Vitamin D is also known as the sunshine vitamin and is produced by the body as a response to sun exposure. It can also be consumed in food or supplements.
Consuming enough vitamin D is important for a number of reasons like maintaining healthy bones and teeth; it also protects our body against a number of life threatening diseases like: cancer, diabetes and skin problems.
Some major benefits of vitamin D are:
- Maintain the health of bones and teeth.
- Support the health of the immune system, brain, and nervous system.
- Regulate insulin levels
- Support lung function
- Improves cardiovascular health.
Here is a quick look on the benefits of vitamin D and its importance:
- Vitamin D for healthy bones:
It plays a vital role in strengthening our bones and also helps in maintaining a proper balance of calcium in our body. Our skeleton and the teeth are the foundation of our life and they help in each and every activity we do in our life.Vitamin D deficiency in children can cause rickets. In adults, vitamin D deficiency leads to osteomalacia or osteoporosis. Osteomalacia results in poor bone density and muscular weakness. Osteoporosis is the most common bone disease among post-menopausal women and older men. One must consume milk, yoghurt and loads of cereals to maintain a proper presence of vitamin D in the body.
- Prevents cancer
Cancer is one of the most dangerous life threatening diseases and is growing at a very fast speed. Vitamin D is extremely important for the cell growth and for cell-to-cell communication. Some studies have suggested that this vitamin D can reduce cancer progression by slowing the growth and development of new blood vessels in cancerous tissue. Doctors recommend that we must include foods like: fish, eggs, milk, cereals to maintain a proper amount of vitamin D in our body.
- Helps in weight management:
Maintaining correct weight is the biggest challenge in this stressful life. Vitamin D helps in weight management to a great extent. Fitness experts have also stated that it is very important to keep the vitamin D levels of your body tested to lead a healthy life. It is best to consume healthy food to keep a proper balance of this vitamin in your body but it is not always possible to eat right in this busy and hectic life. One can always opt for supplements to complete the deficiency of this vitamin. You can buy supplements from different online stores and can also avail exclusive health offers from 1mg on your purchase to get the discount.
- Reduces diabetes:
Vitamin D is believed to improve the insulin levels of our body and thus helps in maintaining proper diabetes level. Sunlight is supposed to be the best source this vitamin that is why the patients suffering from diabetes are prescribed to sit in sun for at least half an hour daily. When the sun’s ultraviolet rays are exposed to the skin, the body converts our cholesterol levels into Vitamin D. Thus it is very important to spend time out in the sun.
- Healthy pregnancy:
It is very important to consume vitamin D in adequate amount during pregnancy. It helps in keeping both mother and the child healthy. Deficiency of vitamin D during pregnancy can cause rickets in the baby. A pregnant female must consume loads of foods that are rich in this vitamin for the proper growth and development of the fetus. Milk and milk products along with fatty fishes are the food items that are rich in vitamin D.
Conclusion:
Vitamin D deficiency has also been noticed in growth of many cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, multiple sclerosis, autism, Alzheimer’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma severity, and swine flu. It is very important to stay healthy and fit to lead a happy life. We must always keep in mind that it is better to eat healthy than to intake supplements. Leave your car behind and walk as much as possible so that your body can absorb maximum vitamin D in the sunlight.