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S is for Sunshine
Sunshine! Oregon! Hmmmm . . . sometimes they occur simultaneously. Yes, occasionally we see it, often we don’t. We all covet those warm, yellow rays as we long for more fresh air, time in our yards, or a dry soccer field. However, there is more to this craving than mere activity.
Because Vitamin D is fat soluble, it doesn’t clear your system with water, so doctors and nutritionists in the past have feared overdosing. As they test more and more, they’ve discovered that many people in our area are seriously lacking in this essential vitamin.
Oregon, or any place above the 45th parallel in the Western Hemisphere, is Vitamin D geographically challenged. We need 20 minutes outside with bare arms at least three times a week in summer. This may be effective during winter for anyone living closer to the equator, but in Oregon, all good intentions are lost – we just won’t make enough Vitamin D.
A deficiency of this nutrient coveted from our closest, albeit elusive, star may contribute to obesity, heart disease, depression, cabin fever, diabetes, and osteoporosis, as well as many other undesirable conditions, though we rarely suspect a low Vitamin D level since these diseases claim many other, more popular causes. Vitamin D is not a “snake oil treatment†that cures everything. Dr. Cannell puts Vitamin D’s cause and effect in proper perspective in his video, which is well worth the six and a half minutes viewing time. (http:// www.viddler.com/explore/mercola/videos/75/)
Correcting this deficiency is becoming popular, and many people take fairly large amounts of the supplement. After testing blood levels, a doctor might News & Notes from the McMinnville Seventh-day Adventist Church prescribe a three-month regimen and then test again. The average daily dose seems to run 1000-5000 international units a day until levels return to normal. People’s needs vary, which is why they test rather than guess.
Vitamin D is best obtained by sunlight should your home be closer to the sun than in Yamhill County. If you are geographically challenged, pursue this with your doctor, especially if you are prone to winter depression, diabetes, or heart disease.
Vitamin D . . . who needs it? We do!