The Miracles of Vitamin D

It seems everywhere I turn there is an article expounding the benefits of vitamin D.  Living in Vancouver makes it challenging to get enough vitamin D all year round but I have just come to realize the far reaching impact too little of this vitamin may have on a persons health.  Recent studies have shown the following

• Deficiency in vitamin D is related to increased muscle fat, decreased muscle strength and overall health problems
• Supplementation of vitamin D has shown to help prevent common cold and flu as well as ease asthma symptoms
• Vitamin D deficiency predisposes a person to developing Type I or II diabetes 
• Autoimmune diseases and some cancers have also recently been linked to insufficient blood levels of vitamin D
• Vitamin D has been shown to influence our DNA through the vitamin D receptor (VDR) which influences more than 200 genes.  

Ways to increase vitamin D

• increasing exposure to sunlight as 15 minutes of summer sun can produce 20,000 IU of vitamin D
• dietary sources of fatty fish such as salmon and mackerel, fish liver oil, eggs, fortified milk
• supplements