Healthy Living By TIM HOWDEN, Naturopath
MANY readers will be informed of the importance of vitamin D in bone health, but did you realise this wonderful nutrient is crucial in supporting other body systems?
As a nutritionist and health practitioner, I frequently encounter many children and adults with low vitamin D status.
I’d love to share some simple things you can do to ensure your family has enough of this essential nutrient.
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble nutrient synthesised by the action of the sunlight on the skin and found in a range of foods including fish, eggs, milk and sprouted seeds.
Vitamin D exerts a positive action on heart function, muscle strength and blood flow.
A good status will ensure your pearly whites are strong and healthy, as vitamin D enhances the mineralisation of teeth.
Vitamin D will also boost your immune system by stimulating T-cell function.
Importantly, vitamin D has the ability to keep cancer cells at bay by inducing apoptosis or ‘cell death’.
In practice, we frequently encounter low levels of vitamin D in children and adults who have soft bones, signs of delayed growth (in children), poor immune function and auto-immune conditions.
I am commonly told by patients they spend time outside and don’t know how they can be deficient.
So allow me to dispel a few myths about vitamin D.
In the Yarra Ranges, you can only absorb vitamin D from sunshine between September and April, because the strength of the rays determines the amount synthesised.
Absorption is also reduced the darker the skin pigmentation and will be blocked completely with sunscreens that are greater than a factor of 8.
If we consider the amount of time spent indoors, in cars, in prams, the picture becomes more apparent.
Your kidneys and liver must be working well to convert sunlight to active D and being a fat soluble nutrient, low-fat foods will reduce transport and uptake of vitamin D in the body.
Vitamin D is a crucial nutrient needed to keep your body healthy and vital.
Its role in bone density is well-known, but it also enhances many other body systems and functions.
It has a therapeutic role in all auto-immune conditions, including MS, inflammatory bowel diseases and osteoarthritis, as well as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and certain cancers.
If you are unsure of your status, or about supplementation, it would be wise to get this checked by a health professional.
Here are a few tips to ensure optimal vitamin D exposure:
*Ensure your diet is rich in healthy fats;
*Twice daily, spend 20 minutes outside;
*If you spend much time indoors, consider quality supplementation.
