Even More Benefits Of Vitamin D Want another reason to make sure you're getting enough vitamin D? Just last week, in the e-Alert "Raise a Holler" (8/17/04), I told you how vitamin D intake may help chase the blues and enhance feelings of wellbeing during the winter months. But as we've seen before, an adequate vitamin D intake promotes good health in a number of different ways. In a study that appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association, more than 3,000 subjects, aged 50 to 75 years, were screened for colon cancer. Using dietary questionnaires, researchers found a clear association between vitamin D intake of more than 645 IU per day and a reduced risk of colon cancer. Those who had the greatest protection also used multivitamins, exercised regularly, and had diets with high fiber content. Two other factors were also associated with a lesser risk of the disease: cereal fiber intake and the use of nonsteroidal anti- inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). But of course, both of these factors have drawbacks, such as a possible high carbohydrate intake with cereal fiber and various side effects associated with NSAIDs. So once again, D does it. Put an extra helping of fish on your menu each week and spend a little time out in the sunshine, and you'll probably end up enjoying a wide variety of very healthy benefits. To Your Good Health, Jenny Thompson
Health Sciences Institute Sources:
"Vitamin D Reduces Colon Cancer" Dr. Joseph Mercola, 1/3/04, mercola.com
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