Vitamin D deficiency is a very popular search topic on the internet, and as a result, there is an incredible amount of informative websites regarding this topic. In fact, the variety is so vast, people have trouble finding the information they’re looking for so I’ve decided to sum it all up for you.
What is vitamin D?
Vitamin D is not a single material, but the name for a specific group of fat soluble pheromones. It is also known as “The Sunshine Vitamin” because adequate sun exposure triggers its synthesis (from cholesterol) in the skin. There are five forms of vitamin D known to us, numbered D1 to D5. D2 and D3 are the most significant to humans. The function of vitamin D in our bodies is to help us absorb and process calcium and phosphorus, the second and third most essential minerals in our bodies (after potassium).
Why do we need vitamin D?
As I wrote above, vitamin D helps our bodies absorb calcium and phosphorous. Calcium is the most common mineral in the human body and it has various functions;?Calcium builds and maintains our bones and teeth. Without calcium our bones become brittle and our teeth decay and eventually fall. In the nervous system, some of the charge carrying channels in cell membranes are made of calcium. Calcium also helps ease insomnia (sleep deprivation), assists blood clotting, lowers blood pressure, reduces cholesterol level and more.
As for phosphorus, most of the phosphorus in the human body is concentrated in the skeleton. However, it is also present in cell membranes,? cholesterol (both HDL and LDL) and in many of the body’s biochemical processes. It is extremely important for the conversion of nutrients into energy and some researches even suggest that it can enhance athletic performance, but the results are inconsistent.
Vitamin D deficiency causes and solutions
Starting with the obvious ??sunlight exposure. All you(us..) internet rats out there who know your memes better than you know the weather outside, you are all in the high probability focus group for vitamin D deficiency . A certain amount of sunlight is good for your health as long as you don’t exaggerate and use appropriate protection (sunscreen, sunglasses, etc).
Vitamin D deficiency supplements
Continuing with another obvious ??malnutrition. The thing is, if you don’t like fish, you’re screwed. Fish and sea food (cod liver oil in particular) are the best nutritional sources for vitamin D. the next best things are tofu, soymilk, eggs and milk. There are vitamin D supplements you can take but in my opinion, if you can give your body what it needs without introducing needless chemicals, then that’s the way to go. If you decide to take supplements, make sure they’re all natural. I recommend HerbsPro’s supplements. They do the trick, they aren’t chemical and they’re pretty much always on sale.
Vitamin D deficiency symptoms
Usually people associate vitamin D deficiency with bone related problems. It’s true that the importance of vitamin D to bone health is undeniable, but there are other, less known symptoms that can be just as serious and hazardous to your health. In the skeleton, vitamin D deficiency causes the bones to weaken and can cause Rickets, a disease that softens the bones. In the long-term, vitamin D deficiency greatly raises a person’s chances to suffer from Osteoporosis at old age. These are the most famous symptoms, but apart from those, vitamin D deficiency causes many other problems such as heart disease, cancer, obesity, depression, insomnia, back pains, muscle spasms, autoimmune diseases, acne, tiredness, kidney diseases, psoriasis, diabetes, increased amounts of asthma attacks, periodontal diseases and schizophrenia. Fever is almost never caused directly by vitamin D deficiency.
Vitamin D deficiency treatments
A nice day at the beach every now and again won’t kill you. Now I’m not saying that you should go “jersey shore” and get yourself a beach granny, brown leather, cancer imminent?kind of tan, but you can still go out there and get yourself some color, you will look and feel better. Just remember not to overdo it and to use appropriate sun protection, because as you probably already know, inadequate sun exposure can cause cancer, and we don’t want any of that.
If your health is not at risk due to your eating habits, I wouldn’t recommend a dramatic change of diet. Even if you plan to change diet completely you should do it gradually, because drastic changes don’t usually stick. I mean, if you eat certain things because those are the things you like to eat, eventually you’re gonna go back to eating them. And unless they damage your health, there is nothing wrong with that. Instead of turning your entire menu upside down, just add one spoon of cod liver oil per day, eat a fish every now and again, that sort of stuff. Like junk food? Order the fish sandwich instead of the usual hamburger occasionally instead of depriving yourself of junk food entirely. Because although it’s a change for the better, going cold turkey on any addiction usually leads to relapse. If you want to cut a bad habit, do it gradually and responsibly. There really isn’t that much to it. Don’t go killing yourself over this, you really don’t need to. Slow and minor changes should easily do the trick.
Vitamin D deficiency is a very common, very serious and very easily (and enjoyably) treatable condition.? If you experience any of the above mentioned symptoms, and I believe most people suffer from at least one of them, you can easily be tested for vitamin D deficiency. Juts go to your doctor and take a blood test. If your vitamin D levels are too low, you now know how easily you can treat it. The bottom line is not to neglect yourself. The minor things that bother you today might become major tomorrow, and that’s why you should nip them in the bud. So eat your fish, take your supplements, absorb a little sunshine, and you should be just about fine.
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Stay well, stay happy and feel free to leave me a comment with your questions
Itay “SHPECK” Rijensky