Emergency Supplies: The Importance of Vitamin D

By Terrance Franklin


In earlier times, one would be challenged to be deficient in Vitamin D. Nowadays, it is assumed that 50% of individuals do not get enough. As a matter of fact, if you can think of one other person that gets extra sun compared to you, odds are it's you!

All fooling aside, vitamin D insufficiency is more and more common which is an issue due to its importance in regulating around 1000 genes. Deficiency has been linked to consequences as diverse as depression to very poor bone health.

In the industrial revolution (also in several areas of the earth nowadays) an ailment termed rickets that caused disfigured bone growth in kids was alarmingly widespread, specifically in cities. However, kids of a similar economic background in the country didn't suffer. How could one vitamin have an effect on so many functions?

Vitamin D is part of your vital emergency supplies

Vitamin D is necessary for the absorption of a number of vitamins and minerals and modulates many hormones within the body. The range of hormones is really wide including testosterone, estrogen, growth hormone, and serotonin.

Testosterone and growth hormones particularly are essential for muscle recovery which could be a huge issue when bugging out. Serotonin is probably the most significant neurotransmitters for controlling brain function as well as feelings. There is even a concept for seasonal sadness linked to lower vitamin d amounts.

But the most essential function for those who have children is appropriate bone growth. Vitamin D controls the absorption of calcium, among other things and deficiency of vitamin D is the primary reason for rickets, a condition which causes forever deformed growth.

Even for those with no children, the benefits of having healthier bones in a post-apocalyptic world should be obvious. In case you can't move, you will find a difficult time surviving.

Various forms, different sources

Vitamin D is a fat soluble molecule (just like vitamin A) so you will be able to store it if you need to. There are two nutritional supplies of Vitamin D. D2, or ergocalciferol is largely found in plants and D3, or cholecalciferol is primarily found in animal sources. Just like vitamin A, the animal source is a lot more absorbable to the body.

The right method to supplement D vitamins

Vitamin D is not a dietary vitamin in the most stringent sense since it could be synthesized by exposure of the human skin to sun rays. There are many reasons leading into how much exact time you would need to get the proper level including type of skin, latitude, time of the year and weather conditions however I was able to find a nifty calculator to figure out how much you will need.

This is bad news if your doomsday fortress of solitude happens to be a silo, underground complex or cave . However don't worry, for it is possible to supplement with vitamin D if required as well. Cold water fish, meats, eggs as well as mushrooms are excellent sources of vitamin D as well.

If you want to use a supplement - D3 is the best with regards to shelf life as well as potency.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...