Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Psalm 119:105

We are in the season of darkness. Low levels of sunlight affect our body's chemistry. One primary effect is in the amount of vitamin D our body produces. The sun contributes significantly to our body's production of vitamin D. In a Minnesota winter, sun exposure is difficult to get and vitamin D deficiency is very common. Vitamin D deficiency also occurs even in sunny climates, possibly because people are staying indoors more, covering up when outside, or using sunscreens to reduce skin cancer risk.

Vitamin D is found in small amounts in a few foods, including fatty fish such as herring, mackerel, sardines and tuna, eggs, fortified milk and cod liver oil. But most vitamin D - 80% to 90% of what the body gets - is obtained through exposure to sunlight.  

Older people are especially at risk for vitamin D deficiency. They are less likely to spend time in the sun, have fewer "receptors" in their skin that convert sunlight to vitamin D, may not get vitamin D in their diet, may have trouble absorbing vitamin D even if they do get it in their diet, and may have more trouble converting dietary vitamin D to a useful form due to aging kidneys. In fact, the risk for vitamin D deficiency in people over 65 years of age is very high. Also at risk are people with obesity; exclusively breastfed infants; people with fat malabsorption syndromes, such as cystic fibrosis; or people with inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn's disease.

Some of the things vitamin D deficiency is associated with are rickets, bone loss, bone softening, osteoarthritis, cognitive issues, kidney disease, respiratory issues, diabetes, gastrointestinal issues, and cardiovascular disease.

Vitamin D supplementation can help prevent or treat vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D supplements are known to be effective for treating osteoporosis, preventing falls and fractures in older people, and reducing bone loss in people on corticosteroids. Studies show that vitamin D supplements may also be effective for reducing the risk of multiple sclerosis; cancer prevention; weight loss; increased protection from hypertension and several autoimmune diseases; reducing risk of rheumatoid arthritis in older women; preventing tooth loss in the elderly; and improving symptoms of depression and seasonal affective disorder (SAD).  Be aware that getting too much vitamin D can be harmful to the body. Your primary health care provider can order a simple blood test to detect vitamin D deficiency and, if appropriate, will recommend supplementation. 

"Blessings, Andrea Johnson, Parish Nurse."

Applications now accepted  

For Episcopal Church  

Young Adult Service Corps

The Episcopal Church offers untold opportunities for young adults to provide service and share their expertise worldwide through the Young Adult Service Corps. Current YASC members are living in Japan, El Salvador, Mexico, Southern Africa, Hong Kong, and Tanzania. Read about their experiences on their blogs. Possible placements for 2012 include Mexico, Brazil, South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya, Japan, the Philippines, Hong Kong, and Papua New Guinea. Commonly known as YASC, applications are now being accepted for the Young Adult Service Corps from young adults between the ages of 21-30. Read more