This article was originally published in March 2010, The Spectator.

Living in Maine can be a beautiful thing, but when it comes to our health, we can become deficient in a very important vitamin that comes from that bright fireball in the sky. That vitamin is Vitamin D. When we are exposed to the UV rays of the sun, our skin absorbs the rays and then our body makes Vitamin D. Vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium and helps to build bone mass and prevent bone loss. When you are deficient in this vitamin, some signs may be muscle pain, weak bones/fractures, lowered immunity, symptoms of depression and sleep irregularities. Studies have also linked vitamin D deficiency to breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, heart disease, and other maladies.



The Vitamin D council recommends that healthy adults take 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily. The first thing you will need to do is get a simple blood test from your doctor to check your levels of vitamin D and from there you can start with the food that you put in your body. The best way to insure that your body is getting enough vitamin D throughout the winter months in Maine is by eating Vitamin D enriched foods which include fish (examples are herring, salmon, oysters, catfish, sardines, tuna, shrimp, and mackerel), milk, egg yolks, and fortified breakfast cereals. Taking a supplement is another form of getting your daily amount of Vitamin D but check with your doctor on which is the best for you. But you need to be careful, like in most cases too much of a good thing is a bad thing. Vitamin D, when you are getting too much can cause confusion, abnormal heart rhythm, nausea and even kidney stones. Most of the overdoses come from taking the supplements; it is nearly impossible to overdose from sunlight or from the foods you are eating. So as long as you stay with the recommended dosage of vitamin D this healthy vitamin will brighten your life just as the sun brightens our sky.

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