning normally.
For women this is especially important because as we age, our bodies slowly lose the ability to utilize Vitamin D, a process that lowers our calcium absorption rates. This creates a higher risk of osteoporosis, particularly in post-menopausal women. Calcium is an important co-factor to vitamin D, and may lose efficacy if Vitamin D is deficient.
My research showed varying amounts what’s recommended for the daily intake of Vitamin D, in my opinion it is best to check with your doctor or health practitioner to find out how much Vitamin D you need and what are the best ways to get it. Sunlight, diet (milk and dairy products) and supplements are all good sources.
Some tips to help you make sure you are not D-ficient are:
• Take a daily multivitamin or a Vitamin D supplement that is the proper amount recommended by your doctor.
• When buying supplements or fortified foods, make sure the label reads "D3." This is the same type the skin makes, but some companies still use D2, a plant-based form of the vitamin that the body doesn't metabolize as easily.
• Get your blood levels measured, especially if you have a family history of heart disease, cancer, or depression. If you are extremely low, your doctor might recommend higher doses of D.
Making sure you are getting enough Vitamin D is one more easy way to keep your body and in turn –your mind and your spirit—healthy.
- Maureen Keyte
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