Friday, January 16, 2009

The sunshine vitamin study


Karen emailed this article to me today: Vitamin D: Lifesaving Supplement

I'm cutting and pasting on here with my personal notes included (in red:)

"Low vitamin D levels have been associated with osteoporosis, diabetes, hypertension, and cancer. (as well as spousal abuse, uncontrollable cursing,  foot stomping and spoon throwing) And it gets worse: According to new research, adults who don't get enough of the "sunshine vitamin" are 26 percent more likely to die early. (from suicide attempts???) A 12-year study of 13,000 men and women didn't finger any one cause of death, "because vitamin D's impact on health is so widespread," (particularly in the Seattle metropolitan area) says researcher Michal Melamed, MD, an assistant professor of medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx. (you really need a medical degree from Einstein college to tell me this?) Besides drinking fortified milk, she suggests that you: (drink Vodka for breakfast everyday)

Get a little sun. (Here is problem number 1.) ( Just 10 to 15 minutes of midday sunshine (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.) several days a week may do the trick (and how does one suggest we do that here?!) (apply sunscreen after those few minutes). (I'm sorry, sunscreen?? What is that?)

Take supplements. (Or drink more vodka for lunch) Winter rays in northern climates (above a line approximately between the northern border of California and Boston) may be too weak to provide benefits. (No way! I don't believe it) Supplements can help. (again more Vodka) A review of 18 studies showed that those who took vitamin D supplements lived longer than those who took a placebo. (side note: All 18 studies were conducted in San Diego, CA) For adults, 800 IU daily is considered safe. (Liar. I've been taking it everyday and I still want to bang my head into a wall. Next.) The American Academy of Pediatrics recently doubled the amount it recommends for infants, children, and adolescents, to 400 IU. Look for products labeled D3 for greatest potency and absorption." (or buy yourself a big tub of glue and sniff that instead.)


I'm going bat Sh*t crazy in this sunless wonder.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I hate winter.

Anonymous said...

This is one of those times where I had to shut my office door from laughing so hard...I have to read it again because I was laughing too much.

I can only imagine what would happen if you were sun and sleep deprived!!

Gberger said...

Does Vodka contain Vitamin D? Or is that Vitamin V?
I hear you. It's been so gray lately, it almost feels as if we're around a big campfire made with wet wood, sitting in the smoke. Maybe we should sing some camp songs to cheer you up?
Our solar lights never work in the winter, btw. Just in case you were thinking of buying some.
I love your take on this, but I'm sorry the climate here is such a drag on your happiness.