Are Your Vitamin D Levels Optimal?

Until several years ago, you probably hadn’t heard much about vitamin D, unless you saw it listed on the back of your milk carton.  Today there’s much more talk about it because it’s become clear that it’s important for much more than preventing rickets and that we need much more than was previously suggested.

Despite it’s name, vitamin D is actually a hormone that is naturally synthesized by UVB rays and cholesterol in our skin.  It is then carried through the blood and makes its way to the liver then kidney where it undergoes additional biochemical steps to convert it to it’s final, active form.  The image below from a recent review paper in Nature Reviews Cancer illustrates the process:

Vitamin D has been given so much attention in the last several years because it’s involved in so many functions in the body:

• It works with calcium and omega-3 fatty acids to make brain chemicals such as the stress fighting adrenaline and norepinephrine;
• It helps to increase the absorption of calcium and phosphorus in the intestines and is required to build and maintain healthy bones with both minerals;
• It keeps the immune system strong;
• It regulates the parathyroid gland;
• And deficiencies have been linked to certain cancers, such as colon, prostate, breast and ovarian cancers, heart disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, depression, fibromyalgia, PMS, and the flu; 

So how do you know if you’re deficient in vitamin D and what should you do about it?

1.  Have your levels checked by your doctor - Optimal levels fall into the range of 40-65 ng/ml.  If you’re low, Dr. Mark Hyman recommends between 5,000 and 10,000 IU to reach your optimal levels (get checked after again after three months), and then 2,000-4,000 IU for maintenance.   And those of us living in Northern latitudes, indoors most of the time, or with darker skin may need to adjust these amounts.

In fact, the government’s recent recommendations for 600 IU of vitamin D3 is believed by many to be enough to prevent rickets, but not nearly enough to protect us against the diseases mentioned above.

2.  Increase your dietary sources of vitamin D - Here are some foods to include:

• cod liver oil
• fatty fish such as mackerel, sardines, and salmon 
• eggs
• fortified milks (dairy or non-dairy)
• mushrooms - some types of mushrooms that have been exposed to UV light contain vitamin D2

3.  Get more sun - We’ve also been given the most effective tool for making vitamin D, the sun’s rays, but we’ve created a lifestyle that keeps us covered up and indoors most of the time.  Just a few minutes a day with your arms and legs exposed, without sunscreen, will allow your body to naturally make vitamin D.  If you’re really interested, there’s a site where you can find out based on latitude, longitude and time of year, how much sun you would need to make your vitamin D quota.  You can look up the latitude and longitude of your city here.

Of course, if you live in a seasonal climate with cold winters, diet and supplementation are the best ways to ensure that your vitamin D levels stay optimal to help keep you healthy.     

What's in Season? - Radishes

Here’s another vegetable that’s perfect for this time of year – radishes. It’s a member of the Brassica family – something I didn’t know until recently. Members of this family of vegetables contain glucosinolates that can protect against carcinogens and induce detoxification enzymes in the liver. Therefore, they can have a cleansing effect in the body, which is what our bodies naturally want to accomplish this time of year.

They’re crunchy juicy, low in calories, full of fiber, and the kick to their flavor makes them great for cleansing the palate. Radishes are a good source of vitamin C, B complex vitamins including folate, K, and calcium. They’re typically added to salads, will spice up a wrap, and make a nice complement to cool dips like hummus. They can also be added to soups.

If you buy them with the green tops attached, you can add these to salads and wraps, as they can actually contain up to six times as much vitamin C as the root! The best way to take advantage of their vitamin C and to preserve its content is to eat both the leaves and roots raw. I’m thinking they’d make a nice addition to pesto and even cold cucumber soups.

What about you? How do you feel about radishes? Are they a regular part of your diet?

What's in Season? - Greens

Isn’t it wonderful that nature provides for us the things we need to stay health and adapt to the seasons? Spring, for example, is the perfect time for fresh greens. It’s their season and the season that is most associated with their cleansing effects and our detoxification organ, the liver. Their color is also associated with Spring, which is a time to renew and refresh vital energy.

Greens aid in purifying the blood, strengthening the immune system, improving liver, gall bladder and kidney function, fighting depression, clearing congestion, improving circulation and keeping your skin clear and blemish free. Members of this family include kale, collard greens, Swiss chard, mustard greens, arugula, dandelion greens, broccoli rabe, watercress, beet greens, bok choy, napa cabbage, green cabbage, spinach and broccoli.

They are very high in calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous and zinc, and are a powerhouse for vitamins A, C, E and K. They are crammed full of fiber, folic acid (derived from the word foliage), chlorophyll and many other micronutrients and phytochemicals.

You may be surprised to know that greens are also high in protein, relatively speaking. In Joel Fuhrman’s book, Eat to Live, he outlines the protein and nutritional content in 100 calories of sirloin steak versus that of broccoli, romaine lettuce, and kale.

Food - Protein (g)

Sirloin - 5.4
Broccoli - 11.2
Romaine lettuce - 11.6
Kale - 9.5

Of course you would have to eat 15 – 30 times in weight the amount of vegetables to get the same amount of protein in the meat, but this is a good thing because loading up on vegetables will help fill us up and keep our digestion running smoothly.

So eat them raw in salads, sauté them, add them to soups, stews, and smoothies, and juice them. Get them any way you can think of this time of year and you’ll be doing your body good!

What’s your favorite green vegetable and how do you like to prepare it??

Picture of beautiful dinosaur kale courtesy of Bonnie Rogers.