Vitamin D and Your Quality of Life
It can help with everything from relieving premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and protecting your bones and eyes and chances are you are not getting enough. We’re talking about vitamin D. Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin. It is found in food and made by the body. Sunlight is the major way we get vitamin D since the ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun activates the production of vitamin D in the skin.
Many of us fall short of meeting our vitamin D quotient since we try to avoid the sun for fear of skin cancer. Sunscreens that list a sun protection factor (SPF) of 8 or more will actually block UV rays that help us produce vitamin D. Cod liver oil is probably the most abundant source of dietary vitamin D. One tablespoon contains over 1300 international units (I.U.)! Salmon, tuna, and mackerel are also good sources but due to potential contamination of fish these days one has to be careful with the type and amount of fish they eat. Wild caught Pacific salmon is your best bet. Milk is usually fortified with vitamin D; however other dairy products like cheese, yogurt, and ice cream contain little of the vitamin.
Many women are doing better with meeting their calcium needs, however, they are falling short when it comes to Vitamin D even when they are being actively treated for osteoporosis! Inadequate vitamin D exposure (intake) puts women at greater risk for osteoporosis, bone fractures and PMS.
The recommended daily intake for vitamin D is 400 International Units (I.U.). For those over age 70 years, the recommendation is 600 I.U. daily. Fifteen minutes of sun exposure two to three times a week (to the face, hands, feet…) will usually help fulfill these needs. It is doubtful that diet or sun exposure would lead to poisonous amounts of vitamin D unless you were taking massive quantities of cod liver oil. Toxicity is much more likely to occur from high intakes of vitamin D in supplements.
March 23, 2010
by Optimum WellnessComments
2 Responses to “ Vitamin D and Your Quality of Life ”
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You say, “since we try to avoid the sun for fear of breast cancer.” I think you mean skin cancer. Might want to correct that.
Whoops – Good catch Liz – thanks – we’ll change that now!