Vitamin D Deficiency

     We are in the middle of an epidemic here in America. One that has gone mostly unnoticed, and is just starting to really gain the respect of many health care practitioners. Vitamin D deficiency has become a major problem, is linked to other major problems, and until recently has not been seriously considered a problem at all. Now epidemic is a scary word, and one that we see thrown around quite a bit these days. However, I don't use it lightly. Over 90% of adults in America are Vitamin D deficient, and that deficiency is linked to quite a few other health conditions that have become prominent in recent years. Conditions such as osteoporosis, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, autoimmune disease, depression, insomnia, arthritis, asthma, fibromyalgia, autisim, and even more.

     So why is this particular vitamin so important? Vitamin D helps your body absorb and use calcium, it plays an important role in proper neurological and muscle function, helps balance blood sugar, combats heart disease, and it helps to keep your immune system healthy. Now there are two kinds of Vitamin D, the one we synthesize, in our own bodies, when exposed to the sun is D3. There is another kind of Vitamin D that you can get from consuming plants and other animals (D2), however it's not as bioavailable to us as D3.

     10 minutes a day, in the sun, is all you need in order to allow your body to create enough Vitamin D, according to the experts that is. Living in Florida, the “Sunshine State,” you'd think that we'd get enough sunlight to do just that. Well, we get the sunlight, but there are other problems that prevent us from getting the correct amount of Vitamin D that we need for optimal health.

     Most people will pinpoint the increased time we spend inside, as a society, as the main reason for the rise in Vitamin D deficiencies. It's true that the inventions of air conditioning, the internet, video games, and personal computers, as well as an increase in desk jobs, do contribute to our lack of venturing outside. However, our lack of outdoor activities are only part of the problem. Quite a few of the problems actually stem from poor dietary choices, even when those choices are made for all the right reasons.

     Most of us feel pressure to be skinnier than we are. Fad diets have been on the rise for decades, and not all of them are healthy choices. Most of them leave out many of the good nutrients along with the bad, or substitute nutritionally deficient food choices for already poor food choices. Combine this with the concern about cholesterol levels and obesity, and you get a crazy amount of low-fat or no-fat diets. But fat and cholesterol serve quite a few important jobs in our bodies. Cholesterol helps to keep our brains healthy, helps to keep our skin plump and supple, and without fat or cholesterol we cannot synthesize and absorb Vitamin D. Vitamin D is fat soluble, which means that it is dissolved (and stored) in fats and oils. Our bodies need fat in order to use and store Vitamin D. However, polyunsaturated fats (the not so good for you fats) also block absorption and use of Vitamin D. Most processed foods, and foods not cooked in your home, are full of polyunsaturated fats. Choosing your food with care, and thinking about what fats are needed, and which fats are not, is a great way to increase your Vitamin D. For a list of foods that are high in good fats, check out a previous post of mine here.

     That isn't to say that fat is better, and that we should stop watching what we eat. Obesity can be a major concern when looking at Vitamin D levels. Because Vitamin D is stored in fatty tissues, obese people need more Vitamin D in order to be able to use their Vitamin D. Our bodies put this amazing Vitamin in storage before using it. Obese people simply have more storage to fill up than an average sized person. This means that obese people have to consume/synthesize more Vitamin D in order to stay healthy.

     Another reason for the recent increase in Vitamin D deficiency is simply fear. We, as a society, have become absolutely scared of cancer. One of the links that has been made between cancer and our skin is the sun. Now being careful in the sun is really important because the more you burn the higher your risk of skin cancer gets. However, wearing sunscreen of SPF 8 or more reduces your body's ability to synthesize Vitamin D by 90% or more. Once you reach SPF 30 or more, you reduce your synthesization by 99%. The, previously mentioned, 10 minutes a day recommended by experts, should be without sunscreen for maximum effect. Also, if you increase your intake of good fats (omega-3 fatty acids) you can reduce your risk of burning, as they help to protect your skin from the inside out. Amazingly enough, these are the same fats needed for synthesization and storage of Vitamin D in your body. Also, you are much more likely to develop skin cancer when you are deficient in Vitamin D.

     The last reason for Vitamin D deficiency that I want to touch on is pharmaceutical usage. Quite a few, commonly prescribed, drugs actually block or consume Vitamin D in your body. If you suspect that you may be at risk of being Vitamin D deficient, talk to your doctor to determine if your prescription may be contributing to the problem.

     Oddly enough, we are one of only two beings on this planet that actually synthesize Vitamin D in our bodies. The other one is rather fascinating, mushrooms. Just about any kind of mushroom synthesizes Vitamin D in the same way as us, and it's the same Vitamin D that we synthesize, D3. Mushrooms also synthesize this after they've been harvested, so laying mushrooms in the sun before cooking them increases the amount of D3 they contain. It's a great way to increase your intake and reduce your chances of becoming deficient.

     You can also get more Vitamin D from healthy fish, eggs, dairy, fatty meats, liver, cheese, and a few vegetables. However these, and most supplements, are Vitamin D2 and therefore not as bioavailable to us as Vitamin D3 is. If you plan on supplementing, try to find one that lists D3. Another good source of Vitamin D is cod liver oil. It may not taste the best, but it's super good for you in so many ways, probably because it's pretty high in Vitamin D.

     I hope I have helped you understand the nature of Vitamin D deficiency, and provided a good start to help you overcoming or preventing it. If you have any questions or comments please leave them below.

Resources:

5 Illnesses Linked to Vitamin D Deficiency: Everyday Health: https://www.everydayhealth.com/news/illnesses-linked-vitamin-d-deficiency/

8 Signs and Symptoms of Vitamin D Deficiency: Healthline: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-d-deficiency-symptoms

Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D?: Wellness Mama: https://wellnessmama.com/699/vitamin-d/

Many Reasons Why Vitamin D Deficiency Has Become Epidemic: Vitamin D Wiki: https://vitamindwiki.com/Many+reasons+why+vitamin+D+deficiency+has+become+epidemic

Monday Health & Wellness; Vitamin D: Modern Alternative Health: http://modernalternativehealth.com/2011/04/04/monday-health-wellness-vitamin-d/

Vitamin D Deficiency: MedicineNet.com: https://www.medicinenet.com/vitamin_d_deficiency/article.htm

Vitamin D Deficiency: Medline Plus: https://medlineplus.gov/vitaminddeficiency.html

Vitamin D Deficiency: WebMD: https://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/vitamin-d-deficiency#1

Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms & Sources to Reverse It!: Dr. Axe: https://draxe.com/vitamin-d-deficiency-symptoms/

Pesky Eczema

    Ever since moving to Central Florida, I have been plagued by itchy, easily irritated skin.  It flares up during certain times of the year, and especially when I am experiencing a high volume of stress.  The constant itching and scratching combined with burning irritation makes sure that eczema is annoying at best.  The term eczema is actually a blanket term that is used to describe itchy, inflamed skin with occasional blisters and/or scales.  It’s often used interchangeably with the term dermatitis, which translates to “inflamed skin.” 

    Like most of the chronic problems in life, eczema is mostly due to dietary factors in combination with environmental ones.  In short, eczema is inflammation.  Eating inflammatory foods can trigger it, and being in stressful, inflammatory situations can trigger it.  I have noticed that mine flares up worse in the summer as well, because of the stress of heat and the moisture I loose through excessive perspiration.  

    Conventional treatments all work on the external side of things, mainly by just suppressing the symptoms.  Some of these include bleach baths (I cringe at this thought because bleach makes my eczema much worse) and steroid creams.  Neither of which address the actual cause of eczema.  Eczema starts in the gut.  Yup.  You heard me right.  An annoying skin condition is actually caused by inflammation in your intestines.  This means that diet is really the only true “cure” or preventative measure for this condition. 

    Inflammation in your gut, which leads to eczema, is caused by food allergens.  The most common allergens are cow’s milk, eggs, gluten, soy, peanuts, fish, beef, corn, citrus, and tomatoes.  In order to figure out which one is causing your particular symptoms, you should stop consuming all of them.  After a period of time where you are symptom free, begin re-introducing them into your diet, one at a time.  Wait a period of time before adding the next one in so that you can assess your possible symptoms.  If you encounter one that causes issues, that’s your allergen.  You may have more than one, so continue the process until you have eliminated all of those allergens.  Other things that cause inflammation in your gut include herbicides, pesticides, GMOs, and radiation.  Eliminating these toxins from your diet is a good idea even if you do not show signs of eczema or other inflammation.  Also, inflammation in your gut can happen when there is an imbalance of healthy gut flora.  Probiotics are great to help prevent and correct this, as well as fermented foods (yogurt, Kombucha, keifer, etc). 

    Now that we’ve addressed the root cause, what makes eczema worse?  If you have eczema, then your skin is not holding in moisture properly.  This means that any harsh soaps or excessive scrubbing can wash away too many of your natural oils that help to hold in moisture, making your eczema worsen.  Harsh chemicals can do the same.  I’ve heard, through the years, that bathing is bad for eczema, that bathing is good for eczema, that you should or should not use lotion, etc.  There are many contradicting thoughts out there for what makes eczema worse, and what helps.

    What actually helps?  Hydration is key.  Internal hydration, by drinking plenty of water, as well as external hydration, such as soaking in lukewarm (not hot) water.  But hydration is not just about water.  You can be dehydrated and drink your weight in water every day, simply by not having enough fats/oils in your diet.  Healthy fats are the real heroes of hydration because they help our bodies hold in moisture.  Making sure your diet has plenty of healthy fats (coconut oil and flaxseed are both great sources) is a great way to stop eczema before it starts.  However, when a flare up does occur look to lotions, salves, and ointments.  These can all help by adding healthy fats to our skin to help it hold in the moisture.

    One of my favorite things to use is coconut oil.  In more northern climates, people consider coconut oil an already made salve.  In Florida, however, it turns completely liquid at room temperature.  But it still provides a great amount of moisture for hair, skin, and internally as well.  It also makes a great makeup remover, just wet a cotton pad with coconut oil and remove away!  Jojoba oil is also amazing to use with eczema.  Just apply it externally when needed.  Also, when you are thinking about baths, adding chamomile or oats to your bath can help ease the itching and burning of eczema as well as lessen the inflammation.  Lavender essential oil is also something I use for my eczema, it helps to prevent infections in any open wounds and it’s a natural pain reliever, so it helps to minimize the burning that accompanies excessive scratching.

    I hope this brief introduction helps you out and gives you a good start on living an eczema free life. 

Resources:

Every Day Roots: http://everydayroots.com/eczema-remedies

Natural Healthy Concepts: http://blog.naturalhealthyconcepts.com/2013/05/09/5-natural-ways-to-manage-eczema/

Wellness Mama: http://wellnessmama.com/12065/natural-eczema-remedies/