Vitamin D—you Need It for Winter Health

Vitamin D is an essential nutrient. It helps the body to absorb calcium, which promotes bone growth. Strong bones keep you moving and living life. The body produces its own stores of vitamin D when exposed to ultraviolet light. Most people just need 5 to 10 minutes of  UVB and UVA sunlight—without sunscreen—to synthesize vitamin…

Many of Us Don’t Get Enough Vitamin D
Vitamin D Deficiency is Common Among Two-thirds of Americans.

You’re at risk of being deficient if you—

1. lead a life primarily indoors
2. suffer with kidney issues (which obstructs vitamin conversion)
3. have dark skin pigmentation (curtails skin absorption)
4. are obese (nutrients leach out via body fat)
5. have a dairy allergy (not getting adequate calcium)
6. follow a strict vegetarian or vegan diet (not eating fish, milk, or eggs)

Vitamin D is Vital for Total Health

Bone Health

Vitamin D is Essential to Absorb Calcium and Promote Bone Growth.

Deficiency in Vitamin D is linked to weakening of the bones, nails, hair, and teeth.

In children, too little vitamin D results in soft bones—think rickets. Children can also have a higher likelihood of severe forearm fracture requiring surgery.

Vitamin D deficiency in adults is linked to bone pain, osteoporosis and sprain/strain injuries.

Immune System Health

Sufficient Levels of Vitamin D Reduce Your Risk of Infectious Disease.

It strengthens your innate immune system. Vitamin D essentially makes your immune system smarter by teaching it to not attack itself. This prevents the development of an autoimmune disease. If you are deficient in vitamin D, you have an increased susceptibility to infection.

Brain Health

Vitamin D Can Combat Health Conditions Like Depression, High Blood Pressure, and Diabetes.

The brain responds to increased Vitamin D by regulating weight, mood, and blood pressure. Synthesis of Vitamin D activates a metabolic pathway known as the Sterol pathway. This pathway is closely related to hormonal control and overall brain health.

Heart Health

Vitamin D Promotes Intestinal Absorption of Calcium, Which Helps Your Heart Function.

Calcium is an essential mineral for proper muscle contraction. Your heart is the most important muscle you have!

Proper muscular contraction relies on a careful balance of calcium. The body doesn’t get enough dietary calcium if you don’t have the necessary vitamin D available.  A properly working heart affects many conditions—including high blood pressure.

Healthy Weight Maintenance

Vitamin D Helps in the Regulation of Pathways Which Control Diabetes.

Your gut is filled with bacteria known as the gut flora. These gut flora live symbiotically (good for both organisms) with the human body. Keeping the gut healthy relies significantly on maintaining the health of the gut flora.

Recent studies have shown that bio-active Vitamin D has a significant effect on the function of the normal gut flora. It boosts metabolism synthesis of other vitamins and provides access to healthy digestion.

Hormone Regulation

Lack of Vitamin D Has Been Connected to Mood Disorders Like Seasonal Affective Disorder (Sad).

Do you find yourself down during the winter, or find that you just don’t have as much energy during the winter as you would during the summer? Many other people find themselves feeling down during the winter months. When the sun isn’t out and the weather is colder, Vitamin D is harder to get.

Vitamin D Fortified Foods Are a Good Start

Vitamin D is Present in Many Foods, Such as—

1. milk
2. fortified orange juice
3. yogurt
4. breakfast cereals
5. eggs
6. fatty cold water fish  (i.e., salmon, herring, sardines, tuna, and mackerel).

What if Diet and Sun Exposure Don’t Supply Enough Vitamin D?

For some people, their diet requires removal of some of the Vitamin D fortified foods. During the winter months, we can have a hard time getting out into the sun. Some of us simply don’t get regular sun exposure for various reasons. That’s where a high quality supplement can help.

The magic number of 600 IBU of Vitamin D provides the necessary health benefits. In our office we generally recommend a daily dose of 2000 IBU of Vitamin D. We also recommend a well-formulated liquid supplement. A FEW DROPS A DAY IS ALL YOU NEED.

At Golden Chiropractic we offer a high quality Vitamin D supplement in a liquid drop. ONE DROP OF BIO-D-MULSION FORTE DAILY PROVIDES 2000 IBU OF VITAMIN D.

When you’ve got the right amount of Vitamin D, your health is on track. STOP BY THE OFFICE if you need to know more about how you can benefit from Vitamin D.