Strength and Health Through Synergy

There are benefits of Vitamin D for Menopause as there are for any other stage of life. The truth is that Vitamin D is much more than a drug, a supplement, a nutrient. It is a powerful steroid hormone that is naturally produced in our bodies when we have sufficient exposure to the sun without sunscreen.

You might be thinking “what about the danger of getting skin cancer because of the exposure to the sun?” Well, you’re not supposed to spend the whole day in the sun and get sunburned. The secret here is moderation as in other many things in life. Scientific studies show that a healthy person having unprotected exposure to the sun for 10 to 15 minutes a day, 3 times a week is going to produce sufficient Vitamin D all year around.

However, there are certain circumstances that may interfere in the absorption of the sun such as skin pigment, obesity, kidney disease, age, low estrogen, and geographical location. The darker a person is the harder it is for him/her to make Vitamin D because his skin works as a sunscreen. Someone who is obese cannot make sufficient Vitamin D because this nutrient is fat soluble and gets stuck in it, not giving the person any benefit. Unfortunately, someone with kidney disease cannot naturally make any Vitamin D at all because this vitamin has to go through the kidney before it can be used by the body. As the person ages the harder it is for him/her to naturally make vitamin D. There is a connection between low levels of estrogen and Vitamin D deficiency, even though we still don’t know exactly how this sex hormone affects the synthesizing of Vitamin D. People who live above the equator or far from it cannot make Vitamin D at all during most part of the year, except for summer and perhaps, spring.

There are definite benefits of Vitamin D for menopausal women such as better absorption of calcium; renewal and building of the bones; prevention of bone diseases such as osteoporosis – frail bones or osteomalacia – soft bones; minimizing of mood swings and depression; prevention of age-related illnesses such as cardiovascular diseases, colon and breast cancers, diabetes, and obesity.

The combination of Vitamin D and calcium is translated into healthy bones and no chance for bone illnesses. With the hormonal changes in the body, menopausal women are prone to depression and mood swings which according to medical studies can be minimized with the intake of Vitamin D. Plenty of studies show that prevention of colon and breast cancer is possible for women with sufficient levels of Vitamin D in their bodies. There is connection in adequate levels of Vitamin D and better usage of insulin in the body, minimizing the start of diabetes. There is a connection between calcium and Vitamin D supplementation with prevention of weight gain in women.

It’s good to know that the whole family can benefit from great nutrient. However, the benefits of Vitamin D for menopausal women should be taken most seriously. What I mean is if you have not been supplementing up to this point in life, there is still time to remedy your situation. Supplementing with the appropriate dosages of Vitamin D and calcium will not only help you to prevent the above mentioned age-related diseases, but also allow you to age gracefully without complications.

Come now, women, don’t be like an ostrich burying your head in the sand, pretending you don’t know the truth about the benefits of Vitamin D. The earlier you start your Vitamin D and calcium intake the better.

If you would like to listen to a 10-minute free interview with Dr. Holick, please click here.

To your health!

Ligia Fleckenstein

Benefits of Vitamin D

Benefits of Vitamin D do not really interest most men. Come on guys – admit it, we want to know more about the ‘other’ important health stuff like how to improve our sex life, get our hair to grow back, get that lean mean body back of our youth, and of course become that top notch athlete we still dream about becoming. We’ve been trained to think that way. The benefits of vitamin D can help in these areas and many other areas like kidney disease, colon cancer, make you less likely to have a heart attack, and reduce the risk of dying prematurely from any cause.

“Vitamin D can help reduce the risk of dying prematurely”

Pushed to the Limit

In today’s society men of all ages are being pushed to their breaking point. They are stressed beyond their limits with the fear of losing their job, trying to find a job, poor eating habits, family responsibilities, children, money problems, just to mention a few can all throw a monkey wrench into one’s good health. The end result of such stress is often fatigue or a lack of energy, premature aging, a decrease in sexual desire, and a host of other health related problems. Studies have shown that men with lower levels of vitamin D are six times more likely to suffer from hypertension. Vitamin D can help rejuvenate men of all ages by supplying an integral component in the development and maintenance of their health and overall well-being.

“Vitamin D can help rejuvenate men of all ages”

What Does Vitamin D Do

So exactly what does Vitamin D do for men you may be asking yourself? Years of research have shown that vitamin D affects every tissue and cell in the body. When our bodies have optimal levels of vitamin D they can literally turn off certain cancer cells by influencing our DNA. The way this works is the vitamin D receptor functions as a lock and the vitamin D molecule acts like a key, which allows genes to be turned on and off. The body generates a message and sends to the cancer cell to generate proteins and the self-destruct message is given. Studies (Michos 2007 and Trivedi 2003) have shown that people with more vitamin D in their blood were 12% – 22% less likely to die from any cause. I don’t know about you but I like those percentages.

Vitamin D works in unison with other nutrients and hormones in your body to support healthy bone renewal, maintain hormonal balance (yes guys we have them too!), maintain a healthy immune system, and regulate the processes that keep us well.

Scientists and physicians are now starting to finally realize that vitamin D can improve our overall health in significant and meaningful ways!

Benefits of Vitamin D for Men:

• Plays a critical role in the absorption and metabolism of calcium and phosphorous, Calcium and phosphorus have various functions in the human body, especially in maintaining healthy bones.

• Is an immune system regulator, which aids in preventing excessive or prolonged inflammatory responses like the common cold, high blood pressure, heart failure, and type 1 diabetes to mention a few.

• Significantly lowers the risk of developing cancer. These cancers include colon, prostrate, and breast cancer.

• May also play a role in regulating cellular growth and function in our brain cells, which would help keep our brain working well as we age into the latter years of our life.

• Linked to maintaining a healthy body weight. Studies have shown men with a healthy body weight have higher levels of vitamin D than those who are overweight.

• Reduce the severity and frequency of asthma symptoms.

• Reduce the risk of developing arthritis.

• Effective in treating symptoms of depression by regulating melatonin and other neurotransmitters in the brain.

Dr. Michael Holick is a leading researcher at the Boston University Medical Center and is a high-profile member of the vitamin D research community.  To get a FREE copy of an EXCLUSIVE interview with Dr. Holick click on the link below.

Click here for FREE Interview

Recommended reading: Vitamin D supplements

Benefits of Vitamin D in Children: don’t we, as parents, all know that our kids’ need D so they grow strong and healthy bones?

We do know that strong and straight bones are benefits of Vitamin D.

But what we don’t know is: first, what all the benefits of Vitamin D for children are and second: how we can give it to our children.

Here’s why it’s important for you to know the answer to the two questions above.

It’s critical to your kids’ health that she gets Vitamin D and as long as she isn’t old enough to know, then you are the one who will have to give it to her.

If you don’t understand what all the benefits are you might think to yourself “Well, in our family everybody has strong bones” (or something along those lines), “we don’t have to worry”.

I’ll admit being a parent and having to care for not just your own health is work.

Sometimes it’s a real pain, you don’t have any time to think about yourself because you are constantly thinking about them.

It’s especially work if you have little children that don’t want to eat anything but “mac ‘n cheese”. Or you have a teenager that opposes you in all you do.

I want to help you stay motivated and to see the huge value you are giving to your kids when taking care of their health.

I firmly believe that there will be a day when my daughter will turn around and appreciate all I do and my work will pay off, and don’t you think that too?

When I first realized the list of benefits of Vitamin D it helped me make a commitment to making sure my daughter gets her healthy dose of it.

Vitamin D helps with overall immunity, because it supports the development of white blood cells, the cells that defend us from getting infectious diseases.

These are Vitamin  D facts I didn’t know about.

It was a huge eyeopener for me, especially going into the flu season. I didn’t want to give my daughter flu shots but I also didn’t want her to get sick, especially not knowing how the swine flu would develop.

The third huge benefit for children is that Vitamin D calms the nervous system. It promotes the resorption of calcium and phosphorus from nutrients and thereby exerts beneficial influences on the nervous system and blood circulation. This is especially interesting in connection to ADD and ADHS.

I studied Rudolf Steiner and his writing on remedial education for children (he was a philosopher and scientist from the early part of the last century),

and he mentioned that, from his studies, hyperactivity had to do with an imbalance of the phosphorus element in the child.

He gained a lot of his insights from observing children, and that’s what I like about him so much.

Anyway, not to go off on a tangent, you can see that it is not just the bones; it’s much much more.

So lets look at how you can give Vitamin D to your child.

The food industry wants to make you believe D is in everything…have you noticed that trend?

The food industry is realizing that parents are becoming aware of the benefits of Vitamin D, so they use this trend to make money from your grocery shopping habits.

“Fortified” anything doesn’t do the job though.

Your child needs sunlight on naked skin and a good supplement.

In terms of sunlight (if you are still getting any!) make sure that you let your child get sun without sunblock for a good half hour and then put the sunscreen on.

If your child has dark skin make sure he gets more then 30 minutes. Having a big trampoline in your yard will be an easy solution to get them outside…you will have problems getting them back inside for a change!

In terms of supplements, I know there is a whole jungle of information out there and you really need to be educated and have some guidelines as to what to look for.

I interviewed Dr. Hollick leading Vitamin D expert. Get a free copy of the interview here

Get the interview  now so you know what to look for, what to buy and what to leave.

I hope this article has been helpful to you.

To your and your kids’ health!

Carolin

P.S. Don’t forget to grab your copy of the free interview, do it now!

Other articles you might want to check are: what does Vitamin d do

and Vitamin D recommended Dosages

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There are several Benefits of Vitamin D for Women over 50, so don’t throw away your supplements because of  the latest news on Vitamin D’s failure to prevent breast cancer in postmenopausal women.  The Women’s Health Initiative study on benefits of Vitamin D  published lately shows that after seven years of calcium and Vitamin D supplementation, there was no reduction in breast cancer risk.  In retrospect, this is what would have been expected: The Vitamin D dose of 400 IU seemed more than enough when the study began in the early 1990′s, but science has more information these days than was had at that time.  In fact, that level is barely sufficient for what is a major deficiency common to most Americans and Europeans.  So what does this mean for benefits of  Vitamin D in women over 50 and men too for that matter?

The benefits of Vitamin D have been researched by renowned researcher Dr. Michael Holick and are discussed in the following paragraphs.

Michael Holick, a Vitamin D expert in the Department of Endocrinology, Nutrition, and Diabetes at Boston University Medical Center,  just last year in the New England Journal of Medicine reviewed the abundant and highly convincing laboratory and clinical research that supports the  benefits of Vitamin D and adequate Vitamin D levels both in bone health and in cutting the risk of chronic disease, including many cancers.

Here’s a summary of five key points to keep in mind:

1.  Most Americans are Vitamin D and calcium deficient.  This is particularly so for the elderly, the obese, and those who have little or no sun exposure. (Estimates of insufficiency in Vitamin D levels among those in the US and Europe range from 40% to 100%)

2.  Several randomized  trials have unequivocally shown the benefits of Vitamin D supplementation,  including an increase in bone density and a decrease in fractures.

3.  Compelling evidence suggests taking Vitamin D supplements results in a reduction of common cancers including: breast, prostate, and colon tumors-particularly when in people with low initial levels of Vitamin D.  But no definitive randomized trial has tested this at intake levels in the range of 1000 IU.

4.  Among experts in the field, there’s a general consensus that current government guidelines for Vitamin D intake in the range of 400 to 600 IU are inadequate for most people.  The number should be twice that, many say. The following article has new guidelines for Vitamin D intake levels, Vitamin D Recommended Dosage.

5.  With exception of a small increase in kidney stones,  there is no evidence of harm in taking Vitamin D and calcium supplements.

To avoid Vitamin D deficiency, Holick recommends that most adults take 800 to 1000 IU of Vitamin D3 daily.  Under certain circumstances like: pregnancy, obesity, particular forms of  kidney or gastrointestinal disease, the ideal dose might double.  If you would like to listen to Dr. Holick’s 10-minute audio interview you will find the latest information on Vitamin D.

Benefits of Vitamin D are being proven with research on a regular basis and with this research and recommendations of adequate Vitamin D levels our health should improve substantially.

To read more on Vitamin D check out other articles here:  Vitamin D Facts and What Does Vitamin D Do.

I hope this information has been of great value to you.

Your Be Healthy With Vitamin D Team

What are the benefits of Vitamin D for heart disease? Why is Vitamin D so important?

One of THE most important benefits of Vitamin D is that adequate Vitamin D levels can reduce the risk of heart disease and other well-known heart disease risk factors such as high blood pressure, hardening of the arteries, obesity, and diabetes. This is exceptionally important to know about.

The benefits of Vitamin D in relation to heart disease are as follows.

Vitamin D:

• prevents the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle which influences the volume of blood vessels and local blood pressure
• prevents calcium build up in the arteries. Low levels of vitamin D may increase calcium build-up in the arteries and the development of atherosclerotic plaque, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke.
• helps regulate pro-inflammatory cytokines.
• helps the heart’s pumping ability.
• controls the production of rennin which is one of the most important hormones regulating blood pressure.
• inhibits the uptake of cholesterol by macrophage cells. These are a type of white blood that takes in foreign material. They help destroy bacteria and tumour cells.
  • Vitamin D deficiency is a potential mechanism underlying increased foam cell formation and accelerated heart disease in patients with type 2 diabetes.
  • in people with low Vitamin D macrophages ‘eat’ much more cholesterol. The macrophages get clogged with cholesterol because they cannot get rid of the cholesterol and become foam cells which are the earliest markers of atherosclerosis (a condition where an artery wall thickens due to the build-up of fatty materials such as cholesterol)

So what does this really mean for me?

• if you have low Vitamin D levels you are twice as likely to have a heart attack, stroke, or other heart-related event than if you have higher Vitamin D levels. This holds even when other heart risk factors such as diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure are taken into account.
• if you have both Vitamin D deficiency and high blood pressure then you will have double the risk of a heart attack, heart failure or stroke.
• if you have kidney disease and/or hyperparathyroidism and low Vitamin D you may be more likely to develop high blood pressure .

A seven-year study of 3488 people aged 65 and older shows the benefits of Vitamin D:

• half (767) of the 1,493 deaths related to heart disease. People with low Vitamin D levels were three times more likely to die from heart disease and 2.5 times more likely to die from any cause than people with optimal Vitamin D levels.
• >33 % of older adults have Vitamin D levels that place them at increased risk of death and few have levels that supports optimum health and survival.

Yes benefits of Vitamin D are real and are important for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. We recommend that you have your Vitamin D levels tested.

So how to I increase my Vitamin D levels?

• Take daily Vitamin D supplements (at least 1000IU per day).
• Expose your arms and legs to the sun for 5 to 15 minutes at least 2 or 3 times per week in the spring, summer and autumn between the hours of 10am and 3pm. Always put sun cream on your face, neck and upper torso.
• Foods high in Vitamin D will help but are not enough to attain your required daily levels. Oily fish such as salmon, tuna and mackerel provide the best source of Vitamin D from food.

Important information for people over 40:

You are in the age group susceptible to heart disease. Optimum Vitamin D levels cannot be gained by sun exposure and food. Vitamin D supplementation is the best option for you. Please note that supplementation should be taken in conjunction with regular exercise and maintaining a healthy, balanced lifestyle.

As you can see there are many very important benefits of Vitamin D for heart disease patients. Vitamin D helps maintain heart and blood vessel functioning and keeps problems such as high blood pressure, hardening of the arteries, obesity, and diabetes in check. Low Vitamin D levels seriously compromise your health and make you susceptible to serious heart-related diseases.

We recommend you get your Vitamin D levels tested and take action now to ensure you are healthy long-term and reduce your risk of heart disease.

Vitamin D is the “sunshine vitamin” – your ticket to long-term health!

We would love to send you our free report on how to become fit and healthy and reduce your risk of heart disease.

Check out information What Does Vitamin D Do and Vitamin D Facts.

Here’s to your long-term health!

Claire

Good mood

You can start smiling now.

Often the first thing that happens when you start supplementing is the benefits of Vitamin D in moods will show up in you first and others close to you next  (they will want what you have!).  Actually, this starts healing relationships! Now that’s a benefit if I ever heard one.

Take my friend, for instance, always on the brink of impatience, although fairly optimistic she started taking Vitamin D, for a very short couple of weeks. To tell you the truth, when I ran out of D, from buying some in-the-bin on-sale 1000 IU Vitamin D for $1.50 last year I went out hunting for more this year.  It’s up to $7 now but that’s not a fair comparison because the bottle I bought was bigger this time, fresh and not on sale. Bought one for her and one for me.

We often meet at the corner for Costa Rican coffee and sit outside at Neighbours PetroCan and I passed it to her then. Well, I must have been very convincing which is not hard to do when you have a passion so she started taking it. Right from the get-go she noticed the benefits of Vitamin D in moods she was experiencing.

Bear in mind that she buys supplements and then if it doesn’t do something right away she loses interest. Given the benefits of Vitamin D in moods it’s no wonder she reported a perpetual sunny disposition which was noticed by hubby who also started taking it!

Now, he is a hardworking, cautious, smart man who has a good sense of humour tempered with a healthy skepticism. He starts feeling pretty good…and his wife is acting like it’s a miniature miracle!

I can’t quite believe it myself…then they went off and told their friend about the benefits of Vitamin D in moods because he just recently beat death and should be laughing but was feeling post-operation blues. Now I’m seeing his happy updates on FaceBook!

Can you imagine? To view your life history through new eyes and know, have an understanding of, why seemingly unexplainable low moods just press in uninvited to wreak havoc on your precious personal connections to just disappear and reappear at the most inopportune times.

Benefits of Vitamin D in moods is real and you may see it in how people are now treating the new you and the sunshine just spreads abroad over the landscape of your personal relationships, and new contacts.

Bonus: you keep your D levels up and you’ll have many benefits, including the fact that it’s good for your gums and teeth. Now that’s worth smiling about

To hear what world renowned researcher Dr. Michael Holick has to say download his interview here

Cathy Fletcher

Vitamin D Facts

What Does Vitamin D Do?