What you may know or not know about Vitamin D
February 22, 2022
We’ve all heard our parents urge us to finish our glass of milk so that can “build strong bones”. Milk is one of the best sources of calcium out there, supposedly, which your body requires in order to not only build but to maintain strong bones. What our parents may forget to inform us, is that there’s another nutrient that is essential in supporting, maintaining, and building strong, healthy bones—–Vitamin D. And without Vitamin D, our body cannot absorb calcium, making it even more necessary to supplement with it if you aren’t guaranteed to obtain enough through diet, or otherwise, alone. There can be repercussions of not absorbing or consuming the daily recommended amount each day.
That’s why, in this very article, we will be going over why you should be supplementing with Vitamin D, along with the benefits of doing so.
Why Is Vitamin D Important?
Like most essential nutrients, Vitamin D is necessary in supporting, maintaining, and building strong bones and without it your bones would be weak. Without Vitamin D, your body would not be able to absorb calcium, the main component of bone, that also aids in aiding the health of the body’s muscles, cells, and nerves.
Vitamin D Protects Against Conditions Like:
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- Heart Disease
- High Blood Pressure
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Immune System Disorders
Common Sources of Vitamin D:
- Exposure to the sun
- Diet
- Supplements (Vitamin D Pills)
The Repercussions of Vitamin D Deficiency
What are some common symptoms of Vitamin D Deficiency?
- Fatigue
- Depression
- Muscle Cramps
- Muscle Weakness
- Pain
- Bone Pain
- Joint Pain
- Bone Loss
- Mood Changes
Vitamin D deficiency has many symptoms, like fatigue, that present themselves, but what about repercussions of Vitamin D deficiency? In children, there is a condition called rickets, which is a disorder that, due to low or no Vitamin D in the body, causes weak, soft bones. For adults, this condition is called osteomalacia. Weak bones due to Vitamin D deficiency can also cause osteoporosis, the unfortunate loss of bone density that leads to fractures or bones breaking.
Conditions Caused by Vitamin D Deficiency:
- Rickets
- Osteomalcia
- Osteoporosis
4 Natural Foods That Contain Vitamin D
How glorious is it that we can be provided essential nutrients through food, hence the constant importance placed on good nutrition and diet! Below is a list of four natural foods that contain the highest amount of Vitamin D, not including fortified foods or products.
Egg Yolks
Make sure to choose eggs that are marketed high in Vitamin D, or pasture-raised, as chickens exposed to sunlight or chickens with a diet supplemented rich with Vitamin D, produce eggs higher in Vitamin D than those that are not.
Salmon
Widely popular for its taste and health benefits, salmon also boasts 988 IU of Vitamin D per 100 gram serving. Compared to wild salmon, farm-raised salmon has been shown to contain less Vitamin D—around 32% compared to wild salmon’s 124%.
Mushrooms
Out of all the foods provided, mushrooms are the only plant-based source of Vitamin D with enough content to be included in this list. Remember, this does not include fortified foods like almond milk fortified with Vitamin D. It has been discovered that wild mushrooms are a high source of Vitamin D2 compared to commercial-grown mushrooms which contain close to none. Similar to humans, mushrooms can also create Vitamin D when properly exposed to UV light.
Sardines
A popular fatty fish, sardines are a source of Vitamin D that only a select few find themselves trying out.
Fun Facts Related to Vitamin D
Below are some fun facts related to Vitamin D!
- Out of all the nutrients, Vitamin D is the only nutrient that your body is able to produce when exposed to sunlight.
- 41% of people are Vitamin D deficient in the United States
- 50% of the world does not get enough sun (due to spending more time indoors or wearing sunblock)
- Your body cannot absorb calcium without Vitamin D
- Fair-skinned individuals, along with younger individuals, have been shown to convert sunshine into Vitamin D more efficiently than darker-skinned individuals, or those individuals over 50 years of age.
How To Get Started
Viridity Co Holistic Yoga + Wellness Studio
At Viridity Co Holistic Yoga + Wellness Studio, you can take the necessary steps and lifestyle changes needed in order to approach a healthier and happier you. Viridity Co. offers private or group sessions with their Holistic Health Coaches. These sessions are meant to identify and take integrative steps to create positive change in your life. As a wellness mentor and support system, Viridity Co.’s mission is to support the creation of an overall healthier lifestyle, individualized to each client. Recommendations and guidance are specific to each client’s life, body, and needs.
Here at Viridity Co., you’ll quickly learn, under the guidance of their Holistic Health Coaches, that not only is food medicine but will be guided and shown that there should be freedom with eating in order to create a balanced diet. You’ll not only feel better and love the skin you’re in, but steadily improve self-confidence with each loving step designed to approach root issues affecting your current lifestyle that causes stress, anxiety, and poor mental health.
Improve your sleeping habits, mental health, eating habits, and overall lifestyle with Viridity Co.’s Holistic Health Coaches today by setting up your first appointment!
Life can be incredibly stressful and many times feel like too much. A Holistic Health Coach is trained to guide you through lifestyle changes that many times may be self-imposed bad habits. Whether it be a person in need of a guiding hand to set up how to shift to a new diet or to start setting aside the time to exercise multiples times a week, Viridity Co.’s Holistic Health Coaches are here to guide you in a manner that will ease you into a healthier and happier you.
We hope this article encourages you in some way to consider setting up an appointment with Viridity Co. to start making necessary holistic lifestyle changes in your life. Share this article with a friend, family member, or coworker to spread the word on the successes and benefits of using a Holistic Health Coach!
Alisha
Meet Alisha Beine
As a holistic health coach, I will work with you on an individual or group basis, where we work together to identify small integrative steps that you can take to become healthier and happier. The work itself is really part listener and part recommendation-giver to encourage and allow you to learn to listen to your own body and decide what’s right for you. Holistic health coaches act as a wellness mentor and support system to you if you are looking to feel your best and are ready and willing to make changes to your diet and overall lifestyle. It’s my job to tailor specific recommendations to you based on your life, body, and needs.
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