Are you getting enough vitamin D?
Recent research from the Journal of the American College of Cardiology suggests that almost half of Americans aren't. Low vitamin D could increase your risk of heart disease, weak bones, cancer and other diseases.
In our zeal to slather on sunscreen and avoid skin cancer-causing tans, we may be missing out on an essential vitamin that we obtain largely from the sun, because few foods in nature contain vitamin D.
Fish such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel and fish liver oils are among the best sources, according to the National Institutes of Health. Small amounts of vitamin D are also found in beef liver, cheese, egg yolks and certain types of mushrooms.
Some scientists argue that our daily intake of vitamin D should be up to 10 times higher than the U.S. government's current recommendations, and even recommend a few minutes of sunshine per day -- without sunblock -- to remedy the problem.
The American Academy of Dermatology disagrees, saying people are better off obtaining vitamin D from nutritional sources and dietary supplements, and not from unprotected exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
Anyone leery of spending 10 to 15 minutes outdoors (sans sunscreen) two to three times each week to get enough vitamin D may want to opt for oil-rich fish, fortified milk and cereals or supplements instead. To see more of the Tulsa World, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.tulsaworld.com. Copyright (c) 2008, Tulsa World, Okla. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.
Copyright (C) 2008, Tulsa World, Okla.