Protect Your Health Spokane: Check Your Vitamin D
Friday, February 19th, 2010Vitamin D deficiency is a known Spokane health risk, yet not many people know about it. It wasn’t until a friend was diagnosed with Vitamin D deficiency that I gave the subject much thought. I had read that people needed enough sunlight in winter to keep their vitamin D levels up. I just didn’t realize how very important it was. My friend is an upbeat, always energetic outdoorswoman so I was surprised when she became tired day after day. A visit to her doctor showed that her vitamin D level was entering dangerous territory. I would have thought she’d get enough sunlight just in her day-to-day outdoor activities, but that wasn’t the case. Since I spend little time in the outdoors in winter I knew I was at risk. I haven’t been checked as yet but I’ve done some research on the subject. It should be a concern for everyone.
What Does Vitamin D Do for Your Spokane Health?
It protects against breast cancer and can help prevent breast cancer from spreading. A Canadian study found that women diagnosed with breast cancer who were vitamin D deficient had almost double the risk of the cancer progressing.- It protects against colon cancer. A Canadian study showed that colon cancer patients deficient in Vitamin D were almost twice as likely to die from the disease.
- It protects against 16 other types of cancer including pancreatic and lung cancer.
- It protects against heart attack and stroke. Studies at Harvard found that people with low Vitmain D had a 60% higher risk of stroke and heart attack over five years.
- It boosts your immune system.
- It protects against fractures. People taking Vitamin D supplements show lower risk of hip fracture by 20%.
Am I Getting Enough?
Most commercial milk suppliers now fortify their products with vitamin D. Many orange juice makers are doing the same. Unfortunately not many people can drink enough milk or orange juice to get all the vitamin D they need.
Sun exposure is the key ingredient to getting enough vitamin D. For people who live in a region above latitude 40 (a horizontal line running from just below New York City west to Northern California), the sun is only strong enough between May and September to trigger the vitamin D conversion. This mean that the residents of Spokane are at significant risk much of the year for vitamin D deficiency. Spokane residents should have their doctors check their vitamin D levels to see if a vitamin D level supplement would be beneficial.
What are Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms?
Vitamin D deficiency can be shown by muscle pain, weak bones/fractures, low energy and fatigue, low immunity, depression and/or mood swings, and sleep irregularities.
How Can I Prevent It?
If you think your vitamin D levels may be low, the best course of action would be to have your doctor perform a vitamin D test. Discuss adding a vitamin D supplement to your diet if necessary. As your doctor if any of the following would be a good course of action for you:
- Allow yourself limited, unprotected sun exposure only in the early morning and late afternoon hours. No more than 15 minutes is best. This isn’t suggesting you should ignore your sunblock, particularly between the hours of 11 and 2 pm- the sun’s peak hours.
- Each a diet rich in whole foods. Fatty fish such as mackerel and sardines, egg yolks, fortified organic milk and other dairy products, some organ meats (liver) are good natural sources of vitamin D.
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Take a good multi-vitamin each day.
Take Good Care of Your Spokane Health Overall
Don’t forget taking care of your health requires your full attention and commitment. Are you getting enough exercise? It’s imperative to an overall healthy life. I think my personal trainer is the best in the business and I know many people agree. Click here to take a look at his website. While you do that, I’m going to make an appointment to get my vitamin D level checked!
Sweeten your oatmeal or frothy coffee drinks with this sweet spice instead of sugar (which has 16 calories per teaspoon) and you can save a couple hundred calories a week, enough to shed 2 to 3 pounds in a year without doing anything else. You’ll also be doing your heart a favor as protective estrogen levels decline: Pakistani researchers found that 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon a day could lower heart-damaging cholesterol by 18% and triglycerides by 30%.
A small British study found that women who eat a fiber-rich, high-carb breakfast burn twice as much fat during workouts later in the day as those who eat more refined (lower-fiber) foods. Try a granola bar with at least 4 g of fiber, like Kashi, instead of the typical bar that contains just a single gram. Refined carbs spike your insulin levels, which limits your body’s ability to use fat as fuel, explains Lisa Dorfman, RD, adjunct professor at the University of Miami.
Forget bland condiments. If you want to burn fat, spice things up. In a study of 36 men and women, Australian researchers found that following a spicy meal, levels of insulin–the hormone that triggers body fat storage–were lowered by as much as 32%. One theory: Capsaicin, the chemical that gives chiles their fire, may improve the body’s ability to clear insulin from the bloodstream after you eat, so you’re more likely to burn fat following a meal spiked with chile peppers than after one that isn’t packing heat.
Just 3 ounces of canned salmon delivers 530 IU (more than the Daily Value) for vitamin D and 181 mg of calcium, a power-packed nutritional combination that may be just what your waistline needs as you get older. In a 7-year study of more than 36,000 women ages 50 to 79, researchers at Kaiser Permanente found that those who took both calcium and vitamin D supplements gained less weight after menopause than those who took a placebo. Other research shows that without enough vitamin D, our appetite-regulating hormone leptin can’t do its job. Other fatty fish choices include tuna, sardines, and mackerel.
A California study of 240 women found that dieters who replaced their sweetened drinks with water lost an average of 3 pounds more a year than those who didn’t. Subjects who sipped more than 4 cups of water a day lost 2 additional pounds, compared with those who drank less. Plus, the phosphoric acid in soda may contribute to bone loss–and osteoporosis–by changing the acid balance in your blood.
Flaxseed is rich in fiber and healthy fats, which help stabilize blood sugar, so you’re less likely to binge. Some research suggests flax can also help soothe symptoms of hormone swings because it’s high in plant estrogens. Ground seeds are easier to digest. Sprinkle them over cereals, soups, or salads; add them to smoothies; or substitute 1 cup of ground flaxseed for 1/3 cup canola, corn, or other oil or shortening in muffins and cookies. Note: Lower oven temperature slightly, since baked goods brown faster with flax.
