Vitamin D deficiency becoming an epidemic!

I attended a workshop on Vitamin D recently and was amazed to find that it is a more crucial vitamin than we realise. When we think of having a Vitamin D deficiency we think of people with rickets. Rickets is where there is softening of the bones which may potentially lead to fractures and deformities such as bow legs due to a lack of Vitamin D but what I discovered  is that Vitamin D is not only needed for bone repair and growth but is key in supporting our immune system. It has also been found that people with depression, PMT, vague muscle aches and pains, and some cancers have Vitamin D deficiency. Research has also found that it is very important for pregnant and nursing mums to have an adequate Vitamin D intake as if their babies dont get enough Vitamin D they are more likely to develop Type 1 Diabetes (which is where they will need to inject insulin). People with vitamin D deficiency are also more likely to develop cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and diseases such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus, erythematosus to name but a few. We normally synthesise most of our Vitamin D from sunlight on the skin. (there are very few foods that naturally contain Vitamin D). Deficiency in Vitamin D is now reaching epidemic levels in Europe...which is really quite worrying as it had been thought to be almost eradicated. Part of the problem with Vitamin D deficiency is that we dont get enough sun and when we do we put sunblock on which has been shown to inhibit Vitamin D synthesis by 95% with only SPF 8. If we dont use sunblock we get in the shower and wash all the Vitamin D off our skin before our body has had a chance to absorb it and store it. With the research that was presented at the workshop it became apparent to me that we all need to supplement our diets with Vitamin D throughout the year not just in the winter months. People found to have a Vitamin D deficiency are often advised to take Vitamin D2 but it is not absorbed that well by the body and is not completely natural. Vitamin D3 is a far more potent form of Vitamin D which is organically made by Nature's Sunshine and is easily absorbed. I would strongly recommend that anyone and everyone supplement their diet with Vitamin D3, I have therefore decided to offer a 20% discount on all Vitamin D 3 purchased through my Nature's Sunshine website.http://www.naturessunshine.eu/uk/peacefulliving/