By Karl Golpen


If you reside North of the latitude line connecting Beijing to Athens, and Philadelphia to San Francisco, you probably do not get adequate Vitamin D from the sun. Individuals with dark skin and those who are obese or overweight are likely to have less Vitamin D than others on average. Everyone should go outdoors and soak up the sun for 15 minutes or more, daily.

Shockingly, some surveys suggest that half of the world's people have inadequate levels of Vitamin D. These statistics are concerning, because Vitamin D has been determined to play a larger role in fighting diseases than was previously thought. In fact, diseases such as multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis, some cancers, and infectious diseases such as the seasonal flu and tuberculosis have shown up more in individuals who have low levels of Vitamin D.

How much Vitamin D is actually recommended varies depending on which expert you ask. Those who are most at risk should take 2,000 UI or more daily. A realistic estimate is 800 to 1,000 UI for adults in general, though a report by the Institute of Medicine has listed 800 UI of Vitamin D daily for individuals over 70 years old, and 600 UI for people between 1 and 70.

You can consume too much Vitamin D. However, the amount is very high, with a limit of up to 4,000 UI for people ages 9 and older. Daily maximum amounts for children are as follows:

*Ages 0-6 months: 1,000 UI

*From 6-12 months old: 1,500 UI

*1-3 years old: 2,500 UI

*From 4-8 years old: 3,000 UI

A study has found a connection between extremely high levels of Vitamin D and increased falls and fractures in older women. This was the result of test subjects taking 500,000 UI of Vitamin D orally for a single day, once a year. Be cautious with supplements, so that you do not develop an increased risk.

How We Get Our Vitamin D

We can consume food that contains Vitamin D. Our bodies actually create Vitamin D from cholesterol. Since not many foods naturally have this vitamin, we have to be careful what we eat. Today, there are numerous foods which have been Vitamin D fortified.

Sunlight is necessary for the conversion of cholesterol to Vitamin D. We must absorb it through our skin in order to start the process. Using sunscreen or sunblock hinders this quite significantly. Also, people who live in latitudes high above the equator will barely receive any of the sun's rays through the Fall and Winter.

The tanning beds in a commercial tanning salon can be a very viable alternative to sunlight. Don't be put off by what you might hear about the dangers from tanning beds. They are there only of you try to get as dark as possible and happen to burn your skin. For vitamin D, you never have to stay in a tanning bed longer than half the time it would take to get a burn.

Foods That Are the Best

A handful of foods contain Vitamin D, even though some of them have been fortified. This number is fairly small for how many contain it naturally. Think about how to add them into your diet, along with supplements if they are necessary.

Dairy

Whole milk has a fairly high amount of Vitamin D, and many brands are fortified. The amount is relatively higher compared to that of skim milk and other types of milk, at one-fifth of the daily recommended dose. Eggs, especially those that are free-range, and ricotta cheese also are great sources of Vitamin D.

Meats & Fish

Tuna is a great source of Vitamin D, with one-third of the daily recommended value in just one serving. However, salmon has a greater amount, since you can obtain twice the recommended daily dosage from a half fillet of sockeye salmon. Other fish containing Vitamin D are sardines, sole, and flounder. You will receive one-seventh the recommended amount of the vitamin from 3 ounces of pork, and one-fourteenth of the daily dose from the same size serving of beef liver.

Other Food Sources

Mushrooms, especially the shiitake variety, are a great source of Vitamin D. Several types of cereals have been fortified with this vitamin. Choose raisin bran over corn flakes and various other types, as it has such a high dosage of Vitamin D.

Track the amount of minerals and vitamins that you have in your daily diet. Figure out which foods are the best for your needs, as well as if you should take a Vitamin D supplement. You will surely improve your health by changing your diet and time spent outdoors, as well as other aspects of your life.




About the Author:



0 commentaires:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to RSS Feed Follow me on Twitter!