Is it really a surprise we are Vitamin D deficient?

After such a long winter and despite it being April, we still have had very little sunshine.
This time last year and the year before we had glorious sunshine.
Right now I see so many people suffering with low grade infections that have been going on for weeks and still not able to shake them off. Low in mood and low in health.

The one thing that we are lacking is Vit D, the sunshine vitamin or 'natures prozac'

One of the symptoms of low Vit D is poor immunity - hence why you feel so well when out in the sunshine.  lack of Vit D is also linked to depression, this links to the SAD that many suffer with in those long winter months, both of those conditions lead to poor appetite and very soon you can find yourself in a spiral of ill health.

So what might a doctor suggest if you presented with the above...well chances are they would recommend antibiotics if you were having recurring infections, or they probably prescribe antidepressants for the SAD or depression.

Both of which wouldn't be treating the cause, merely masking the symptoms...not the best way to gain health.

But what if your doctor looked at your Vit D 3 levels and if they showed deficiency then prescribed you a pharmaceutical dose of Vit D, very big chance that you would see a genuine improvement in your health, not a masking of the symptoms, but an addressing of the imbalance that has occurred

It really wouldn't be a surprise to discover a lot of us are Vit D deficient...long winter, indoors, short summer previous and Vit D impossible to gain what you need through food alone.

If we are not getting it from sunshine, we need supplements.

As most of us have been terrified to bare our skin to the sun in fear we will develop skin cancer, we now slap on our factor 50 and cover up, so even when we do see that rarity we call the sun, it's not getting through that armoury.

Sun beds bad....well yes in high doses...how about sensible use!

As for our children, we are increasingly raising an indoor nation. We worry more about how much time our chickens and livestock are allowed out in fresh pastures ( quite rightly) but as for our children....well there they are tapping away at laptops, computers, play stations, watching television and getting their exercise jumping around in front of a TV screen

Then we wonder why we are seeing an increase in rickets and poorly developed muscles and bone structure in our children. What other problems are we storing up?

When i was young girl, we were outdoors nearly all the time, out building dens, at the park, cycling, playing in the garden and having to be called in by our mothers at meal times.

The world was no more safe then, but we had less fear culture and healthier children.

Is the answer to add Vit D to other foods such as bread and milk...well not really...especially in our absurdly allergic population. Then there is the argument that too much milk is in fact not good for your bones as it is highly acidic and can harm bone density and not increase it. Do we want to consume so much grain via bread or cereal...not the best for our long term health either.

But supplements are a way of giving a controlled measure and ensuring we all get a decent dose.

So what is a decent dose....definitely not the RDA currently used.

To quote Phillip Day

less than 50ng/ml of Vit D in your blood makes you deficient.
Optimal would be 50-70ng/ml
A therapeutic dose would be 70-100ng/ml
and Excess would be over 100ng/ml

He suggests that most adults need 8000iu's (international units) to raise their serum levels above 40ng/ml  and that is still going to put you in the deficient zone.

So best advice is to get a blood test for Vit D, which i have to say, most Dr's have been very good at doing for those i treat.  Then take a good dose, start with 8000 iu's and do that for 6 weeks and get another blood test. It may have risen, it may be you need to increase it.
The chances of over dosing are rare though. You can see a nutritionist, yes a nutritionist - not a dietician!!! and take their advice, but Vit D is available over the counter and if you are severely deficient then you may need your doctor to give you a pharmaceutical dose.

Isn't it better for a doctor to address a simple vitamin deficiency for you, for which the health benefits of are huge, rather than you present with much larger problems that could cost a good deal more to deal with as a result of prolonged Vit D deficiency.  A few blood tests to establish optimal levels is a small price to pay for better health.

It is good to see our doctors getting on board with Vit D and its relation to our health....lets hope it starts them looking at all the other Vits and minerals that are crucial to real health and that many lack through poor food and soil quality.

Yes i know you can't patent a vitamin or mineral so the drug companies won't get rich from a supplement...interesting that many are buying up supplement companies, but our doctors should be working in partnership with you to restore and maintain your health, not in partnership with drug companies to increase their income!

You don't get depression because you lack prozac!  causes are one thing, the ability of the body to cope with it is another and a fit healthy body helps in having a fit healthy mind - and vice versa

Go and investigate Vit D, it's all out there, and then get your levels checked or give the supplements   a go.