Some nutrients appear to have some special benefits for people with arthritis. But none of these nutrients are miracle cures. The bottom line is that these nutrients likely help and getting more of them certainly won't hurt you. Plus, it's easy to work these nutrients into your daily eating without overhauling your diet.
Vitamin D, also known as the sunshine vitamin, is beneficial for everyone – not just those suffering from arthritis.
You can get vitamin D just from standing in the sun. That's because ultraviolet light converts precursors of the vitamin in the body into a usable form. Many people with arthritis are vitamin D-deficient.
Studies find that getting more vitamin D protects joints from osteoarthritis damage, probably because this nutrient is vital to the health of bones that support and underlie joints. Vitamin D also appears to play a role in production of collagen in joints themselves.
Here are some suggestions for getting more vitamin D.
You don't need to bake on the beach to get sun-stimulated vitamin D: your skin only needs 10 to 15 minutes of exposure two to three times a week to synthesize what it needs.
Your usual outdoor walks, games or yard work should fill your vitamin D needs.
Milk, from skim to homogenized, is a prime source of vitamin D because it is D-fortified.
But check labels on other dairy products. Though domestic cheese, cream, ice cream, butter and yogurt often contain vitamin D, they're sometimes made with unfortified milk.
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, which means excess amounts are stored in the body rather than immediately excreted. Large doses from high-potency supplements or multivitamins can build up and become toxic to soft tissues such as the kidneys and heart.
But, getting your D from foods and sunlight poses no such problems.
Keep these pointers in mind to help you get more anti-arthritis vitamin D.
