BENEFITS OF VITAMIN D
Winter is in full bloom here in Wisconsin which brings about a lot of days of staying inside due to the cold temperatures. I am not a big fan of winter and continue to complain to my husband 
about living here. He, on the other hand, truly enjoys winter. It is not something I can comprehend at all.
I put on full winter gear just to go get the mail across the street. But it’s not just the desire to go outside, but also the need to go out there. Those of us who live in the colder climates lose out on a very important benefit from the sun, Vitamin D. Thus, we need to find ways to supplement our lack of this vital element into our bodies to help us stay healthy.
For example, did you know that 40% of Americans and 50% of people worldwide are deficient in vitamin D. That is astonishing! We wear more sunblock, or spend more time indoors and ultimately our diets have drastically took a turn for the worse in our western society.
Consequently, lack of this vitamin can be detrimental to our health.
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Vitamin D deficiency can have cause some of the following:
- Bone loss
- Hair Loss
- Depression
- Getting sick often
- Fatigue
- Back or muscle pain
- Slow healing injuries
- And so many more
The most basic role of vitamin D is calcium absorption. When we add calcium to our diets, we need vitamin D to aid in the absorption of the calcium to receive the benefits. 
Without adequate calcium we can experience bones weakening which can eventually lead to osteoporosis. This is a condition that causes muscle and also bone weakness resulting in chronic pain.
Vitamin D can also help to fight off disease by helping to reduce your chances of developing the flu, decreases your chance of developing heart disease and cancer. It is absolutely essential for optimal health.
Additionally, this vitamin can play an important role in warding off depression and help with regulating the mood.
Now if you live in an area where it’s not easy to spend time outside, or work hours that don’t allow for time to soak in the sun (avoid any kind of burn), you may need to find ways to add foods that contain this vitamin or a supplement to your diet.
Now the recommended amount is 400-800 iu but please ask your doctor. I went to a foot doctor recently and he recommended a considerable higher amount to me.
Some foods have been fortified with vitamin D primarily because few foods contain this naturally.
Foods include:
- Salmon
- Herring
- Sardines
- Shrimp
- Cod liver oil
- Canned tuna
- Oysters
Fortified foods include:
- Milk
- Cereal
- Oatmeal
- Yogurt
- Orange Juice
Notably, vitamin D is good for brain health, may help regulate blood pressure, weight control and also elevates mood. Consider its benefits today!