a study in vitamin d

A rather boring aspect of my Wednesdays is counting vitamins. On Wednesdays we receive 10% off everything at the Physician's Preference store near our house. I count out the quantity in each bottle to make sure we have enough until the next week, but not too much, watching the budget.

This morning I dumped vitamin D on a white plate and to my eyes, the softgels were beautiful jewels.







What's so special about vitamin D, you say? Well, read from my Hotze literature:
-In adults, vitamin D deficiency can cause autoimmune disease and osteoporosis.
-Vitamin D inhibits the growth of cancer cells.
-Decreases blood pressure.
-Promotes bone formation.
-Acts as a mood elevator.
-Decreases the risk of multiple sclerosis by 40%.
-Decreases the risk of type 1 diabetes.
-Several studies showed that patients with persistent musculoskeletal pain and low back pain had a vitamin D deficiency. Their pain improved when they took vitamin D supplements.
-Prevents and alleviates other conditions such as infertility associated with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome; epilepsy, Graves disease, lupus, obesity, and rheumatoid arthritis.
-Improves psoriasis and probably most inflammatory conditions.
-Women with migraines who test as deficient in vitamin D often have improvement in their migraines if they begin taking vitamin D and calcium daily.

When I first visited the Hotze clinic, my blood work revealed I had a vitamin D deficiency. The healthy range is 50-100 ng/ml. My number was a very low 19.7 ng/ml. I was prescribed two vitamin D gems after breakfast and dinner. By my three month checkup in September, my number had soared to 46.7! Since I'm still below the healthy range, I now take three vitamin D softgels morning and night. But there's another treatment besides pills. Brief exposure to sunlight without sunscreen is the most efficient method to soak in vitamin D. "The sun can lead to the synthesis of as much as 10,000 units of vitamin D per day," says Hotze.

So there's your health lesson for the day! I actually think it's fascinating. God created our bodies quite intricately, in need of very specific nutrients. And another of His creations - the sun - is the best source of an important vitamin. Johnny and I took a walk today during sunset. It was too late to soak in vitamin D-rays, but oh, the air felt perfect. 72 degrees and a cool breeze. We spied yellow and orange leaves peeking out of a few trees on the walking trail. Dragonflies as long as my arm (it seemed). Crunchy brown leaves and pine needles underfoot. Birds gliding far above our heads. Neighbors walking their jovial dogs. Autumn wreaths on front doors. Flower beds tended to by neighbors with green thumbs. And our own seasonal pumpkins by the front door - the newest is a blue pumpkin sitting next to the red. Tomorrow we'll schedule our walk in order to trek under sunshine: painless therapy.