Sunny D! An Overlooked Super Vitamin

You may want to mark this page.

This will be a Miracle Stretch® blog to keep for yourself and share with family and friends. It is full of great information for healthy living, in a natural way.

It all has to do with Vitamin D.

While getting Vitamin D from the sun is the most effective manner, it is winter now, and often overcast and grey. So let’s not depend on Santa to bring our daily intake of 2,000 IUs of Vitamin D*. Let’s do it for ourselves.

What are the benefits of Vitamin D? Here are a few highlighted studies from our friends at WebMD:

• At Boston University, after people with high blood pressure were exposed to UVA and UVB rays for three months, vitamin D levels increased by more than 100% -- and high blood pressure normalized
•  A Journal of the American Medical Association study in 2003, of more than 3,000 veterans (ages 50 to 75) at 13 Veterans Affairs medical centers, those who consumed >645 IU of vitamin D per day, along with >4 grams per day of cereal fiber, had a 40% reduction in risk of developing precancerous colon polyps
•  A Journal of the American Geriatrics Society report in 2004 showed that elderly women who took a Vitamin D supplement plus calcium for three months reduced risk of falling by 49% compared with consuming calcium alone 
• A Neurology study in 2004 indicated women who get doses of Vitamin D typically found in daily multivitamin supplements of at least 400 IUs are 40% less likely to develop multiple sclerosis compared with those not taking supplements
• Depression and diseases of the arteries—both associated with Vitamin D deficiency—tend to occur together, says Heidi May, PhD, an epidemiologist with the Intermountain Medical Center at the University of Utah

It makes you want to run out and stock up on Vitamin D, right?

Hold on.

Before you begin to add Vitamin D to your diet, consult with your doctor or nutritionist. Remember the asterisk from earlier? This is because you can overdose on Vitamin D. According to WebMD, the upper limit is 2,000 IU per day from diet and supplements because Vitamin D is stored in the body. Going over the limit could lead to kidney stones, muscle weakness, or excessive bleeding. 

So if used in moderation, Vitamin D is just as important and impactful - if not more so - than Vitamins C and E.

Where can you get it other than the top shelf at the vitamin shop? According to Health.org, here are your best options for Vitamin D:

Sunshine: Aim for 20-25 minutes of sunlight, using sunscreen for UV rays of course.

Fatty Fish: Fatty fish can be a good source of Vitamin D. Common options include salmon, trout, mackerel, tuna, and eel. And you get a bonus—heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids!

Canned Tuna Fish: Canned tuna fish and sardines both contain Vitamin D.

Fortified Milk: Almost all cow's milk in the U.S. is fortified with Vitamin D, but ice cream and cheese are not. (Sorry.) Some soy and rice milks are fortified, but check the label.

Fortified Orange Juice: One 8-ounce glass of fortified juice usually has around 100 IUs of Vitamin D; the amount varies from brand to brand, check the label.

Eggs: (in moderation) Since the Vitamin D in an egg comes from its yolk, it's important to use the whole egg—not just the whites. One yolk is about 40 IUs.

Fortified Cereal: Remember the line, “part of a complete nutritional breakfast?” This is what they meant. (Sorry, no Count Chocula-types) Choose a low-calorie fortified cereal like Multi Grain Cheerios to get part of your daily Vitamin D. Pair it with fortified milk and a glass of fortified OJ.

Beef Liver. If you like it, eat it. If not, well, that’s understandable.

Cod Liver Oil: Great source of Vitamin D, but watch the intake levels and don’t forget other sources throughout the day. One tablespoon contains about 1,300 IUs of Vitamin D.

So this winter, consult with your physician and look into the remarkable benefits of Vitamin D. And keep checking in with the Miracle Stretch® blog. Each blog we bring you is for your health benefit. There will be more exciting news to come in 2016!

Even though the sun may not be beaming down in winter-time, with knowledge of a few great Vitamin-D tips, your future is sure to be shining brightly. 

Happy Holidays!

The Miracle Stretch Team