Spotlight on Nutrition Blog

Don't be D-ficient!

2/27/2023

Blog post written by Kaitlyn Smith, IUPUI dietetic intern

Vitamin D is an important nutrient for our bodies, but many people do not get enough! Vitamin D is one of the most common vitamin deficiencies in the United States. In fact, approximately 35% of American adults have vitamin D deficiency. In this blog, we will uncover sources of vitamin D, why it’s necessary and what complications vitamin D deficiency has on the body.

Image from onbetterliving.com

Why do we need vitamin D?

Vitamin D helps to maintain calcium and phosphorus levels in our blood to build healthy bones and tissues. It also supports a healthy immune system, promotes normal cell growth, and helps fight inflammation.

Sources of vitamin D

The recommended amount of vitamin D per day is:

400 International Units (IU) for infants under the age of 1
600 IU for individuals ages 1-70 years
800 IU for adults over the age of 70

We can get vitamin D from several different sources, including:

Sun exposure - Our bodies can produce vitamin D by spending time in direct sunshine. About 15-30 minutes in the sun a few times a week is usually enough to provide the necessary amount of vitamin D. It's good to get outside!
Foods - Some foods naturally have vitamin D, such as egg yolks, beef liver, fatty fish (like salmon, trout, and tuna), and mushrooms. Other foods have vitamin D added to them, such as milk, yogurt, cereal, and orange juice. All of these can help us meet our daily vitamin D needs.
Supplements - Vitamin D supplements (pills, capsules, drops, etc.) are not usually necessary if we spend time outdoors and eat foods rich in vitamin D. However, they can be helpful for some individuals who are at risk of deficiency - see examples below. Please talk to your doctor and/or a registered dietitian (RD) before starting any supplements.

Image from www.yalemedicine.org

Vitamin D deficiency

Anyone can be affected by vitamin D deficiency. However, some people are at a higher risk of not getting enough vitamin D, including:

Breastfed infants - Human breast milk does not usually provide enough daily vitamin D
Older adults - Our bodies lose the ability to create enough vitamin D over time
People with darker skin tones - More pigment (melanin) in the skin can block vitamin D creation in the body
Individuals who do not regularly eat foods rich in vitamin D - This could be due to dietary choices, food allergies, or not having regular access to these foods
People with limited sun exposure - This includes individuals who spend most of their time indoors or keep most of their skin covered for various reasons

These individuals may benefit from additional time in the sun, eating more vitamin D-rich foods, and/or a vitamin D supplement.

Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency can include:

Mood changes
Fatigue
Muscle cramps or weakness
Bone and/or joint pain
Dental problems

Vitamin D deficiency is diagnosed with a blood test. If you are experiencing these symptoms or have other concerns, please contact your doctor to assess the best plan for your individual health.

Increasing vitamin D intake

Besides spending more time outdoors, we can make sure we are getting enough vitamin D through the foods we eat. Try these simple ways to meet your daily needs:

Get creative and use the same vitamin D-rich ingredients in different ways! For example, try yogurt as a snack, in a smoothie, and as a baking ingredient.
Swap some of your go-to items for foods fortified with vitamin D. Read the Nutrition Facts labels on products and look for juices, cereals, and other items with added vitamin D.
Add vitamin D-rich foods into your favorite meals rather than creating a whole new grocery list - see a sample meal plan below. You can find foods high in vitamin D at the grocery store, farmers' market, and/or food pantry. All forms count - fresh, frozen, canned, and dried - and SNAP and WIC dollars can help stretch your grocery budget even further.

Vitamin D impacts our body in many ways, so it is important to get enough on a daily basis. For more resources about vitamin D, please refer to the sources below.

Sources:
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15050-vitamin-d-vitamin-d-deficiency
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK532266/
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318060
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamin-d/
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/

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Preventing and Managing Diabetes

2/1/2023

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Blog post by Sarah Berube, IUPUI dietetic intern

Over 34 million people of all ages in the United States (about 1 in 10) have diabetes. Of these, about 1 in 5 adults don’t know they have the disease. Possible risk factors for diabetes include:

Family history
Stress
Being Black, Hispanic, Native American, Asian-American or Pacific Islander

Having overweight/obesity
Having high blood pressure
Being physically inactive
Being 45 years or older
Having a history of heart disease or stroke

Experiencing food insecurity (not having consistent access to enough nutritious food for an active, healthy lifestyle)

The choices you make and the resources available in your daily life can raise or lower your risk of diabetes. Keep reading to understand how these relate and how you can help prevent and/or manage diabetes!

Diabetes 101

Diabetes happens when your body isn't able to take up sugar (glucose) into its cells to use it for energy. Glucose in the body comes from two main sources:

Carbohydrates in foods you eat
Your liver making sugar through normal processes

Your body controls the amount of glucose in your bloodstream by making insulin. Insulin is a hormone created in the pancreas. It serves as a “key” to let glucose into the cells, where it can then be turned into energy. When insulin doesn't work as it should or there isn't enough insulin available, glucose can build up in the blood. Over time, this extra sugar can cause damage to organs and tissues like your heart, kidneys, eyes, and nerves.

There are several different types of diabetes:

Prediabetes - a higher than normal blood sugar level, but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes yet
Type 1 diabetes - the body doesn’t make enough insulin
Type 2 diabetes - the body can’t use insulin normally (insulin resistance)
Gestational diabetes - the body can’t use insulin normally during pregnancy

Image from doh.sd.gov

Symptoms of diabetes include:

Increased thirst
Weak, tired feeling
Blurred vision
Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet
Slow-healing sores or cuts

Unplanned weight loss
Frequent urination
Frequent unexplained infections
Dry mouth

If you experience any of these symptoms, please visit your primary health care doctor.

Tips for Preventing and Managing Diabetes

Not having regular access to nutritious foods can make preventing or managing diabetes a challenge. Living with a health condition like diabetes can also make it hard to keep working or to afford medications. Luckily, there are things you can do to keep diabetes in check! Try some of these tips for preventing and managing diabetes:

Image from mashpeewampanoagtribe-nsn.gov

Visit your primary care doctor at least once a year to get screened for diabetes and to manage your medications. Be sure to tell your doctor about any symptoms or concerns you have. Click here take a quick online diabetes risk test that can help you understand your general risk factors.
Aim for 30 minutes of physical activity every day. This can include walking, dancing, swimming, bicycling, gardening, mowing the lawn, cleaning the house, or any other ways you like to move!
Choose lots of different nutritious foods for your meals and snacks. Look for colorful fruits and vegetables, low-fat meats and dairy products, beans, nuts, and whole grains at the grocery store or food pantry.
- Read our handout on eating well with diabetes for more information.
- If you want a more personalized eating plan, ask your doctor for a referral to a registered dietitian. You can also look up dietitians near you with this search tool.
Use resources to stretch your grocery budget and get more healthy foods on the table:
- SNAP - provides benefits that can be used to buy nutritious foods. Contact Gleaners' SNAP Outreach Team to learn more and to apply for benefits.
- WIC - provides benefits for pregnant and lactating women and their children ages 0-5 years
- Fresh Bucks - a program that matches SNAP dollars at local farmers' markets to double (or even triple) the amount of fresh foods you can buy!

Image from www.operationfoodsearch.org

Take a diabetes education class - the Marion County Public Health Department offers a free "ABCs of Diabetes" self-management education/support program at several different locations in Indianapolis. Similar programs may be offered in your local area, so check at your doctor's office, hospital, or public library.

Diabetes is a serious condition, but there are many ways you can reduce your risk of health complications. For more information, resources, recipes, and more, please visit diabetes.org.

Sources

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