Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is well known as the ‘sunshine vitamin’.

It is a fat-soluble vitamin that functions like a steroid hormone in the body and is responsible for many important functions such as:

1.Immunity which plays an important role in our ability to fight infections

2.Hormonal health by balancing our sex hormones

3.Supporting a healthy digestive system

4.Bone health, as vitamin D regulates the amount of calcium and phosphate in the 5.body, both needed for healthy bones, teeth and muscle

Improving brain development and function

We can get vitamin D by:

1.Consuming foods such as oily fish, egg yolks and mushrooms.

2.Spending time outdoors in the sunlight. When it is exposed to UVB rays from sunlight the body converts cholesterol in the skin into an active form of Vitamin D

Research has shown that many of us are deficient in the correct levels of Vitamin D. It has also been proved that low levels of Vitamin D can cause many minor ailments including colds and influenza as well as many more serious diseases such as peripheral artery disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, osteoporosis, cancer and kidney disease.

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It has long been thought that Winter time is the cause of colds and flu due to people grouping together and spreading the cold and flu germs. This is partly true, but a major factor is definitely a lack of Vitamin D which helps to activate and boost the immune system and fight any unwanted viruses.

It’s normal for us to get far greater exposure to sunlight during the Summer months and as sunlight and UVB rays help to produce Vitamin D through our skin, it’s logical that during the Winter, our Vitamin D stores are depleted and this can result in an increase in Influenza and the common cold.

Then, of course, there is the current Coronavirus lockdown which has seen the majority of us confined to our homes for long periods of time. With the lockdown set to be extended into May, it is essential that you are getting enough sources of vitamin D so that your body remains in tip-top condition.

What are the Health Benefits of Vitamin D?

Vitamin D activates our immune systems and is responsible for the absorption of Calcium within our body, which means that having the correct levels of Vitamin D, helps to maintain strong healthy teeth and bones.

If you live in the Northern Hemisphere you are more likely to be deficient in Vitamin D due to lower sunlight exposure, whereas those living below the equator generally have the ideal Vitamin D levels.

Having the correct levels of Vitamin D has also been shown to improve sleep and suppress hunger which may also help with weight loss.

What are the Symptoms of Vitamin D Deficiency?

Symptoms of bone pain and muscle weakness can mean you have a vitamin D deficiency. However, for many people, the symptoms are subtle. Even without symptoms, too little vitamin D can pose health risks for example:-

• Getting sick or suffering from Infections,
• Fatigue and/or Tiredness ( Feeling tired can of course have many other causes)
• Bone and Back Pain
• Depression
• Impaired Wound Healing
• Bone Loss
• Hair Loss
• Muscle Pain

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Source:Organicfacts.com