Why Take a Vitamin D Supplement?

It is difficult if not impossible to eat a healthy diet every day of the week. Life sometimes gets in the way of keeping the right balance of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients on your plate, if you even have the time to use a plate.

After a hectic round of going to work, picking up the dry cleaning, ferrying the kids to afterschool events and making a quick stop at the supermarket, it is easy to throw together a quick, cheap and comforting meal. You may give thanks that you did not stoop to buying fast food again.

If you often rely on processed foods when preparing a meal, you are likely missing out on some important vitamins you should take everyday. Even if you incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your diet, their vitamin content may be less than outstanding if they are past their prime.

Everybody who has had to take even one health class in school probably remembers that our bodies need vitamin D in combination with calcium to form healthy bones. You might also remember hearing vitamin D referred to as “the sunshine vitamin.” There was a time when the average person spent enough time in the sunlight to meet his daily requirements for this vitamin.

Dermatologists may not be to blame for our widespread vitamin D deficiencies. Human skin requires relatively short exposure to sunshine to synthesis this vitamin. Most people get out in the sun enough to make the required amount of vitamin D and yet are deficient. Some recent studies suggest that various pesticides and herbicides linger in the environment for long periods of time and a few make their way into the food supply. Once consumed, these substances may interfere with the way our bodies convert cholesterol into vitamin D3.

Vitamin D is fat-soluble and is more common in full-fat milk and cheese, and fish such as salmon and herring. In particular, older people may not eat enough things from these food groups, leading to weaker bones and problems with balance. As a result, a bad fall for an older person can result in life-threatening broken bones.

Taking a good vitamin D supplement along with additional calcium is the first line of nutritional defense against falls and weakening bones. Talk to a qualified nutrition consultant to find out how much you should be taking every day to achieve optimum health.