A natural pathway to health and healing, integrating the use of natural ingredients and the use of supplements alongside traditional medicine for optimal health to empower you to live life abundantly and help you find your pathway to healing.

Topic 1: Vitamin D

Our thinking has radically changed on vitamin D, particularly on how much we need, what kind and on what it does – it goes well beyond bone health! We’ll look at the whole spectrum of the literature and trends, to see just how important this vitamin is.

Vitamin D basics:

• Vitamin D is produced through a chemical chain reaction when the skin is exposed to sunlight. Decades ago, we used to be outside much of the day, and people did not wear sunscreen
• The darker your skin is, the less vitamin D you produce due to the dark skin’s blocking effect, and obesity can block vitamin D production as well.
• Northern latitudes get less sunshine exposure, therefore less vitamin D
• As our sun exposure decreases we are being exposed to multiple health problems related to insufficient levels of vitamin D (see below)
• Fat soluble vitamin, needed to get calcium absorbed into your body

What it does:

• Typically associated with bone health (deficiencies can lead to rickets, osteoporosis, fractures)
• Reduces inflammation, which protects heart and helps with joint and muscle pain
• Boosts and balances immune system
• Lowers risk of many types of cancer including breast, prostate and pancreatic; low vitamin D seems to increase risk for colon and GI cancers
• Combats osteoporosis and weakening muscles, which also reduces the risk of fractures/falls
• Low levels play a role in both types of diabetes and glucose intolerance
• Has an effect on hypertension, autism, fibromyalgia, MS, weight control and memory
• Higher amounts can benefit athletes
• Low vitamin D may contribute to allergies, colds and flu
• According to one vitamin D expert, “Getting adequate vitamin D is probably the most important nutrition recommendation we have made for years, including whether to reduce saturated fat or salt intakes.”

Supplementation:

• 77% of the adult population has insufficient vitamin D levels – should be above 30 (ask your doctor to get tested) and it is often hard to tell when you are deficient
• Difficult to find in food sources; even fortified foods don’t supply adequate amounts (fortified milk is most common source, and it provides only 100 IU per cup)
• Recommended amounts used to be 400-600 IU daily; now being increased to 1,000 IU
• D3, cholecalciferol (animal form) is more potent than the D2 form (plant form)
• Upper limit is not known, but some experts say not to go over 2,000 IU unless there is a known deficiency
• Most doctors now recommend supplements - I strongly recommend 1,000 IU daily of D3 (there are no side effects at these levels)