Vitamin D and the Immune System

As we head toward another amazing Minnesota sunnier, one of the many things to look forward to is a Vitamin D boost from all the sunshine!

According to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements, Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin )meaning there is a limit to how much is healthy). It’s found in many foods and added to other foods, but ultraviolet rays from the sun also start internal synthesis.

The primary functions of Vitamin D in the body are to help absorb calcium, prevent muscle cramps and spasms, and keep bones sturdy. Low Vitamin D levels have been linked to osteoporosis and rickets.

Vitamin D has also been shown to lower our risk of illnesses and autoimmune issues. According to CentreSpring MD. Vitamin D also plays a direct role in how our bodies release insulin, which is a factor in Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.

Finally, depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder have been scientifically linked to low Vitamin D levels, so this nutrient plays a crucial role in our mental health.

The best way to get some natural Vitamin D is to be out in the sun without sunscreen for up to 15 minutes, letting the UVB rays soak in and jumpstart the healing!

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May 4, 2022

Joan Vaughn

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Written by Joan Vaughn

I’m Joan, and I know home care from the inside out. I’ve navigated my daughter through 24/7 home care nursing and managed her PCA’s. I’ve helped my parents move into (and out of) assisted living, Medicare episodes, skilled nurse visits, home health aids, and PCAs. Sandwiched in all of that, I’ve helped coordinate home care equipment and supplies, physical therapists, occupational therapists, county workers, and medications (oh, the medications). I know emergency departments, children’s hospitals, cancer wards, cardiac floors, and specialty units. I can recite health insurance policies (and call their bluff). I know a lot of other things in life too, like Shakespeare, where to sit to see a great sunset over a lake, how to keep myself healthy, how to read a profit/loss statement and state statutes, when to use a comma, and that gratitude is one of the keys to success. So I’m going to have this blog and write about home care from time to time. I’ll include topics like current legislation, professional boundaries in a tricky environment, and being a caregiver. I’ll also post some guest blogs from clients and nurses. Join me in the conversation.

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