Here I am soaking up the sunshine this winter allowing my skin to to produce some Vitamin D in Arizona, while visiting my friends, Dena and Len. The sunshine and friendship were nourishing after a long cold winter here in Iowa.

My first blog post about Vitamin D was in January. Now I’m just reporting my experiences since I started taking 5000 IU per day–increased energy, greater clarity and happiness. I wasn’t expecting any of that. It’s as though someone turned on the light! Although some scientists have called it the Sunshine vitamin, I’m dubbing it the Happiness Vitamin. Vitamin D is critical for everything from immune health to bone strength and cardiovascular function, and more research supporting its health benefits emerges every day. But it’s almost impossible to get enough from the foods you eat. In fact, over one-third of Americans are now deficient in Vitamin D.

In addition, vitamin D supports cellular integrity, improves muscle function and agility, enhances heart health, and even helps your body process sugar properly, therefore Vitamin D is helpful for diabetics.

Dr. Mercola, online health advisor and osteopathic physician, says,

“Get plenty of vitamin D! Vitamin D — which your body produces naturally when you expose your skin to sunlight — optimizes and up-regulates over 2,000 genes in your body. One study mentions up to 3,000 genes, but it may be even greater than that. I have written extensively about the health benefits of optimizing your vitamin D levels, and the dangers of being deficient in this essential nutrient. I recommend viewing my one-hour video lecture.”

However,in order to watch the video, you need to register by giving your email, but it’s well worth it. You can always unsubscribe at any time in the future after you watch it.

You can listen to a radio show here to hear a discussion about Vitamin D with naturopathic Doctor Dan Carver. You may also take cod liver oil to ingest your allotment of Vitamin D.

For over half a century vitamin D was thought only to mineralize bones. But studies indicate that it does much more:
Regulates calcium in all cells, especially brain cells, protects the immune system, regulates cell growth and cell death, provides antioxidant and antiviral benefits.

Dr. David Williams suggests using a $65 home test for Vit. D testing. This is normally a $100-200 dollar test from with a doctors visit fee and probably not paid by insurance. Get results in a week. You’ll need a two months supplementation to get a good reading as it is fat-soluble and takes a while to replenish. The suggestion is 4000 IU per day for 130-170 pound person and levels should be 50-80 ng/ml year round. Please do your research and decide for yourself.

I am not an expert nutritionist but it’s hard to keep quiet about something so well researched by both the medical and alternative communities, especially if it can make a huge difference in your emotional health and well-being.

Have you improved your health through Vitamin D? Let us know.

Learn more about traveling to Italy on Lenora’s Italy Retreats For Women
Find out more about Lenora’s Sweet Life Workshops and Sweet Life Happiness Coaching.

You are welcome to reprint, copy, or distribute Lenora Boyle’s article, provided author credit is included.