It wasn't until the industrial revolution that vitamin D deficiency began to have staggering effects on society with epidemic cases of vitamin D deficiency is documented. It was the turn of the century and all across Northern Europe and the Northeastern United States, 80% of children in industrialized cities were becoming crippled with Rickets, a serious bone deforming disease. This epidemic occurred specifically because a propensity for vitamin D deficiency already existed. First off, everyone living at northern latitudes is subject to a longer "vitamin D winter".
Secondly, dietary sources of vitamin D are naturally scarce. The situation reached critical mass in industrialized cities where highly polluted air absorbed virtually all the useful sunlight. Without the life-giving UVB rays in sunlight, children were unable to synthesize vitamin D in their skin. Without vitamin D, their bones did not form properly and the children became crippled.
Vitamin D sufficiency prevents rickets
Awareness of vitamin D's role in preventing rickets then leads to its fortification in foods. Improvement in bone health was on the rise until the late 1940's when an outbreak of vitamin D intoxication occurred, due to poor quality control in the manufacturing process. As a result, Europe and the United States passed laws banning the fortification of vitamin D in most food products. These laws remain in effect and continue to limit our dietary sources of vitamin D.
Research illuminates vitamin D's powerful effect on the body
In the 1970s researchers began finding numerous health benefits in addition to the well-documented relationship between vitamin D and bone health. Over the last 4o years, and hundreds of research articles later, vitamin D has become well known in scientific circles as a critical component for preventing life-threatening diseases. The sunshine vitamin is now known to have significant effects on the immune system as an anti-inflammatory, on cellular differentiation for preventing abnormal cell growth and on inhibiting the growth of tumours.
In 1995, Dr Mike Holick, the leading expert on vitamin D published a book called The UV Advantage. With the hopes of raising public awareness, Dr Holick's work outlined the miraculous health imparting qualities of vitamin D and the serious health consequences which occur from its deficiency. His extensive research and writings on vitamin D lead him to be heralded by his peers. Yet, at the same time, he was attacked politically by sunscreen companies who attempted to discredit him.
Dr Holick is known in scientific circles as the founding father of 'The Sunshine Vitamin'. And thanks to him and the perseverance of many other researchers, we now have the groundwork of priceless information on vitamin D. There now exists years of research documenting the link between skyrocketing increases in breast, ovarian, colon, prostate and other cancers, as well as MS and a number of auto-immune diseases and vitamin D deficiency. The overwhelming evidence that lack of sunshine is the culprit keeping us ill can no longer be denied.
Why didn't I know this before?
I hear this same question from my patients. "Dr Messer, if you're telling me that there exist 4o years of compounding, indisputable evidence of vitamin D's critical role in our health, why am I only hearing about it now?" It's an important question and the quick and simple answer is that sunshine is free. I'm not alone in believing that if a new drug held the same healing qualities as vitamin D it would be worldwide front-page news. The politics of sunshine, however, are complicated -just like all politics -and I've devoted an entire article to provide you with a look behind the scenes.
Your body: A powerful healing machine
Now before you delve into this book and gain a thorough understanding of the benefits of vitamin D, I believe it's helpful for you to know the basic truths about the human body. Being a naturopathic doctor, my approach to medicine is founded on these basic truths; whether I'm helping a patient tackle a disease like breast cancer or creating an ongoing preventative strategy so they can live a vibrant life.
The Basic Truths...
The body's normal state is one of health and vibrancy.
This normal state can be tipped off balance by an infinite number of factors both internal and external correcting deficiencies and areas that are out of balance, the powerful and innate healing capacities are engaged and the body moves again toward health and vibrancy.
The body is always working to get back to its normal state.
By correcting deficiencies and areas that are out of balance, the powerful and innate healing capacities are engaged and the body moves again toward health and vibrancy.
Being a naturopathic physician my goal is always to facilitate my patients return extraordinary health. Guiding them this state starts with a process of inquiry and investigation.
As you read this book, you are embarking on your own investigation. Inquiring vitamin D can improve your health and that of your loved ones. This book will teach you to harness powerful medicine in sunlight.
What's in store?
As you look inside these pages you will find:
The startling statistics on your risk for acquiring diseases from vitamin D deficiency.
How sun gifts us with vitamin D and our body brilliantly utilizes it keep us healthy.
How to reduce your risk of acquiring disease by maintaining optimal vitamin D levels.
How cancer death rates can be drastically reduced by keeping healthy vitamin D levels in your blood.
The latest research on safe dosages and a guide for optimal vitamin D
The determining factors that affect our daily supply of this vital
Other sources and forms of vitamin D if you don't get enough sunshine.
How sunscreens not only inhibit our vitamin D skin production but can be potentially toxic, find safe and effectively use them.
How to safeguard your health and health of your loved ones no matter where in world you live or much sunlight you're exposed
Part II of this book is dedicated to preventing and healing from specific diseases and conditions related to vitamin D deficiency.
Natural medicine has already made huge advancements in preventing and/or shortening disease processes. It's my belief that established nutritional protocols along with important adjunctive use of vitamin D therapy shall prove to be no less than true partners in health.
And finally, as a naturopathic physician, I can no longer dispute what I've intuitively believed in all along the absence of sunshine creates a deficit of life-supporting nutrients which keep us from attaining optimal health.
Examples of how the best quality vitamin D supplement functions in our body:
When you start taking vitamin D supplements regularly, you get to see these many health benefits. But you have to make sure you buy the best vitamin D supplement UK brands that are recommended by your GP or NHS.
Improved muscle performance. A positive relationship exists between optimal vitamin D serum levels and physical performance. This is because muscle cells carry large quantities of vitamin D receptors. Research has shown that when serum levels were above 6onmol (24ng/ml) the muscle function tests (walking/chair standing) showed optimal performance
Reduced risk of falling and of fracture: Improved muscle performance means we have a better balance which naturally protects us from falling. If a fall occurs, having optimal serum levels of vitamin D ensure normal bone mineralization and healthy bones which resist breakage or heal faster if they do break.
Protection against osteoporosis, osteopenia and osteomalacia: Research has shown that the number of vitamin D receptors decreased with age. This explains our even greater need for vitamin D from the sun and/or as As we age, we become at greater risk for osteoporosis, osteopenia, autoimmune disorders and cancers.
Protection against cancer. Years of research have shown a relationship between lower sunshine exposure and higher cancer prevalence and cancer mortality. By having optimal serum levels, genes are 'turned on' to promote cellular differentiation. This allows the body to tell the difference between a cancer cell to get rid of and a normal healthy cell to keep.
Haltinowth of tumours and inducing their breakdown. At optimal vitamin D serum levels, genes are activated to stop the growth of or suppress the proliferation of cancer cells. Activated vitamin D metabolites 'turn off inflammatory markers such as IL-2 and IL-12. These active metabolites thus have the 'ability' to control cancerous growths because of their anti-proliferation (anti-growth) effects, by down-regulating dendritic cells and T-helper cells. Suppression of the antigen-presenting capacity of macrophages and promotion of The lymphocytes is an important part of the anti-'autoimmune' process that vitamin D imparts.
Vitamin D's direct role in the immune system: Studies have shown that a vitamin D deficiency helps to activate the immune system; especially T-cell mediated immunity. Whereas, vitamin D in high doses actually suppresses certain aspects of the immune system. Vitamin D's role in the immune system has been shown in its remarkable ability to affect multiple sclerosis, diabetes, lupus, fibromyalgia and non-specific pain disorder.
Multiple Sclerosis: activated vitamin D has been shown to prevent autoimmune encephalomyelitis, the experimental (animal model) of multiple sclerosis. Scientists found that this disease could be suppressed or eliminated at any stage of development with adequate amounts of vitamin D hormone administered orally each day. Another study showed that a higher sun exposure at an age of 6-15 years was associated with a lower risk of MS.
Lupus, irritable bowel and rheumatoid arthritis: Â Similar results to those found for multiple sclerosis, were obtained with models of systemic lupus, irritable bowel disease and rheumatoid arthritis.
Suppression of diabetes mellitus. Vitamin D also positively affects pancreatic beta cells and improves insulin sensitivity. Among nonobese diabetic rates, vitamin D deficiency caused a marked increase in incidence and a substantial decrease in lag time required for the onset of In fact, large doses of vitamin D hormone could suppress type I diabetes mellitus completely by preventing the destruction of islet cells.
Suppression of transplant rejection. An extended example of the autoimmune suppressive quality of vitamin D is a study demonstrating how activated vitamin D helps prevent transplant rejection in both vascular and nonvascular transplants.
There are many more reason to take vitamin D Supplements.