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Vitamin D Deficiency

Health Coaching Session June 2016
Summer is coming. Your health conscious summer strategies may include - always put on sun blocks and re-apply every 2 – 3 hours at the beach or pool. You wear long sleeve shirt/long pants and sun glasses when goes out. You stay indoors and work out in the air conditioned gym, or jog/bike in the evening when it is cooling down. Great!
Picture

Do you realize you miss something? You may not get enough sun all day/all summer long and lack of sun exposure is a common cause for vitamin D deficiency.

When the sun's UV-B rays hit the skin, a reaction takes place that enables skin cells to manufacture vitamin D. Vitamin D is essential for strong bones, because it helps the body use calcium from the diet.

Vitamin D deficiency begins silently and it is asymptomatic. Therefore, it is often unnoticeable in the early stage. Few years ago, my Doctor told me that my blood test indicated low vitamin D level and advised treatment, while I felt fine and healthy.  I didn’t know when and how it happened to me.

Actually, many people may have vitamin D deficiency without knowing it, until discovered it was linked with other health conditions. Research evidence suggests that vitamin D deficiency could be linked to several chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and dementia/ cognitive impairment in elder adults.

Common Causes for Vitamin D Deficiency

If you have limited sun exposure in your daily life or use too much sun protection (sunscreen inhibits vitamin D production), or have milk allergies, or with a strict vegan diet, you may be at risk for vitamin D deficiency. Other risk factors are dark skin, obesity, absorption and digestion disorders, or lack of vitamin D intake.

Diagnosis

Measurement of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) is the best test to determine vitamin D status. levels of 25(OH)D are interpreted as follows[1] :
  • 21-29 ng/mL (52.5-72.5 nmol/L): Vitamin D insufficiency
  • < 20 ng/mL (< 50 nmol/L): Vitamin D deficiency

Symptoms of bone pain and muscle weakness can mean vitamin D deficiency. However, for many people, the symptoms are subtle.

Treatment for Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D deficiency involves getting more vitamin D -- through diet and supplements. Although there is no consensus on _vitamin D levels required for optimal health -- and it likely differs depending on age and health conditions -- a concentration of less than 20 nanograms per milliliter is generally considered inadequate, requiring treatment.

Guidelines from the Institute of Medicine increased the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of vitamin D to 600 international units (IU) for everyone ages 1-70, and raised it to 800 IU for adults older than age 70 to optimize bone health. The safe upper limit was also raised to 4,000 IU. Doctors may prescribe more than 4,000 IU to correct a vitamin D deficiency
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Natural Food Sources of Vitamin D

Vitamin D is found in relatively few foods. The richest natural sources of vitamin D are fish liver oils, salt-water fish such as sardines, herring, salmon and mackerel are also rich in vitamin D. Eggs, meat, milk and butter also contain vitamin D, but in small amounts. Plants are poor sources, with fruit and nuts containing no vitamin D at all. The amount of vitamin D in human milk is not enough for the infant needs.

Most dietary sources of vitamin D do not contain sufficient amounts of the vitamin to satisfy daily requirements. The following foods contain the indicated amounts of vitamin D, including fortified foods, as reported by the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Nutrient Data Laboratory:
  • Fortified milk (8 oz) - 100 IU
  • Fortified orange juice (8 oz) - 100 IU
  • Fortified cereal (1 serving) - 40-80 IU
  • Pickled herring (100 g) - 680 IU
  • Canned salmon with bones (100 g) - 624 IU
  • Mackerel (100 g) - 360 IU
  • Canned sardines (100 g) - 272 IU
  • Codfish (100 g) - 44 IU
  • Swiss cheese (100 g) - 44 IU
  • Raw shiitake mushrooms (100 g) - 76 IU
  • Most multivitamins (1 tab) - 400 IU

Prevention


Back to my story from the beginning – I began to take Vitamin D3 supplement (2,000IU over the counter dose) in addition to my daily multivitamin tablet and my vitamin D level went back to normal. I felt no difference physically, while my vitamin D level was low or normal. Sometimes your own feeling is not telling you everything about your health conditions. Annual wellness physical is important for prevention and detect any health condition changes which require medical attention.

I trust that the best treatment is prevention. As I do not eat fish or dairy products often enough, taking vitamin D supplements is a good option for me. I take multivitamin and calcium with D3 daily, for maintenance, to keep my vitamin D level within normal range. I also go out often to enjoy the sun and nature.


Feel free to contact qualitylifeforum@outlook.com for your health coaching needs.

© All rights reserved

Disclaimer: This information is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice. Consult your healthcare professional for personal conditions.

References

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21310306
http://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/vitamin-d-deficiency
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/128762-overview



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  • Home
  • Forum
    • Mind and Body
    • Feeling well
    • Feeling ill
  • Coaching
    • Coaching Programs >
      • Loneliness Breakthrough
      • Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes
      • Time-Restricted Feeding for Healthy Aging
      • Patient-centered Health Navigation Program
      • Customized program
    • 2022 health coaching monthly >
      • Health: the Cornerstone for Quality of Life
      • Aging Eye Facts
      • Age-Related Hearing Loss
      • Aging and Oral Health
      • Aging Skin and Sun Safety
      • Making Transition From A Patient To An Educated Healthcare Customer
      • Daily Routine for Healthy Aging
    • 2021 Health Coaching Monthly >
      • Hew Year Brings New Hope
      • Pandemic Winter Blues
      • Make a Self-Care Plan for Your Golden Years
      • Are You Fully Vaccinated?
      • Less is More
      • Managing Chronic Insomnia
      • Range of Motion Recovery from Frozen Shoulder
      • The Milestone of Age 65
      • Aging Brain
      • Muscle Memory and Cognition
      • Navigation for Healthcare Needs
      • Gratitude Power for Wellbeing
    • 2020 health coaching Monthly >
      • The Key Role of Protein in Healthy Aging
      • Healthy Fat for Healthy Aging
      • Healthy Aging Energy Source Carbohydrate
      • Transform Pandemic Fear to Self-Care
      • Hope endures
      • Breathing and Blessing
      • Listening to your body
      • Keep Fit for Your Age
      • Time-Restricted Feeding Is A Healthy Lifestyle Choice
      • Process and Results
      • Moderation
      • Invest In yourself
    • 2019 Health Coaching Monthly >
      • Empty Nest
      • Food Safety and H. pylori Infection
      • Body Image and Self-Care After Midlife
      • Exercise is Medicine
      • Cognitive Health
      • Dietary Supplements Are Not Drugs
      • GERD
      • Downsizing in the Golden Years
      • Time for change
      • Action is what counts
      • Osteoporosis in Women
      • Dealing with Difficult Emotions in Holiday Season
    • 2018 Health Coaching monthly >
      • The Golden Keys for the Golden Years
      • loneliness Breakthrough
      • Regulate Blood Pressure
      • Lowering Cholesterol
      • Blood Sugar Self-Management
      • TLC Transformation
      • Golden Mindset
      • Nourish Your Body for Healthy Living
      • Keep Life in Motion
      • Tough Fight for the Belly Fat
      • Dealing with chronic stress
      • The Most Valuable Gift
    • 2017 Health Coaching monthly >
      • Willness Attitude and Winterizing Fitness
      • Live with Thyroid Nodules
      • Exercise for Blood Sugar Regulation
      • Longevity and Quality of Life
      • How to Reduce Aging Eye Fatigue
      • Sleep Well
      • Intermittent Fasting
      • Facing a life-threatening illness
      • Music Learning for older adults
      • Better to Eat Meat or Plant Food
      • Immunity and Aging
      • A Special Holiday Gift
    • 2016 Health Coaching Monthly >
      • Wellness Mindset
      • Get Active
      • Balance Training
      • Emotional Healing
      • Vitamin D Deficiency
      • Weight Management
      • Health Literacy
      • Prevention
      • Significant Health Indicators
      • Gratitude for life
      • Home Coming for Holidays
  • Health Product Guide
    • Choices for Healthy Living
    • Vitamins and minerals
    • Digestive Health
    • Heart Health
    • Eye Health
    • Joint Health
  • About
  • Contact
  • Blogs
    • Blog How much water to drink in a day?
    • Blog What’s Good to Eat?
    • Blog Are You Motivated for a Healthy Life Style?
    • Blog A Green Tea Invitation
    • Blog The Value of Vitamin and Dietary Supplements
    • Blog Holiday Edition 2015
    • Blog Travel album of Switzerland
    • Blog A Mourning Dove Story