Vitamin D Is Important To Your Health

Vitamin D is essential for the proper formation of the skeleton. It is vital for bone growth and renewal as it helps our bodies absorb and retain calcium and phosphorus. Vitamin D is also required for nerve and muscle activity and can help combat chronic inflammation. Research is also determining that vitamin D may help keep cancer cells from growing and dividing.

If we have too little of this valuable nutrient, our bones are not able to mineralize properly. This can lead to a condition called rickets in children, which is characterized by bowed legs, knock-knees, swollen joints, and malformed skeletons. In adults, vitamin D deficiency leads to osteomalacia, a condition in which there is inadequate mineralization of the bone. Deficiency may also result in osteoporosis due to decreased calcum abosrption, and vitamin D deficiency has also been associated with muscle weakness.

The Right Place At The Right Time

Are you beginning to notice the disappearance of many natural health products from the shelves of your local health food store? Even the health food sections of the larger grocery stores and big box stores are shrinking. And it looks as though this decline in natural health products will continue for some time yet.

On January 1, 2004 the Natural Health Products Regulations came into effect and apply to all natural health products (NHPs). According to Health Canada, the Natural Health Products Regulations will help give Canadians access to a wide range of natural health products that are safe, effective and of high quality. Products defined in the Regulations as natural health products include vitamins, minerals, herbal remedies, probiotics, homeopathic medicines, traditional medicines (such as Traditional Chinese Medicines), amino acids and essential fatty acids. Many everyday consumer products such as certain toothpastes, mouthwashes, shampoos, antiperspirants, and facial products are classified as natural health products in Canada due to their medicinal ingredients and intended uses.