Back on Track! Sylvan Chiropractic Clinic's Monthly Newsletter Dr. Seth Alley Chiropractic Physician Sylvan Chiropractic Clinic
5440 Westgate Drive Suite 245
Portland, Oregon 97221 P: 503.297.4447 F: 503.296.8414 |
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Autumn has finally arrived!
Greetings and a Happy Halloween to you from Sylvan Chiropractic Clinic! Looking out the windows of my treatment rooms, it has become apparent that fall has definitely arrived in the great Pacific Northwest. The leaves are becoming brilliant in their red and yellow hues, and the morning air is always a little more crisp with each passing day. As we transition into the fall and winter months, I wanted each of my patients to be aware of something that is of particular importance to those of us in this region of the country: vitamin D deficiency. Please read on to learn more about this condition, and how you can increase your vitamin D levels through simple supplements. |
Vitamin D and your health
 | | Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) | There has been a lot of information in the news lately regarding research into Vitamin D and its beneficial effects on the body. Everyone knows that vitamin D is a key factor in allowing your body to bind calcium into a useful form for bone creation. But you may not realize the other benefits of vitamin D—and the health risks associated with being deficient in this powerful vitamin.
Your body uses a few different forms of vitamin D, but current research indicates that the most important form is vitamin D3, also known as cholecalciferol. Your body's skin naturally produces this form of the vitamin through exposure to sunlight. However, studies show that only 40% of US adults are receiving adequate sunlight exposure on a daily basis to produce acceptable levels of vitamin D. In other words, 60% of the adult population in this country is deficient in their vitamin D levels!
You're probably wondering, "Well, why do I care?" That's a good question, since vitamin D deficiency is not something you would probably notice on a daily basis. However, aside from promoting good bone density, vitamin D protects your body from numerous other health risks. Here are just a few: - Prevention and treatment of osteoporosis
- Has been shown to combat depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)—two very common conditions in the Northwest in the fall and winter months
- Helps prevent and treat certain autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes type I
- Bolsters the immune system (something we all need now with the threat of swine flu!), and helps prevent infectious diseases such as tuberculosis
- Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to autism and multiple sclerosis (MS)
The last point in that list is of specific interest to us here in the Northwest, especially as we move into the fall and winter when our amount of daily sun exposure becomes less and less. You may not know it, but the Pacific Northwest has the highest level of multiple sclerosis in the country. One theory behind this statistic is the lack of sun exposure for many months in the fall and winter lead to greatly diminished levels of vitamin D in the body on a yearly basis. Numerous studies have shown that low levels of vitamin D are associated with a higher risk of MS, and that MS sufferers generally exhibit low levels of vitamin D. For that reason, it is believed that countries in equatorial regions have a lower level of MS due to the amount of sun exposure creating high levels of vitamin D—especially early in life.
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In addition, new research is showing a link between low back pain and vitamin D deficiency. Inadequate vitamin D intake can result in a softening of bone surfaces, called osteomalacia, which causes pain. The lower back seems to be particularly vulnerable to this condition, leading to aches and pains. In one study of 360 patients with chronic back pain, all of them were found to have inadequate levels of vitamin D. After taking vitamin D supplements for 3 months, symptoms were improved in 95% of the patients. The currently-recommended adequate intake of vitamin D up to 600 IU per day is outdated and too low. According to newer research, most children and adults need at least 1000 IU per day, and persons with chronic back pain would benefit from 2000 IU or more per day of supplemental vitamin D3.
What is the solution to this problem? While we would all love to see a little more sun during the fall and winter, the best solution is to focus on increasing your vitamin D intake with natural supplements. |
Increasing your vitamin D intake with supplements
Vitamin D is found naturally in oily fish, eggs, and butter, but most patients would rather avoid those foods for reasons of taste and cholesterol content. Your best option to effectively increase your vitamin D intake is through a daily supplement. Sylvan Chiropractic Clinic is pleased to offer patients a safe, easy, and economical vitamin D supplement from Pharmax, LLC, that is chewable and delicious (black currant flavor)—making it easy and enjoyable to take on a regular basis. This is the only vitamin D supplement that our clinic endorses, and we make it available on a regular basis to our patients. Vitamin D supplements interact with very few medicines or other agents, and are generally safe unless very high doses such as 10,000 IU or more are taken daily for a long period of time. Given the numerous preventative effects of vitamin D, I recommend that each of my patients take at least 3,000 to 4,000 IU per day, especially in the fall and winter months when the rain starts to fall and the sunshine becomes scarce.
If you would like to learn more about vitamin D and how you can benefit from increasing your intake of this important vitamin, please contact our office at your convenience to schedule an appointment, or to purchase your supply of vitamin D supplements.
Wishing you a fantastic fall and a Happy Halloween,
— Dr. Seth Alley, DC |
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