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VITAMIN D HERE’S WHY IT BENEFITS YOUR OVERALL HEALTH BY HILTON HEAD REGIONAL HEALTH CARE
If you’re looking for a reason to enjoy some time in the sun, call it “getting your vitamin D.” Five to 10 minutes a day, two to three times a week, can help your body create the vitamin D it needs. Technically, vitamin D is a pro-hormone. (Vitamins are nutrients that you primarily receive through diet.) Here’s why vitamin D is so important:
ENABLES STRONG BONES. Vitamin D helps regulate and make use of calcium and phosphorus, two ingredients of strong bones. And strong bones are your best defense against osteoporosis. SUPPORTS MUSCLE MOVEMENTS. Nerves need vitamin D to carry messages from the brain to parts of the body. DEFENDS AGAINST COLDS AND FLU. Studies show that ade-
quate levels of vitamin D can help reduce the risks of colds and flu.
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MAY LOWER RISK FOR CHRONIC DISEASES. Vitamin D
deficiency has been connected to the incidence of diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. While the direct evidence is not conclusive due to many variables, vitamin D plays a role across numerous body functions.
ARE YOU AT RISK FOR VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY?
Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency may not be obvious, and it can be difficult to get sufficient vitamin D from only natural sources. Six factors that may decrease availability of vitamin D include:
AGE. Your skin has reduced ability to synthesize vitamin D as you get older. And elderly people may be more likely to spend time indoors.
