In 1840, a Polish physician discovered that the industrial centre of Warsaw reported a higher rate of rickets than those living in the countryside. This led to the acknowledgement of the existence of Vitamin D. Sunlight; especially the UVB rays are the primary source of vitamin D. Vitamin D3 is synthesized when cholesterol in your skin is converted into vitamin D and enters your bloodstream. Vitamin D2 is synthesized by plants. The benefits of Vitamin D to the overall well being of a human being were thus discovered and a lot of health problems were gradually gotten rid of.
The most commonly observable benefits of sufficient Vitamin D are –
It Makes Our Bones Stronger – Vitamin D Benefits
When we have an adequate amount of vitamin D in our bloodstream it helps absorb calcium and phosphorus properly and these vitamins are important for healthy bones. Vitamin D prevents rickets in children and osteoporosis and osteomalacia in adults.
It Makes Our Immunity Stronger
Presence of vitamin D helps the body generate genes that have a positive effect on the immune system. A properly working immune system, in turn, protects against a lot of ailments such as the common cold and flu.
It May Ward Off the Onset of Diabetes
Vitamin D has been known to regulate glucose metabolism in the human body. It is known that insulin resistance is a general first step towards the onset of type-two diabetes. Vitamin D improves the body’s sensitivity to insulin thus helping it avoid an irregular metabolism.
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It is Indicative of Lesser Cancer Morbidity
The hormonal form of active vitamin D reduces the progression of some types of cancer as this form of vitamin D regulates cell growth and cell-to-cell communication.
It Keeps Depression at Bay – Vitamin D Benefits
It is a well-known fact that people feel blue on cloudy days and upbeat on a sunny one. Vitamin D which is produced in the body with the help of sunshine has been proven to fight off depression also.
It May Help With Weight Loss
When taken as a combination with calcium, vitamin D acts as an appetite suppressant. Adequate amounts of vitamin D thus help people lose more weight.
Vitamin D is also known as the ‘Sunshine Vitamin’. It is not actually a vitamin, but more of a prohormone. There are a lot of benefits of taking vitamin D apart from the health point of view also. It even makes your skin glow and makes your hair voluminous and strong.
The reason some people face vitamin D deficiency more often these days are primarily just two. One is the lack of understanding that very few foods naturally contain vitamin D and the second is that sunlight has been and continues to be a major source for vitamin D worldwide.
Including foods which are good supplements for naturally occurring vitamin D in our diet will help us receive all benefits of this vitamin. Fatty fish, cod liver oil, egg yolk, beef liver, dairy products, orange juice and soy milk are some foods which are rich in vitamin D.
Contrary to popular belief that all sun exposure is harmful, if we allow ourselves to receive beneficial sunlight in the not so harsh hours and small bouts distributed throughout the year then we will never face a deficiency of vitamin D.
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The overall benefits of vitamin D are impressive and unmatched to taking any supplements for similar reasons. This should give you all the more reason to go out on a sunny day and have your fill of fun and health both.