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  • 7/28/2019 How to Maintain Optimum Health and Prevent Disease

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    How to maintain optimum healthand prevent diseaseFirst, its important to realize that vitamin D is not just a vitamin, but rather the

    only known substrate for a potent, pleiotropic (meaning it produces multipleeffects), repair and maintenance seco-steroid hormone that serves multiple gene-regulatory functions in your body.

    As Dr. Heaney so vividly explains here, each cell in your body has its own DNA

    library that contains information needed to deal with virtually every kind ofstimulus it may encounter, and the master key to enter this library is activated

    vitamin D.

    For example, memory ductile cells in the breast need vitamin D to access DNAthat enables the response to estrogen.

    So naturally, without sufficient amounts of vitamin D, your cells cannot access

    their DNA libraries and their functions are thereby impaired.This is why vitamin D functions in so many different tissues, and affects such a

    large number of different diseases and health conditions. So far, scientists havefound about 3,000 genes that are upregulated by vitamin D.

    Receptors that respond to the vitamin have been found in almost every type of

    human cell, from your brain to your bones. And researchers keep finding healthbenefits from vitamin D in virtually every area they look.

    Vitamin D Deficiency May RadicallyHamper Your Overall Health

    Just one example of an important gene that vitamin D up-regulates is your ability

    to fight infections, including the flu. It produces over 200 anti microbial peptides,

    the most important of which is cathelicidin, a naturally occurring broad-spectrumantibiotic.

    At least five studies show an inverse association between lower respiratory tractinfections and 25(OH)D levels. That is, the higher your vitamin D level, the lower

    your risk of contracting colds, flu, and other respiratory tract infections:

    1. A2007 study suggests higher vitamin D status enhances your immunityto microbial infections. They found that subjects with vitamin D

    deficiency had significantly more days of absence from work due to

    respiratory infection than did control subjects.

    2. A2009 study on vitamin D deficiency in newborns with acute lower

    respiratory infection (ALRI) confirmed a strong, positive correlation

    between newborns and mothers vitamin D levels. Over 87 percent of allnewborns and over 67 percent of all mothers had vitamin D levels lower

    than 20 ng/ml, which is a severe deficiency state.

    Newborns with vitamin D deficiency appear to have an increased risk of

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    developing ALRI, and since the childs vitamin D level strongly correlates

    with its mothers, the researchers recommend that all mothers optimize

    their vitamin D levels during pregnancy, especially in the winter months,to safeguard their babys health.

    3. A similarIndian study published in 2004 also reported that vitamin D

    deficiency in infants significantly raised their odds ratio for having severeALRI.

    4. A2009 analysis of the Third National Health andNutrition ExaminationSurvey examined the association between vitamin D levels and recent

    upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) in nearly 19,000 subjects over the

    age of 12.

    Recent URTI was reported by:

    17 percent of participants with vitamin D levels of 30ng/ml or

    higher

    20 percent of participants with vitamin D levels between 10-30ng/ml.

    24 percent of participants with vitamin D levels below 10ng/ml

    The positive correlation between lower vitamin D levels and increased risk

    of URTI was even stronger inindividuals with asthma and chronic

    obstructive pulmonary disease.

    5. Another2009 reportin the journal Pediatric Research stated that infants

    and children appear more susceptible to viral rather than bacterial

    infections when deficient in vitamin D. And that, based on the availableevidence showing a strong connection between vitamin D, infections, and

    immune function in children, vitamin D supplementation may be avaluable therapy in pediatric medicine.

    Optimizing your vitamin D levels can also help you to prevent as many as16

    different types of cancerincluding pancreatic, lung, breast, ovarian, prostate, and

    colon cancers.

    But perhaps most important to note is that vitamin D can lower your risk of dying

    from any cause, according to a new European meta-analysis published in the

    Archives of Internal Medicinein 2007.

    Another group of researchers have calculated that simply increasing levels of

    vitamin D3 couldprevent diseases that claim nearly 1 million lives throughout the

    world each year, as the widespread vitamin D deficiency seen today is nowthought to fuel an astonishingly diverse array of common chronic diseases, such

    as:

    Cancer Hypertension Heart disease

    Autism Obesity Rheumatoid arthritis

    Diabetes 1 and 2 Multiple Sclerosis Crohns disease

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    Cold & Flu Inflammatory Bowel Disease Tuberculosis

    Septicemia Signs of aging Dementia

    Eczema &

    PsoriasisInsomnia Hearing loss

    Muscle pain Cavities Periodontal disease

    Osteoporosis Macular degeneration Reduced C-section risk

    Pre eclampsia Seizures Infertility

    Asthma Cystic fibrosis Migraines

    Depression Alzheimers disease Schizophrenia

    Its absolutely tragic that dermatologists and sunscreen manufacturers have done

    such a thorough job of scaring people out of the sun your optimal source for

    natural vitamin D. I believe this is one of the major influences that has contributed

    to the vitamin D epidemic were now facing.

    But Why Doesnt Everyone Get theSame Dysfunctions When Deficient?

    Thats a good question.

    As Dr. Heaney explains, cells do have alternative ways to access their DNA

    information they can work around the problem without the proper plans, so tospeak -- but its never quite as effective.

    Depending on your overall state of health and other dysfunctions, your cells may

    be more or less efficient at finding effective work-arounds, and this will determinehow your health is affected if youre vitamin D deficient.

    Health Benefits are Dose DependentIts important to note, however, that reaping the health benefits of vitamin D is not

    like turning a light switch. Its not a matter of having some vitamin D or not

    its all a question of dose.

    In order to reap the benefits you need to make sure your levels are within

    therapeutic range.

    According to Dr. Heaney, your body requires 4,000 IUs daily just to maintain

    its current vitamin D level. So in order to raise your levels, youd have to

    increase either your exposure to sunshine, or supplement with oral vitamin D3

    (which I do not recommend without having your levels tested first).

    One thing is clear. If you maintain optimal vitamin D levels, your cells will

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    function optimally; helping to prevent all manner of disease, and maintain good

    health.

    http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/03/12/vitamin-d--the-

    master-key-to-optimal-health.aspx

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