I cared for my father for 2 years in my home before his death. Of course, I tried to do everything in my power to make him comfortable and keep him as healthy as possible. When his doctor did some blood tests on Dad, he found that he was very low in Vitamin D, even though we live in Colorado where the sun shines almost everyday, even in the winter. I even made sure that my Dad sat out on the front porch in the sun to give him as much sunlight as possible. Nevertheless, his Vitamin D levels were extremely low. Whether provided by sunlight, foods or nutritional supplements, vitamin D is an extremely necessary vitamin that functions in a number of beneficial roles for the body. Sadly, current national stats show that 70% and more of Americans have extremely insufficient levels of vitamin D. This may be due to modern lifestyle behaviors like working indoors for extended periods of time and heavy use of sunscreen—these two items alone block our body’s ability to manufacture vitamin D. What’s more, a lot of evidence points to the fact that vitamin D deficiency is widespread, affecting individuals of all ages from children to the elderly. Why is Vitamin D So Necessary? Vitamin D builds and maintains strong bones by enhancing calcium absorption Helps the immune system function at its best Maintains breast, colon and prostate health Supports healthy muscle cells Helps maintain joint and muscle comfort Promotes healthy mood and brain function Food Source of Vitamin D Foods provide minimal amounts of vitamin D—a reasonable explanation for why vitamin D deficiency is so prevalent. In fact, we may need to consume excessive amounts of these vitamin D sources in order to meet our vitamin D needs. For example, it could take up to 20 glasses of milk or 10 ounces of salmon per day to fulfill our daily vitamin D requirement. Not an easy way to get our Vitamin D needs met. Food Source Amount Per Serving Cod liver oil 1,360 IU per tablespoon Cooked salmon 360 IU per 3.5 ounces Fortified milk 98 IU per cup Eggs 20 IU per 1 whole egg Vitamin D comes in two forms: Vitamin D2 and Vitamin D3. Vitamin D3—most commonly found in dietary supplements—is the preferred form because it is better used by your body to carry out its important roles. Recommended dosage for adults 1000-2000 IU per day of vitamin D3 taken with food Are you at risk for vitamin D deficiency? You may be at risk if you: experience limited sun exposure and wear sunscreen are 65 years of age and older live in a nursing home are exposed to air pollution are overweight or obese Talk to you doctor. Your doctor can determine your vitamin D status with a simple blood test. Be responsible for your own health and consider taking a vitamin D supplement as part of a healthy supplement regimen. I made sure that my Dad took his Vitamin D3 every single day. Even though he had COPD, Cancer and Dementia, he remained reasonably healthy until a week before his death. He was still walking, talking, singing as much as he possibly could clear up until the end. Take your Vitamin D3 every single day. Warmly, Connie Clark 303-770-3180 Superior and Cutting Edge Health Products MaxGXL LIVE, Whole Live Foods Aloe Pure 5000 Private Reply to Connie Clark |