Summer is in full swing! You might not be “dancin’ in the streets” as famously proclaimed by the beloved Motown group Martha and the Vandellas, but you will likely be spending much more time outside. One of the great benefits of our increased time outdoors is the biochemical activation of vitamin D synthesis which is triggered by exposure to sunlight. Of course, it’s important to make sure we’re not exposed to too much ultraviolet radiation. We need to balance the beneficial effects of vitamin D verses the harms of overexposure.
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is primarily obtained when our skin comes in contact with sunlight. However, we are exposed to substantially less sunlight than were our ancestors. Also, we now understand that overexposure to ultraviolet radiation can cause skin cancer, cataracts and premature aging. Therefore, we must obtain vitamin D supplementation from food sources such as eggs, tuna, salmon, cheese, and vitamin D-fortified foods including milk, yogurt, and orange juice.
As many school-age children are taught, we need vitamin D to build strong bones.1 Vitamin D may also have a role in immune system function and muscle activity. Vitamin D deficiency leads to rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults, both conditions involving the presence of soft, brittle bones, bone pain, and weakness. Not enough of this vitamin may also lead to osteoporosis, resulting in an increased risk of fractures.2,3
In addition to getting enough vitamin D from the sun and from food, regular vigorous exercise is needed to build strong bones. Our bodies operate on the principle of limited resources. Resources not required in one area will be used elsewhere, stored, or excreted. Regular vigorous exercise creates a demand for ever-stronger bones, and will cause your body to put your daily dose of vitamin D to good use.
Regular Chiropractic Care Helps Build Healthy Bones
Of course, regular chiropractic adjustments help you obtain the greatest benefit from all your efforts involved in obtaining proper nutrition and sufficient exercise. By helping ensure healthy functioning of the nerve system–your body’s master system–regular chiropractic care helps you maximize the benefits of all your lifestyle enhancements.
Your daily dose of Vitamin D participates in a complex biochemical sequence of events leading to the construction of strong bones and teeth. In order to help achieve these important goals, the vitamin D molecule must be processed by the kidney and liver to yield a metabolically active form. Such processing depends on timely and accurate instructions received from the nerve system and feedback signals transmitted to the nerve system by the target organs.
Biomechanical integrity of the spine supports this series of events. If your spine is out of alignment, vitamin D metabolism could be disrupted. However, proper alignment of the spinal column ensures the appropriate functioning of the nervous system. Regular chiropractic care detects, analyzes, and corrects sources of nerve interference and, therefore, is an essential part of effective utilization of vitamin D. Overall, regular chiropractic care is an important component of a complete program of health and wellness.
- Weaver CM: Nutrition and Bone Health. Oral Dis 2016 Jun 2. doi: 10.1111/odi.12515. [Epub ahead of print]
- Mousa A, et al: Vitamin D in Reproductive Health and Pregnancy. Semin Reprod Med 2016 May 26. [Epub ahead of print]
- Ivanova S, et al: Osteoporosis: Therapeutic Options. Folia Med (Plovdiv). 2016 Jul-Sep;57(3):181-90. doi: 10.1515/folmed-2015-0037
