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Beth Aldrich, mother
of three, is a Healthy Lifestyle-Green Living Expert, media
personality, writer and public speaker. She is the publisher
and founder of forherinformation.com,
the online magazine for women and former host of the PBS TV
series, For Her Information. To find out more about Beth,
log on to bethaldrich.com.
 …You
still need your vitamin D. With the transition to cooler weather,
naturally, you’ll be spending a little less time outdoors.
But that doesn’t mean you need less vitamin D, which skin
produces when exposed to sunlight. It facilitates proper functioning
of the body and boosts immunity against diseases, including
diabetes, hypertension, osteoporosis and cancer.
One of the major benefits of vitamin D? Calcium absorption,
which helps the nervous system work effectively, and supports
bone growth and strength, helping prevent osteoporosis and
joint illnesses, as well as providing relief for arthritis
and backaches. Vitamin D also aids in cell differentiation
and stabilizes cell proliferation, a process that, if not
properly controlled, can cause diseases like cancer. It maintains
insulin secretion in the body, which will improve glucose
tolerance and prevent diabetes, and regulates blood pressure
to reduce the risk of hypertension, and boost the immune system
to help the body ward off diseases.
All in all—it’s vital to a healthy system.
One of the simplest ways to get a healthy dose of vitamin
D is, of course, to get enough exposure to sunlight—just
an hour of exposure a week will help maintain a healthy level
of vitamin D in young bodies. However, that trick won’t
necessarily work for older people, so it’s essential
for those who are more advanced in age to maintain a diet
rich in vitamin D.
Some of the types of food that contain high levels of vitamin
D are fortified butter, milk, orange juice, cereal and button
mushrooms, as well as fish, like herring, kippers, mackerel,
sardines, tuna and canned salmon. You can also take herbs
and supplements or cod liver oil.
Vitamin D—it’s what’s for dinner.
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