It is amazing the effect vitamins and minerals have on health. Just a small deficiency of any single nutrient can cause many symptoms. Even though some experts proclaim that Americans have no nutritional deficiencies, the symptoms showing up on individual Americans indicate otherwise.
For example, recent research shows that the following symptoms can be related to the lack of just one vitamin:
Depression
Childhood diabetes
Heart disease
Itching, redness and scaling skin
Mood disorders
Parkinson’s disease
Cancer
Rickets
Calcium deficiency
Inflammation
High Blood Pressure
Increased susceptibility to colds and flu
Emerging research shows that a lack of adequate vitamin D can increase your risk for the above mentioned health challenges and more.
We can get Vitamin D from sunlight, if we are out in it enough and aren’t wearing sunscreen. At the minimum the skin should be exposed to the sun for 15 minutes per day and 45 minutes would be better.
The sun’s rays are safer for the skin in the summer before 10 a.m. and after 3 p.m. Also the risk of developing skin cancer can be reduced by avoiding the ingestion of hydrogenated oils which produce trans-fats.
Of course it’s a little uncomfortable being outside with bare skin exposed to the sun this time of year. That’s why food sources that are high in Vitamin d are so important here in the Mid-west. The best natural food sources of Vitamin D are Cod liver oil, Halibut-liver oil, herring, mackerel, salmon, and sardines.
Since the above mentioned foods may not be high on many peoples' “yummy” food list, there may be need for supplementation. Actually the research shows that we have need of a much higher RDA than formerly believed. The best supplement form of vitamin D is Vitamin D3.
