A Thin Line between...

There is a thin line between poverty and prosperity; between sanity and insanity, between being witty and being hurting/insulting and yes between perfect health and ill health. You could be a very rich man on one day and be on the street the next day due to an unexpected financial calamity. Similarly, we cannot take our health for granted. We may be seemingly doing appropriate physical exercise and eating sensibly and yet be struck by a health issue from out of the blue.

It happened to me. I was enjoying fairly good health except for a mild diabetes that was well under control.It is true that recently there were some changes in my life style after being  drawn to spirituality. This included getting up very early in the morning at 4 AM for meditation and then going for classes daily for one and half hours. I gave up my morning walk but felt that this was  being compensated by the walk to the venue of spiritual class. I also turned vegetarian.  I got less sleep as I was not able to go to bed early to balance for the early rising.

Perhaps I did not realize it,when signs of ill health were showing up. I felt very sleepy during the morning classes but attributed it to loss of sleep. Yet,slowly and steadily I noticed that I was becoming lethargic, getting very tired and feeling depressed. I was not able to concentrate; not even enough to write my blogs. Most of the time I just felt like lying down. At this juncture, I got a thorough master check up done  at the Apollo clinic. As nothing much could be revealed from it, except a moderate rise in fasting blood sugar, the doctor made changes to this medicine. However, my condition did not improve and  I sought help from an Ayurvedic doctor.This doctor apart from giving general tonic like medicines, suggested that I check for thyroid as well as it could be the cause of the symptoms. By now, I was hoping earnestly that this test brings out something abnormal so that I can at least take medicines to address the basic problem.But the results turned out to be negative.

As I continued to suffer from fatigue and back pain, I consulted another doctor who suggested tests for vitamin B12 and vitamin D deficiency. This time finally, the culprit was identified. I had vitamin D deficiency. Older people and women are more likely to suffer from this deficiency. Exposure to sunlight is a natural source of vitamin D. According to a  pan-India study, the best time to get exposed to the sun is between 11 AM and 1 PM.since the wavelength of ultraviolet B (UVB) rays is 290-320 nm during this period which is essential for skin to make vitamin D. About 40% women and 30% men in India develop vitamin D-induced osteoporosis, a condition that causes bones to become weak and brittle. Experts say going outside for 10 minutes in the midday sun—in shorts and a tank top with no sunscreen—will give you enough radiation to produce about 10,000 international units of the vitamin.

The study also suggested that winter months, in view of decreased sunshine, may make Indians more prone to vitamin D deficiency . Natural production of vitamin D from one's own skin is definitely better than having to depend on pills . Vitamin D is the only vitamin that the human body can make on its own which helps the body to absorb calcium from diet. Calcium is important for healthy bones and teeth.Parents should get their children tested for vitamin D deficiency if the child seems lethargic, fatigued, depressed, easily falls sick or takes longer than usual to recover from injuries.Natural foods high in vitamin D include fish oils, fatty fish like tuna/ salmon/ mackerel, mushrooms, beef liver, cheese, and egg yolks.

There is also the option of including supplements and vitamin D  fortified foods in your diet. Malted drinks like Bournvita also contains the recommended amount of vitamin D. Excess sugar, caffeine, alcohol interfere with the normal metabolism of the vitamin and should therefore be consumed minimally to enhance absorption of the vitamin. Healthy fat (such as that available in nuts, seeds sunflower/ flax seed and seed oils, pure ghee)  should be incorporated in the diet to improve vitamin D absorption,"

As I had the deficiency for some time now I was prescribed Uprise-D capsules that are to be taken once a week for eight weeks. I have now taken three of these capsules and exposing myself to the sun. I am feeling better now. The aim of this post is to educate readers of this malady that may strike unexpectedly if we are not prepared. As for me, I hope to become my old self by the completion of the treatment course....