The importance of good bone and muscle health is essential for leading an active, pain-free life. When we experience pain in our legs and bones, it may be a sign of a vitamin deficiency in our body.
Vitamin D is essential for the absorption of calcium and phosphorus in our bodies, which is crucial for the development and maintenance of healthy bones and teeth. It also plays an important role in muscle strength and immune system function. However, many people don’t get enough vitamin D due to various factors, such as lack of sun exposure, poor diet, or absorption problems.
Vitamin D deficiency can manifest through symptoms such as leg and bone pain, muscle weakness, fatigue, and an increased risk of bone fractures.
To ensure you get enough vitamin D, you can follow these recommendations:
– Exposure to the sun: The main source of vitamin d is direct exposure to the sun. Most people today will say “that will give you cancer”. The studies have shown that having sun exposure is safe and commercial sunscreens, lotions, and store-bought ‘soaps’ or body washes are the culprit behind skin cancer. Stay in the sun for a half hour daily with as much of your skin exposed as possible, preferably as the sun is rising.
– Foods rich in vitamin D: Although it is difficult to obtain sufficient vitamin D throughout the diet, you can include foods such as fatty fish, vegetables, and mushrooms in your daily diet.
– Vitamin D supplements: No less than 20,000 IU’s per day should be consumed. Medical doctors usually will prescribe 2000 IU’s per day but this just isn’t enough. It is very important to also keep other vitamin levels optimal so that one or the other vitamin isn’t causing a deficiency somewhere else in the body. These vitamins include calcium, magnesium, vitamin K and vitamin C. If at all possible, find an organic, all natural, whole food vitamin supplement. Synthetic vitamin d (typically found over the counter in drugstores) can deplete your body of the other vitamins mentioned. A whole food vitamin can give you a balance while supplying your body with the needed vitamin d that it needs.
Sun exposer is the best, but in the winter months, it may be difficult to receive, especially depending on our locations in the world. Supplementation may be needed along with a good healthy diet to receive the vitamin d that we need.