You know how when you recently learned something, you start to see it everywhere?
It’s called the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon (yes, I absolutely had to Google it). And it’s happening to me right now with Vitamin D.
I started to go down the rabbit hole a few weeks ago.
Now, it’s everywhere.
So, today let’s get back to the basics.
What is Vitamin D?
Vitamin D is a special kind of vitamin – it’s both a nutrient we eat AND a hormone our bodies make.
It’s like a superhero for our health that can help reduce cancer cell growth, help control infections, and reduce inflammation (the manifestation of most things that ail us).
How Do We Get Vitamin D?
Our body can make Vitamin D all by itself, but it needs sunshine to do it – hence the nickname, “the sunshine vitamin.”
When we are in the sun, it triggers a chemical conversion in our skin from cholesterol into vitamin D3.
From there the D3 is carried to our liver and kidneys to transform it into active vitamin D.
It’s kinda how beer goes from water to wort to useful, delicious suds.
Why is Vitamin D So Important?
Vitamin D is super important for the proper functioning of the human body, including bone health and immunity (Hint: it helps keep us from getting sick).
It also protects against:
- Bone loss
- Depression
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Heart Disease
The concerning part is that most of us are vitamin D deficient.
According to a study by the University of Texas Health Science Center, up to 42% of Americans are deficient of the “sunshine vitamin” – even higher during the winter months when we have less exposure to the sun.
What Can We Do?
There are a few things we can do to ensure we’re getting enough vitamin D.
- Get out in the sun
- Eat fatty fish (tuna, salmon), eggs, and cheese.
- Take a quality supplement (nothing you’ll find at Wal-Mart)
Alright, so I’m going to dive a little deeper over the next few days, but that’ll get us started.
Gotta run to U16 girls soccer practice – tonight, we’re working on finishing after last night’s 2-0 loss. You ain’t gonna win many games when you score zero goals.
Hit ‘em straight,
Ryan
PS – If you’re curious, this is the supplement that our family takes.