BeeYouTiful

Vitamin D3: the "sunshine vitamin" and pro-hormone so vital to the body's wellness. In 20 minutes of a good, summer day in the sun, the skin can absorb 10,000 to 50,000 IU's of D3, providing the body with the ample amount it needs to remain "well oiled".

Vitamin D is an immense contributor to controlling the immune system and helping to stave off "bugs" of all sorts. It also plays a key role in regulating calcium in the body -- promoting absorption which helps bone mineralization to occur -- and this is key in caring for such problems as osteoporosis, rickets, osteomalacia, and osteopenia.

When the body is getting enough D to go around, it is used liberally by many cells that are able to make calcitriol and use its cancer-fighting properties! Some of the most exciting research today is finding that D3 deficiency is common in cancer patients, and that D3 may help work against cancer.

There are a number of other problems that share the common link of a vitamin D deficiency, as well. Blood sugar problems, low back pain, high blood pressure, type I and type II diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, kidney stones, psoriasis, depression, seasonal affective disorder, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome and auto-immune diseases have all been linked with low levels of vitamin D, suggesting that this pro-hormone is a quiet, unsung worker of vast-reaching good in the body!

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that also works as an anti-oxidant in the body. It is found only in animal fats and some of the richest sources for this nutrient are butter, liver, egg yolks, and cod liver oil.

In our bodies, vitamin A is a warrior for the eyes, protecting them from blindness, night blindness, and other problems such as keratomalacia and xeropthalmia. It is also very helpful for diabetics suffering from problems with the retina.

Vitamin A is vital in growth and muscle building as protein formation requires this nutrient, and the reproductive system depends upon it for healthy function. The absorption and use of minerals and other vitamins into the body relies on vitamin A, as well.

Having a good source of vitamin A is of special importance to diabetics as they aren’t always able to properly convert beta-carotene (the precursor to vitamin A found in many plant foods) into vitamin A and can often become deficient. The thyroid also uses a great deal of vitamin A and those with sluggishly functioning thyroids are also in great need of vitamin A that doesn't need to go through a conversion process. Lastly, various stresses on the body use up a great deal of vitamin A and replenishing in such times is key!

Synergistic Checks and Balances

Some of the processes in the body that rely on Vitamin A coincide with those that need Vitamin D, such as bone formation and healthy immune function. Vitamin A and Vitamin D also need each other in order to function fully as vitamins, so getting them into the body together and in balance is vital. These two fat-soluble vitamins work synergistically in one other way, helping to check vitamin A toxicity.

Vitamin A, taken with vitamin D, controls the risk of vitamin A toxicity as the two compete for receptors. Taking the two vitamins together in the proper balance is the safest way to deliver vitamin A to the body. The provision that we find for this is largely seen in nature. Foods that are rich in vitamin A also often have a good supply of vitamin D, as well! A very good ratio of vitamin A to vitamin D is 10 to 1 or less.