Heart, muscles, mind: Vitamin D helps your body in many ways

( Natural News ) Compared to other vitamins, vitamin D is unique: One of the best ways to absorb it is by exposing yourself to natural sunlight. Vitamin D is also essential for your brain and heart health . Natural sources of vitamin D The body produces vitamin D from cholesterol in your skin upon exposure to sunlight. However, those who live far from the equator may be deficient in this vitamin. The symptoms of vitamin D deficiency are subtle and may develop over years or even decades. These symptoms include bone loss, muscle weakness, and an increased risk of fractures. Children with vitamin D deficiency may experience growth problems and soft bones (rickets). Vitamin D deficiency is also linked to reduced immune function and an increased risk of cancer. Only a handful of foods contain significant amounts of vitamin D . Cod liver oil – A single tablespoon of cod liver oil (15 ml) contains 227 percent of the daily value (DV) for vitamin D. Egg yolks – One large egg yolk contains seven percent of the DV. Fatty fish – Fatty fish like mackerel, salmon, sardines , and trout are full of vitamin D. A small, three-ounce (85-gram) serving of cooked salmon contains 75 percent of the DV. If you are deficient in vitamin D, take a supplement or increase your sun exposure. It may be difficult to get sufficient amounts of the vitamin through diet alone. Unlike other vitamins, vitamin D is produced by the body. Dr. Todd Sontag, a family medicine specialist at Orlando Health in Florida, explains that the vitamin functions more like a hormone than an actual vitamin, since the human body has many vitamin D receptors. The majority of the immune system has vitamin D receptors. Discover how to prevent and reverse […]

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