So... Think About This....

I have had my band for three plus years.

And I will tell you that it has done its job with keeping the LBS at bay!.

But as any long term banded patient can tell you, you have to be vigilant on many fronts.

The most important being nutrition.

Here is the back story....

The body is a wonderful machine.
But like any machine, it needs good maintenance.
And the only one that can schedule those periodic checkups/tuneups is YOU!!!

Having stated such, we all know that we can get very busy with life.

After all, LIFE HAPPENS, and we tend to put things off.

Recently, I have gotten back into the fix me up mode!

For those that follow, you know about my recent "EYE" adventure (which is getting better each day).

But last week, I went on another "Check HER UP" appointment.
Cause, I wasn't feeling like the old me.. I mean I am getting older, BUT... something was off.

And this morning I get the call...

My vitamin D level is way low... Like 11ng/ml .. where as normal is  30-50 ng/ml.
TO say the least, I am Vitamin D deficient.
And being the little researcher (or hypochondriac)  that I am, I went to town to find out Whats Up With That, and is that why I feel like crap!!!

Well here is the 411 on vit D deficiency:

Vitamin D and Weight Loss

Studies have shown that people who are obese often have low blood levels of vitamin D. Body fat traps vitamin D, making it less available to the body. It's not clear whether obesity itself causes a low vitamin D level or if it's the other way around. But one small study of dieters suggests that adding vitamin D to a calorie-restricted diet may help overweight people with low vitamin D levels lose weight more easily

 

Vitamin D Deficiency Contributes to Weight Gain in Older Women

A new study of more than 4,600 women age 65 and older shows that having low vitamin D levels can contribute to mild weight gain.¹ Previous research has already showed that obese individuals tend to have low vitamin D levels. Women who had insufficient levels of vitamin D gained about two pounds more compared to those with adequate blood levels of vitamin D during the 4.5-year long study. Those with insufficient levels also weighed more at the outset of the study.
According to Medicine.net:²

"The study can't say whether low vitamin D is causing the weight gain or just reflecting it. 'The study is the first step that we need to evaluate whether vitamin D might be contributing to weight gain,' [lead researcher Erin] LeBlanc says. But there are some theoretical ways that low vitamin D could contribute to weight gain, she says. Fat cells do have vitamin D receptors. 'Vitamin D could affect where fat cells shrink or get bigger.'"

Here, vitamin D levels above 30 nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml) were considered "sufficient." As I've previously reported, based on the latest vitamin D research this is still far below optimal, so it's difficult to say what the outcome might be if you were to actually optimize your levels by getting your blood level above 50 ng/ml. Still, despite this low "sufficient" level, 80 percent of the women in the study were found to have insufficient levels, meaning below 30 ng/ml. This gives you an idea of just how widespread this problem really is.

Furthermore:

Here are the symptons of  Vit D Deficiency:

 

• The symptoms of vitamin D deficiency are sometimes vague and can include tiredness and general aches and pains. Some people may not have any symptoms at all.
• If you have a severe vitamin D deficiency you may have pain in your bones and weakness, which may mean you have difficulty getting around. You may also have frequent infections. However, not everyone gets these symptoms.

And if that isn't enough to motivate you to get tested.. then check out this list of diseases!!

 

Vitamin D deficiency has been shown to play a role in almost every major disease. This includes:

• Osteoporosis and Osteopenia
• 17 varieties of Cancer (including breast, prostate and colon)
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Obesity
• Metabolic Syndrome and Diabetes
• Autoimmune diseases
• Multiple sclerosis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Osteoarthritis
• Bursitis
• Gout
• Infertility and PMS
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder
• Alzheimer’s Disease
• Chronic fatigue syndrome
• Fibromyalgia
• Chronic Pain
• Periodontal disease
• Psoriasis

So, do yourself a favor if you have had the band for a while.. get your VIT D levels checked!!

 

be well