The Sunshine Vitamin

We've all heard of osteoporosis, but a much more common problem is osteomalacia; osteomalacia results in bone pain, muscle pain and joint pain. It's a little like chronic fatigue in that it's an overall, general feeling which is constant; it's hard to pinpoint where it is - one day you'll feel pain in your shoulders, but the next you'll feel it in your arms or legs. This is the reason you want to make sure your diet is supplemented with Vitamin D. Vitamin D keeps your bones strong; it aids in the absorption of calcium and phosphorous, and it stimulates the production of MSH - a hormone involved in weight loss and energy production (which burns calories and increases your metabolism!!). Vitamin D is obtained naturally through sun exposure; it's in the UVB rays (also responsible for sun-burning when over-exposed). But it's very hard to get in the wintertime because the days are shorter, and the sun is lower - if it's even out (no where in the United States is there enough UVB rays in the wintertime for you to obtain the amount of Vitamin D you need). Altitude, latitude, length of exposure, amount of skin exposed and the season all regulate the amount of vitamin D production; working indoors, sunscreen, and driving to work make it hard to get even in the summer. It's not typically in foods naturally, so your body has no way to produce it on it's own, so needs to be supplemented. For most adults, the recommended amount is 10,000 mg. per week - you can get it in 1,000 mg. and take twice a day for five days. If you take a multi-vitamin, see how much is already in there, and adjust the dose. This and some weight training will give you a healthy, strong body! Melissa