When I was growing up, my mother was a firm believer in giving the children Cod Liver Oil, particularly if they were sick. I am not sure what that was supposed to do, other than taste horrible and make a kid cringe and wish he/ she were already dead. My mother was obsessed with potions and notions for keeping children and adults well. She thought that eating red meat was one of the keys, thus the endless rounds of hamburger, fixed in relatively few creative ways. Iron pills were a part of the regimen. Her focus on vitamins and essential minerals were based on doctor’s advice and advertisements at the time. Yes, Wonder Bread with 12 minerals and vitamins was touted as the answer to health. That was before a more recent notion that whole grain breads are superior came into place.
I don’t know if you’ve noticed yet, or not, but Vitamin D is now being promoted widely. Someone realized that most people spend time indoors, on computers, and not outside, gardening. When they do go outside, they smear themselves with sun block, good for blocking UV rays; not good for the natural absorption of Vitamin D that traditionally comes from sun exposure. Today, one can buy Vitamin D supplements, over the counter.
Why is Vitamin D so important? We are told that it can help to elevate feelings of depression, can prevent up to 50% of heart attacks and strokes, and can help to prevent cancer. It can counteract auto-immune deficiency responses. I have heard other claims, as well.
Why is this news not more widespread? It may seem like a sinister conclusion, but an opinion was expressed on TV this morning that points to pharmaceutical companies and their desire to make more money from unhealthy people. They benefit from selling highly overpriced “drugs,” that are marked up as much as 157,000 % (yes, that is the figure!). They make more money annually than the federal government. They have powerful lobbies, and it is insinuated that they would rather people have to take “drugs,” than to be able to prevent problems, in the first place. It was intimated that some of the studies about the benefits of Vitamin D have been hushed up, on purpose. Whether or not those are true statements is not something that anyone can prove, but they are thought-provoking.
These days, I take most of what I hear on the news with a grain of salt. It seems that everyone has their own ax to grind. That said, I have been following a new personal regimen of supplements and would have to say that I feel a lot better. I take a multivitamin for women over 50, an Omega Fish Oil tablet, Biotin, an Evening Primrose capsule, Sustenex (a pro-biotic), and a Cranberry pill, all recommended by my doctor, and yes, a Vitamin D pill. It seems that other cultures have used herbal supplements, like Evening Primrose, for centuries and we are just becoming more aware of their benefits.
Vitamin D, an over the counter, non-drug, health enhancer “could save your life,” in the words of one reporter. Like any ingested substance, one should check with a doctor before taking Vitamin D. A simple blood test can determine whether or not a person has a Vitamin D deficiency. That test should be included in every annual health exam. It seems that taking Vitamin D pills could prevent a lot of misery. Although this post is not directly quilt related, I share this information in the interest of keeping you well… so you can make more quilts, if you are a quilter!
Stay well!
Tags: vitamin D
