Recent studies are now showing that it is more common for women to suffer from chronic pain due to pain-causing illnesses such as rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and irritable bowel syndrome than it is in men.

It was a topic of discussion led by Jennifer Kelly from the Atlanta Center for Behavioral Medicine in Georgia, at the American Psychological Association convention which was held in San Diego, California.  This discussion was based on recent studies performed by the International Association for the Study of Pain.

There have been many different guesses as to why recurring pain is more common among women than men, among which are topics such as the menstrual cycle’s hormone changes as well as a study from 2008 (published in the Journal of Neuroscience) which examined the over-firing of neurons in certain regions of the brain which can cause permanent damage.

What is now also suspected is deficiencies in vitamin D.  The reason this is a suspected cause is that this deficiency is very common among sufferers of pain-causing illnesses such as those mentioned above. Moreover, it is more common for women to experience this deficiency than men – though it should be noted that vitamin D deficiencies are common and increasing in frequency among both men and women.

Sources:

• http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/08/13/chronic.pain.women/
• http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/news/20031210/lack-of-vitamin-d-linked-to-pain
• http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2008/05/16/f-health-vitamin-d.html

Vitamin D is now known to be linked to over 200 different genes, in that its presence or deficiency can impact the way that those genes operate.  These genes include several which are related to some cancers as well as autoimmune conditions such as multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, rickets, Crohn’s disease and even dementia.

This link between Vitamin D and DNA occurs within the vitamin D receptors (VDRs) which connect with various parts in specific places along the human genome. This leads doctors to believe that Vitamin D plays an exceptionally important role in preventing this type of disease as well as in achieving the best possible health.

These beliefs are not without clinical support.  More than eight hundred studies have shown that vitamin D is effective in the prevention of cancer.  In fact, research is saying that by ensuring that you receive the right amount of vitamin D and by avoiding deficiencies in this nutrient, you can reduce the risk of some cancers by fifty percent and reduce the chances of developing diabetes or heart disease by forty three percent.

Vitamin D is even known to support the gene that regulates the ability to fight chronic inflammation as well as infections. It encourages the body to produce more than two hundred anti-microbial peptides, such as cathelicidin, which is a broad-spectrum antibiotic which occurs naturally in the body.

Unfortunately, new studies are indicating that 85 percent of Americans are deficient in vitamin D.  Experts are encouraging people to speak to their doctors about whether or not they are vitamin D deficient and how to increase their vitamin D levels if it is necessary.

Sources:

• http://www.foodconsumer.org/newsite/Nutrition/Vitamins/cancer_diabetes_0609100640.html
• http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/274802/sunshine-vit-d-influences-more-200-genes

I am going to take this directly off the Vitamin D Council’s website, and I’m sure they’ll let me know if that’s not okay.

* If you totally avoid the sun, recent research indicates you need about 4,000 units of vitamin D a day. Which means you can’t get enough vitamin D from milk (unless you drink 40 glasses a day) or from a multivitamin (unless you take about 10 tablets a day), neither of which is recommended.

* Most of us make about 20,000 units of vitamin D after about 20 minutes of summer sun. This is about 100 times more vitamin D than the government says you need every day.

* The only way to be sure you have adequate levels of vitamin D in your blood is to regularly go into the sun, use a sun bed (avoiding sunburn), or have your physician administer a 25‑hydroxyvitamin D test. Optimal levels are around 50 ng/mL (125 nM/L).

* If you don’t get vitamin D the way Mother Nature intended, from sunshine, you need to take supplemental vitamin D3 cholecalciferol. Since most of us get a lot more vitamin D from sunshine than we realize, most of us need about 2,000 units a day extra.

Please visit the VitaminDCouncil.org to learn more.

Here are three easy ways to get your Vitamin D level tested.

Probably.

“Over three out of every four Americans now have vitamin D levels below what we believe is necessary for optimal health. African-Americans and Hispanics are at particularly high risk — nearly all have suboptimal levels.”

Dr. Adit Ginde, an assistant professor of surgery at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine. Read article.

You could be vitamin D deficient if you:

1. Rarely go out in the sun
2. Always wear makeup and/or sunscreen on all exposed areas when outdoors
3. Do not take a multivitamin
4. Do not take a vitamin D supplement
5. Do not eat a vitamin d-rich diet (oily fish, fish, liver, egg yolks, and so forth)
6. Have dark skin and do not live near the equator
7. Are older than 60 and live in a high latitude or deliberately avoid the sun

Risk Factors for Vitamin D Deficiency

1. Age. The older you are, the harder it is for your body to make vitamin D from sunlight.
2. Lifestyle. the more time you spend indoors during the daylight hours, the less opportunity you have to make vitamin D.
3. Geographical location. If you live in a place with relatively long wingers, you get less sun over the course of the year because the sunlight isn’t strong enough to make vitamin D in the winter.
4. Race. People with very dark skin, especially those of African descent, find it difficult to make vitamin D from limited sunlight (their ancestors evolved in a part of the world where sunshine was available year round).
5. Culture. Certain cultures require that their women cover themselves entirely in heavy clothing that blocks out the sun.

Taken from: The UV Advantage: The Medical Breakthrough that Shows How to Harness the Power of the Sun for Your Health

Here’s three easy ways to get yourself and your family tested for vitamin d deficiency >

Here are three ways to get tested for Vitamin D Deficiency

1. If you have health insurance, you can ask your doctor to order this exact test:

25-hydroxyvitamin D test, also called a 25(OH)D.

Your results should be between 50–80 ng/ml, year-round for both adults and children.  If you come up deficient, follow these guidelines found at the Vitamin D Council.

2. Order an in-home test through the VitaminDCouncil.org.  They’ve arranged for reduced rates – you can get one test for $65.00 or 4 tests for $220.00.   Click here for details about the test, and how to order.

3. Go to GrassRootsHealth.net and join D*action.  This is what I just did.  You have to register with the site with an email and password, then fill out a short questionnaire.  After that you can purchase your Vitamin D test for a mere $30.00.  The results will be sent directly to you.  You have the opportunity in another 6 months to do it again.  Their goal is to gather information for 5 years and stop the Vitamin D Deficiency epidemic before millions more lives are needlessly lost.  As of this writing, a full 60% of those tested through D*action have been Vitamin D Deficient.  Are you?  Are your kids?  Please check, and pass the link on to everyone you care about.

Join D*action - Get your vitamin D tested today.

Xtrac Ultra is a hand-held excimer laser that uses an ultraviolet B light beam directly to psoriatic lesions. This treatment is still relatively unknown, but evidence has been growing to show that the relief it brings can last quite a while, sometimes years.

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/lifestyle/stories.nsf/lifestyle/healthfitness/story/94c4fa1b4bda52378625746e006117d8?OpenDocument