A vitamin D deficiency can be a serious problem. It can lead to a weakening of your bones, which, in turn, can mean a bone disease such as osteoporosis or osteomalacia. In addition, many scientists now believe that a vitamin D deficiency can be linked to such other diseases as cancer, heart disease and diabetes. This is why it's important you know about preventing a vitamin D deficiency .
How To Prevent Vitamin D Deficiency
There are several keys to preventing vitamin D deficiency. The first and simplest of these is to make sure you get a limited amount of unprotected exposure to the sun each week. If you are light skinned, you should try for 10 to 15 minutes of exposure in the morning or late afternoon. Individuals with darker skin require more sun exposure for their bodies to produce the same amount of vitamin D.
It is the sun's ultraviolet rays that trigger our bodies to produce vitamin D. However, sunscreen, smoke, smog, clouds and glass can filter out these rays. If you live an in area that is often cloudy or smoggy, you might be getting an adequate amount of sunlight but not enough of the ultraviolet rays and could still have a vitamin D deficiency.
Eat Foods Rich In Vitamin D
The second way to prevent a deficiency is to eat a diet that's rich in vitamin D. Fish such as mackerel, canned salmon and sardines that are nutrient dense and fatty are good sources of vitamin D. Fortified organic milk, and other dairy products, egg yolks and some organ meats (such as liver) are also fairly good, natural sources of vitamin D.
There are many vitamin D fortified foods available today such as fortified cereals. When you shop, be sure to read the labels on the foods you buy, and you may find that some of them offer a surprising amount of vitamin D.
Take A Vitamin D Supplement
Even though we would all like to stick to a diet that's rich in vitamin D, this is often just not possible for many of us. Life today can be busy, rushed and hectic, leaving little time to make sure we eat enough egg yolks or fatty fish. Or the simple fact may be that you just can't stomach sardines or calves' liver. If this is you, taking a supplement with Vitamin D3 at the rate of 200 - 600 IU daily could be a good answer.
Take Multi-Vitamin Daily
Another way to make sure you're getting an adequate amount of vitamin D is to take a top-quality multivitamin daily. If possible, choose one that includes fish oil and that provides between 200 and 600 IU.
See Your Healthcare Professional
If you believe you're suffering from a vitamin D deficiency, you should discuss this with your healthcare professional. He or she may suggest a blood test. You should see an optimal value of 50 – 70 ng/mL. If your test does not show a value of this or better, you should discuss adding a vitamin D supplement. This is especially true if you don't get at least 15 minutes of sunlight in the early morning or late afternoon. A vitamin D supplement is a good option for during the winter months and for individuals that live in the northern latitudes.
The good news about this deficiency is that there are some simple ways for preventing vitamin D deficiency and there are also some simple ways to treat a vitamin D deficiency …
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