There is much talk recently about “grade inflation” which rather diminishes the formerly exclusive appeal of a report card with A’s on it…or better yet, straight A’s. But this is a metaphorical discussion about the vitamins your body needs and what your body may actually be getting. So, we can thank Vitamin A for helping our immune systems and our body’s growth in our early years as well as visual acuity. Vitamin D also is an immune-booster, and you probably also know that it is a key ingredient for bone and joint health.
As scientists have delved into our body’s functioning, they have found more that 3,000 gene-regulatory functions in the body where vitamin D is key, and for 15 cancers or other life-threatening conditions that can be prevented or mitigated. Your mental health will also thank you for an extra dose of vitamin D.
So, we’ve checked off bones and joints, but vitamin D also works to protect the largest organ in your body – your skin, but it doesn’t stop there. Those same endothelial cells that Vitamin D protects on your surface also branch out to protect your blood vessels and organs as well as your urinary tract. It’s like one of those players that make the defense and the offense of the team shine.
I had mentioned mental health. You’ve all heard of Seasonal Affective Disorder. Vitamin D helps mitigate that seasonal downer as long as you use the right spectrum of light to activate it. And now that we’re seeing more sun with every day as we crawl out from winter, you can use the real deal: sunshine. As you become more able to “catch some rays,” do take note to expose yourself to no more than 10 to 30 minutes a day…and it helps to set aside your sunglasses during that time. Set a timer, because too much sun can be very bad for your skin and all the rest of you that is packed inside your epidermis.
There’s a fairly long list of foods rich in vitamin D to include on your regular menu: cheeses and milk, eggs and mushrooms, and cod liver oil. (I put the fish oil last, because it may be everyone’s least favored source of vitamin D, but you can buy it as a capsule with a well-controlled odor.)
What more can I say except: “THINK SPRING.”
Charlotte Bishop is an Aging Life Care Advisor, Geriatric Care Manager and founder of Creative Care Management, LLC, certified professionals who are geriatric advocates, resources, counselors and friends to older adults and their families in metropolitan Chicago. She also is the co-author of How Do I Know You? A Caregiver’s Lifesaver for Dealing with Dementia.
