Vitamin D3

It's amazing and important.

My healthy bloggy friend will tell you all about it.

If you want the very brief version, know that the Recommended Daily Allowance of Vitamin D is 400 IU, but that is probably too low. The leading expert researcher on Vitamin D takes 4,000 IU a day. I take between 4,000 and 7,000 (usually around 5,000) because of my weird autoimmune issues*. If you're pregnant or nursing you probably need to supplement ('cause you're getting it SUCKED out of you--literally). You want to have plenty of it for the baby.

Vitamin D is essential for neurological (brain and nerve) functioning, a good immune system and strong and healthy bones. It has been shown to help prevent 14 types of cancer. It helps in heart disease. It can help in autoimmune disease, diabetes, inflammation/inflammatory diseases, infection, and osteoporosis. It helps repair DNA damage. And now, researchers are thinking it might help prevent autism in children. (Go read her blog post!)

It's good stuff in a little yellow pill. It's the sunshine vitamin. You can go outside and get sun on your skin and your body will make some, but probably not at this time of the year. It's winter and we don't get enough sun in the Northern hemisphere, so buy a bottle of the little pills. They aren't expensive and potentially could help a lot. The only thing you need to know is to make sure you buy Vitamin D3. If you can't remember the 3, just remember D and my favorite number.



*I'm giving the girls 1,000 IU a day too. MWH is taking 4,000 IU a day.