It’s that time of year, the holidays are long gone, but the cold and darkness still drudges on. Double boo-hoo! Here in the Upper Midwest we are all pale, suffering from cabin fever, and Vitamin D deficient right now. When we get less sun our sense of well-being declines and our moods suffer, this is called Seasonal Affective Disorder. Studies show that 50% of Americans are deficient in Vitamin D
Symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency:
- muscle pain
- weak bones
- low energy
- fatigue
- lowered immunity, which leads to an increase in incidence of illness
- symptoms of depression
- moods swings
- sleep irregularities
- impaired cognitive performance
There is help! Seafood and sunshine are the best sources of Vitamin D. But with limited sun exposure this time of year and the high price of good quality seafood, we need to supplement.
Benefits of Vitamin D supplementation:
- strong bones: it helps the intestine absorb calcium and phosphorus
- prevents osteomalacia, which causes weakness of the muscular system and brittle bones
- regulates blood pressure
- reduces stress and tension
- relieves body aches and pains by reducing muscle spasms
- boosts immunity and reduces respiratory infections
- boosts serotonin production which helps treat depression, and regulate the sleep-wake cycle
- improves cognition
Which supplement should we take? Start taking your vitamin D, from a quality, highly bioavailable source….Cod Liver Oil! I know it sounds gross, but it is the way people have been traditionally getting their Vitamin D for many generations before us. Cod Liver Oil contains Vitamins A, D and K2. These vitamins work synergistically to increase absorption and are naturally better assimilated in our bodies. There are a ton of fish oils and cod liver oils out there in the vitamin stores and online. Unfortunately, many are not of good quality and are full of fillers like soybean oil. Talk about gross! Most don’t even have the Vitamin D still intact, as it is usually destroyed in their method of processing!
The only place that we buy our Cod Liver Oil is Green Pastures (no, I do not get paid by this company or get anything for endorsing their products). They have a great selection of flavors (my kids take the chocolate flavored gel) and a very high quality product that has not been highly processed or diminished in nutritional content. Here is the quality statement of their Cod Liver Oil, as described on their website:
- Whole Food Form
- Wild, as Provided by Nature
- Real, Unsurpassed Nutrition
- Unadulterated
- Natural fatty acid complex, nothing removed or changed
- Full, deep range of Vitamins A, D, E, K; CoQ enzymes; and other quinones
- Deep, Rich, Historical Processing Methods
- Non-industrialized Production
- Clean, Pure, and Third Party Tested
It turns out that Grandma was right after all, so take your cod liver oil!
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