Combating Vitamin D Deficiency Eating Healthy on a Budget
After reading this article on Vitamin D deficiency, I trust you will have enough to begin combating it.
Today, families are so bogged down with technology that it is hard to find ways to get the family to get out of the house. When you can play tennis on your Wii, who needs to breath fresh air, or see a real forest? Well you and your children do! The fact is, people are not getting enough of the outside today and there is an epidemic of Vitamin D shortages in both children and adults. We are not getting enough sunshine that includes that natural Vitamin D essential to good health and given free from God's own creation.
The goal is to create a better lifestyle for you and your family. Fiddle with the numbers so you are able to spend more on quality food that has been saved by dropping the cable, eating out less, and reducing prepared food purchased at the store.
With the importance of your health needing to be at the top of your priority list, use this little Vitamin D primer to help you raise the standard a little bit and start eating healthy on a budget.
Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms
A Vitamin D shortage in the body is very serious. You may have thought this was only linked to Rickets, but people with Vitamin D shortages often suffer from heart failure, cancer, diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and numerous other health problems including back pain and depression. What is incredible is that this important vitamin turns on over 2000 genes, and more people are showing to be deficient. It is very important to have your levels checked by your health care provider as many naturopathic doctors as well as general doctors today recognize the importance of Vitamin D for good health.
Get it Naturally
There are ways to get Vitamin D naturally, straight from the sun. We have all heard so much about the dangers of sun exposure and cancer so it is important to decide for yourself in what way you will get sun exposure. It is important that if you are susceptible to burning to take it slow. Unfortunately, the use of sunscreen inhibits Vitamin D production.
A simple remedy for Vitamin D deficiency is to go outside for 10 minutes each day between the hours of 10am and 3pm. Allow as much skin exposure as possible, just be careful what the neighbor sees! Even if you just go for a short walk each day, allowing the sun to touch your skin will help to meet the requirements.
According to Dr. Mercola in his article on how to get your vitamin D to healthy levels, he states that,
to use the sun to maximize your vitamin D production and minimize your risk of skin damage, the middle of the day (roughly between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.) is the best and safest time. During this UVB-intense period you will need the shortest sun exposure time to produce the most vitamin D.
As far as the optimal length of exposure, you only need enough to have your skin turn the lightest shade of pink. This may only be a few minutes for those who have very pale skin.
Once you have reached this point your body will not make any additional vitamin D and any further exposure will only result in damage to your skin. Most people with fair skin will max out their vitamin D production in just 10-20 minutes, or, again, when their skin starts turning the lightest shade of pink. Some will need less, others more. The darker your skin, the longer exposure you will need to optimize your vitamin D production.
Foods With Vitamin D
Begin to combat Vitamin D deficiency by integrating into your regular menu foods such as tuna, salmon and other fish, cod liver oil, dried Shiitake mushrooms, and eggs (10 Foods High in Vitamin D). This is where you can spend less of your household budget on the junk to be able to spend more on the good stuff. It is a choice.
Vitamin D Supplements
In addition, take quality supplements to get your quota of Vitamin D if you are not getting enough in your food supply. However, this costs extra money and When deciding upon supplements, check with your healthcare provider about what kind and how much to take. At a minimum, it is important to take water soluble, organic, natural vitamins without fillers for the best results.
However, supplements cost money and often times more than food it comes from. If you analyze your household budget and realize you cannot realistically purchase Vitamin D supplememnts right now, stick with doing your best purchasing Vitamin D rich foods as explained above.
Of course, the very best way to combat Vitamin D deficiency is always the most natural. It is the least expensive option hich makes it nice for your efforts to eating healthy on a budget. Playing in the sunshine is good for you and your children. Use Your household budget to live better. By a few small changes to our daily lifestyle, we can avoid not only Vitamin D deficiencies, but also weight problems now and in the future.
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