Vitamin D:  check your levels to stay healthy

Have you had your vitamin D levels checked?  Vitamin D is crucial for supporting the immune system to fight off colds and flus. Vitamin D is actually a hormone that supports multiple functions through a signaling process, letting your cells know that they need to perform a variety of actions. 

Without an adequate supply, functions like calcium absorption and immune system strengthening are compromised. Many people have a vitamin D deficiency and don't know it. If you are one of them your immune system is in a vulnerable position, particularly in winter when exposure to sunlight (one of the natural routes of absorption) is limited and vitamin D levels tend to decrease. With H1N1 and seasonal flu on the rise during the winter, that's a position you don't want to be in. 

A recent study published in Pediatrics that showed 70% of children and adolescents have low levels of vitamin D, noting that "deficiency is common in the general US pediatric population and is associated with adverse cardiovascular risks." The adult population, also generally low in Vitamin D, is at increased risk of preventable diseases.

Rather than guess at whether you're getting enough vitamin D, why not have it checked?  Through a routine blood test, your doctor can easily monitor Vitamin D. If it turns out to be low, your physician will make recommendations like dietary additions and nutritional supplements that will help increase it.

Natural sources of vitamin D include exposure to sunlight (with no sunscreen), and food sources such as cod liver oil, salmon, eggs and fortified foods. But it's difficult for most of us to get an adequate supply of vitamin D from our diets. So, particularly in winter, supplementation is likely necessary and perhaps crucial. 

Recommendations on supplementation vary, so your best bet is to work with someone who can assess your personal needs. With flu season upon us, now is the time to make every effort to ensure your immune system has all the support it can get. So increase vitamin D in your diet and consider checking in with a healthcare professional who can monitor your levels and help with a plan to support robust immunity now and throughout the year.

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