Vitamin D (also known as the sunshine vitamin) is considered one of the MVP vitamins for your body. Why? It’s because almost everything your body does depends on it – it aids in insulin production, regulates the body’s absorption of calcium and phosphorous and boosts healthy immune system function (just to name a few). If you are deficient in Vitamin D, high chance is that all the body processes mentioned will not function properly and will result to your body not working at its best.
Why you need more of Vitamin D
Getting more Vitamin D has several essential benefits to our body. Some of these are:
1. Regulation of nerve system development and function:
Clinical studies in 2011 suggest that vitamin D acts as a neuroprotectant which is responsible for normal brain functioning; wherein regular intake of the vitamin promotes the growth and survival of neurons. On the other hand, vitamin D deficiency may lead to an increased risk of serious neurological disorders particularly Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Schizophrenia Epilepsy and Multiple Sclerosis. To help prevent these diseases, it is very crucial to take the right amount of D during pregnancy and the neonatal period.
2. Improves resistance against certain diseases:
In addition to its primary benefits such as reducing your risk of nervous system diseases, findings in 2008 and 2010 says that it also decreases your chance of developing heart diseases and your likelihood of developing the flu. (2008 findings published in Circulation and 2010 research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition).
3. Normal Development and Growth of Bones and Teeth:
One of the important roles of D is regulating the absorption of calcium and phosphorous. It helps prevent bone abnormalities such as osteomalacia (soft bones) or osteoporosis (fragile bones). When you get a sufficient amount of the vitamin, your bones and teeth will definitely get stronger and healthier.
Do not be D-ficient!
The following recommended amounts are commonly advised for most people who are just seeking for a boost to help them stay within the standard range:
0–2,000 IUs per day in the summer - As the sunshine vitamin, vitamin D is naturally produced by the body through direct exposure to sunlight. Actually, about 10 to 15 minutes a day of mid-day sun exposure in summer days is plenty enough especially if you’re fair-skinned. But if you’re mostly indoors, you need to boost the vitamin D you currently get from the sun.
4,000 IUs or more throughout the winter – Due to lifestyle and environmental factors during the winter months, it is kind of difficult to always get the right amount of Vitamin D that we need from the sun. These factors include spending more time indoors, and even if you’re exposed to the sun during these months, chances are you’re still covering your skin with more clothing, which prevents the production of vitamin D. If you don’t get much sun exposure or you are aware that your levels are normally low, it is recommended to get some of your vitamin D from sources aside from sunlight, such as:
From eating certain foods:
You can get it naturally through certain foods including fatty fishes/ seafood like salmon, mackerel, tuna, sardines and shrimps. They are also present in egg yolks and also come fortified in some yogurt, cheese and orange juices brands.
From nutritional supplements:
These are the easiest, cheapest, and safest way to make sure you have all the Vitamin D that you need. It is important to remember though that when you are buying supplements, make sure that the label reads “Vitamin D3.” D3 (also known as cholecalciferol) is the same type of vitamin that the skin makes when you expose all of your body to sunlight.
Our Docs take Vitamin D too!
Here at North Shore Chiropractic, we use high quality, Vitamin D3 nutritional supplements. They are proven safe and effective, as they provide raw nutrition that captures all the vibrant energy and goodness of nature. If ever you get to visit our office, don’t forget to ask our docs which good brands they recommend.