Three years ago my colon reputed and I almost died. I found out I have many food sensitivities like gluten. My diet has changed and I can not eat a lot of foods that I once enjoyed. This did not make me hate food instead I embrace life and enjoy all the other great foods that I can eat without getting sick. Believe me I still would enjoy a deep dish pizza from Chicago with a cold beer, but that is not on the menu for me. IT has not consumed me with worry or hate. It has taught me to be more sensitive to other peoples health struggles.
Most people do not realize that there are two forms of Vitamin D. The two types are, Ergosterol which comes from plants. is the basic building block of vitamin D in plants. Cholesterol is the basic building block of vitamin D in humans. When ultraviolet light from the sun hits the leaf of a plant, ergosterol is converted into vitamin D2. In just the same way, when ultraviolet light hits the cells of our skin, one form of cholesterol found in our skin, a form of vitamin D3. Foods that contain vitamin D are typically animal-derived, so it may be difficult for vegans to meet the standard. A supplement may be necessary.
World's Healthiest Foods rich in
vitamin D
vitamin D
FoodCals%Daily Value
Salmon245264.7%
Sardines18943.7%
Milk - Goat16831.1%
Milk12229.8%
Mushrooms - Shiitake487%
Eggs786.6%
Insufficient sun exposure
By far the most important D-deficiency contributing factor faced worldwide is insufficient exposure to sunlight.
Although the task of getting enough sunlight may seem like a fairly straightforward one, the relationship between our vitamin D status and our time in the sun is not nearly as simple as many people might think. First, there is the fluctuating nature of UVB light. Skin pigmentation also plays an important role in skin synthesis of vitamin D. Darker skin pigmentation means less vitamin D synthesis per minute exposure to UVB light. (In the United States, for example, it is estimated that African American adults are 2-3 times more likely to have vitamin D insufficiency than Caucasian adults.)
Some lifestyles and occupations provide unusual amounts of sun exposure. Individuals who work outdoors throughout the day in warmer climates have a great chance of getting good exposure to UVB light and synthesizing adequate amounts of vitamin D. Under optimal circumstances, our skin can synthesize between 10,000-20,000 IU of vitamin D (cholecalciferol) in 30 minutes.
Researchers are discovering that many autoimmune conditions have greater severity in winter versus summer, and they are investigating possible links with vitamin D deficiency under these circumstances. Similarly, there has been a strong research trend for studying the occurrence of vitamin D-related diseases at different latitudes on the earth. Over the past 10 years, researchers have found increased occurrence of multiple sclerosis, Crohn's disease, and type 1 diabetes in areas with a greater incidence of vitamin D deficiency at higher latitudes (farther from the equator).. In other words, there is lesser incidence of these vitamin D deficiency-related diseases at lower latitudes (closer to the equator) where UVB light exposure is presumably higher.
Cancer Specialist: Sun Exposure Does Not Cause Melanoma
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
The risk of skin cancer increases in San Diego's sunny summer months, but not the risk of melanoma.
Melanoma may be the most deadly form of skin cancer, but it's not the most common. UCSD cancer specialist Gregory Daniels says 95 percent of skin cancers are non-melanomas, which are easy to spot and do not easily spread. Those more benign cancers are caused by UV rays from the sun. But Dr. Daniels says there is no direct connection between getting a lot of sun and getting melanoma.
He says, in fact, "As the incidence of melanoma has risen it's also paralleled a change in behavior that's going on all across the world, and that is people are working indoors."
Studies show that people who get lots of sun, like farmers, are less likely to get melanoma than office workers. He says this could mean that intense, occasional sun exposure increases the risk of the disease.
Top Foods Containing Vitamin D
Shiitake & Button Mushrooms:
Surprisingly, the dried versions of shiitake mushrooms are high in Vitamin D. This may be due to the fact that these mushrooms are adept at sucking up sunlight. Shiitake is also rich in B Vitamins like B1 & B2. Make sure that you find mushrooms that have been dried in the sun, not by some artificial means, in order to extract the benefits of high Vitamin D content.
Mackerel:
A small, 3½ ounce portion of this Omega-3 rich fish will give you 90% of the recommended daily amount. Currently, the FDA recommends that we eat more of these oily fishes to infuse our bodies with the vitamins and omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFA’s) that our body cannot produce on its own.
Sockeye Salmon:
A small 3½ ounces portion of cooked salmon will give you 90% of the Dietary Reference Intake for Vitamin D. Make sure to purchase salmon that has been caught from the wild, if not, then sustainably farmed. Salmon eat zooplankton, an excellent source of the important vitamin.
Herring:
Fish like herring are so high in vitamin D because they are the part of our food chain that thrive on plankton, which is chocked full of the vitamin.
Sardines:
Sardines are one of the best foods containing Vitamin D. One small tin can of sardines will provide you with approximately 70% of your daily needs. These tiny canned fish are also a great source for Vitamin B12, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, protein and selenium.
Catfish:
Again, another fish that makes a habit of feeding on plankton, catfish are constantly taking in minuscule sea life that create vitamin D from sunlight.
Tuna fish:
Eat 3 ounces of tuna daily for 50% of your Vitamin D needs. Fresh, wild-caught tuna is the most nutritious. Remember, eating oily fish can also lubricate the body with “good fats,” providing a host of health benefits to your body, like better memory and brain function.
Cod Liver Oil:
If you can stomach the strong aroma, this oil is super-rich in Vitamin D. This marvelously golden, yet terrible-tasting oil, is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Incorporating this oil into your diet will help you increase your bones ability to stay strong and healthy. Because of its high Vitamin D content, cod liver oil has also been shown to prevent osteoporosis in adult, improve brain function and optimize the functioning of the nervous system. What is more, the oil holds 10,000 IUs of vitamin D. One tablespoon of the oil provides more than enough Vitamin D for the day. I take it in a capsule form. I like the fermented cod liver oil from Green Pasture.
Eggs:
Eggs are another food containing vitamin D in small amounts. Eating one egg will provide you with approximately 10% of your daily needs. I would personally recommend to eat free-range eggs from a local farm, if possible.
Sunshine:
Light hitting the skin from the sun’s rays stimulates the production of this vitamin and hormones.
There are many reasons to stock up on foods containing vitamin D. Health benefits of the vitamin include:
- The prevention of chronic diseases such as many forms of cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension.
- The protection and lubrication of your bones, teeth and hair.
- The regulation of cellular growth and healthy cell activity
- Overall reduction of the inflammatory response, a condition known to cause many chronic diseases, from cancer to diabetes to obesity.
- Protection against adult osteoporosis
- Reduction in the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women
- Significant reduction in the occurrence of prostate cancer in African-American men
The role of vitamin D in cancer prevention is a lively area of current research, and the linking vitamin D to cancer prevention are not completely evident. Nevertheless, research has shown a clear role for vitamin D in prevention of the following types of cancer: bladder cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, ovarian cancer, prostate, and rectal cancer. In certain situations, vitamin D may also play a role in cancer treatment.
Source
http://www.kpbs.org/news/2009/jun/03/sun-exposure-does-not-cause-melanoma/
World's Healthiest Foods
Live Strong
No comments:
Post a Comment