Facts About Vitamin D

by | Oct 19, 2014 | Diet, Disease prevention, Health, Wellness

Facts about Vitamin D Web Canva 19Oct2014Marketing is the main way people expose themselves to information, yet what people neglect to understand is that marketers have only ONE objective – to sell you on their point or product. Unfortunately, they often neglect to give you ALL the information and just focus on the points that will convince you to be a consumer of their product.

We live in a scare-mongering time where snippets of information can powerfully cause public behavioural shifts. Obviously, we need to be mindful of the damage that sun-abuse can cause to our bodies, but our sun-smart ways may not be as “smart” as we think!

What is Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is essential for absorbing calcium and phosphorous for strong bones. Furthermore it is now believed that this vitamin D is also needed for:

  • Immune system, which helps you to fight infection
  • Muscle function
  • Cardiovascular function, for a healthy heart and circulation
  • Respiratory system –for healthy lungs and airways
  • Brain development
  • Anti-cancer effects

How To Get Enough Vitamin D

The two main ways to get vitamin D are by exposing your bare skin to sunlight (ultraviolet B rays) and by taking vitamin D supplements (the best form is Vitamin D3). You can’t get the right amount of vitamin D your body needs from food and your body cannot make this vitamin on its own.

Important facts on skin exposure:

  • The more skin that is exposed the faster the body absorbs Vitamin D – so larger skin areas such as legs and back are better then smaller areas such as face and arms
  • You don’t need to tan or to burn your skin in order to get the vitamin D you need. Exposing your skin for a short time will make all the vitamin D your body can produce in one day. In fact, your body can produce 10,000 to 25,000 IU of vitamin D in just a little under the time it takes for your skin to turn pink.
  • Skin type determines how much exposure is necessary. Fair skinned people produce less Melanin so do not need as much time in the sun as darker skinned people who produce more Melanin. Melanin protects against skin damage from too much UVB exposure, so darker skins with more melanin allow less UVB to enter the skin. With less UVB getting through the skin, less vitamin D is produced each minute.
  • Your skin produces more vitamin D if you expose it during the middle of the day.
  • Solariums (tanning beds) also help the body produce Vitamin D. As with sun exposure it is recommended to get half the amount of exposure that it takes for your skin to turn pink. Using low-pressure beds that have a good amount of UVB light, rather than high-intensity UVA light are also best.
  • As we get older our skin has more difficulty producing Vitamin D so supplementation may be a better option
  • Supplementation is also recommended for those who have little to no skin exposure to the sun during the week (i.e. indoor jobs or outdoor jobs where you are largely covered up)

What About Sun Damage & Skin Cancer?

Research to date shows that moderate but frequent sun exposure is healthy but overexposure and intense exposure can increase your risk of skin cancer.

Using sunscreen is not as recommended as using shade and clothing to protect your skin, because it hasn’t consistently been shown to prevent all types of skin cancers. But if you do want to use sunscreen, use a sunscreen that blocks both UVA light and UVB light.

If you are still anxious and concerned about skin exposure then your next best options is daily supplementations. Just ensure you are getting a good quality product supplement so do your homework.

The individual recommendations are dependent on numerous factors and it can be complicated. To read more and get a better understanding please click the following link for more in depth information:

http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/about-vitamin-d/how-do-i-get-the-vitamin-d-my-body-needs/#

Are YOU nutritionally deficient?

by | Sep 21, 2014 | Diet, Disease prevention, Health, Nutrition, Weight loss, Wellness

Are YOU nutritionally deficient?

When we set upon another weight-loss journey our primary focus is generally JUST that…..”weight loss”. Unfortunately it is often at the expense of our health. We become so tunnel-visioned that we neglect areas that are screaming for our attention, and then we wonder why we feel lethargic and have no energy.

It has been found through research that even when NOT focusing on a weight loss diet, the majority of the population are deficient in four major things:

* Water

* Protein

* Vitamins and minerals

* Omega 3 FFA’s

As a nutrition coach my first point of attention is to identify my client’s nutritional deficiencies, then work with them towards addressing each one at a time to rectify the body’s imbalance. What is commonly found as a result is that the client achieves their goals more successfully than if they just generally deprived themselves of food because the body cannot function effectively when it is starved of nutrients, and this transfers to weight loss capabilities.

Now those who know me know that I do not easily recommend supplementations. The main reason for this is that people often use supplements as a “magical quick fix” to their problems and they don’t focus on trying to get natural healthy foods into their body. BUT….we can’t always get everything we need through dietary means alone and as long as you are using good food to nourish the body some supplementations on TOP of that can assist.

The major supplements that I would recommend in addition to a healthy dietary intake is vitamin and mineral supplements (the superior the form the better) and Omega 3 fish oil liquid (liquid is better than capsules because it is easier to get higher doses in this form, and attempt to find a purer oil that is high in EPA and DHA). You will need to do your research to determine which supplement brand to use as there are good and bad just like with everything else.

So before you go on a diet to lose your excess kilos, first ask yourself what you are nutritionally deficient in and focus on fixing THAT problem first. You just may be pleasantly surprised to find that your weight loss goals are easier to achieve.