I'm going to try to post health facts that for those of you that are still reading.

I know that with summer, everyone tends to lose sight of their weightloss and fitness goals.

Don't forget that small changes to your diet and exercise routine can help you maintain progress made, or help to jump-start your body for future loss.

Today's lecture is brought to you by the letter "D". (that's for Vitamin D).

Some of you may be asking, "What does Vitamin D do for me?". Let's find out!

Vitamin D helps to maintain normal levels of phosporus and calcium in your blood. It also adis in the absorption of calcium. Without vitamin D, bones can become thin, brittle, soft, or misshapen. Vitamin D prevents rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults -- skeletal diseases that result in defects that weaken bones.

Wondering how to get your daily dose of Vitamin D? It's easy!

Food Sources:
Many foods, including milk, are fortified with Vitamin D. For example, one cup of milk supplied about 1/4 of the estimated daily allotment for the average adult. One cup of vitamin D fortified milk supplies about one-fourth of the estimated daily need for this vitamin for adults. Although milk is fortified with vitamin D, dairy products made from milk such as cheese, yogurt, and ice cream are generally not fortified with vitamin D.

Only a few foods naturally contain significant amounts of vitamin D, including Salmon, Mackerel, Sardines, Liver, and Eggs.

Exposure to Sunlight:
Exposure to sunlight is an important source of vitamin D. Ultraviolet (UV) rays from sunlight trigger vitamin D synthesis in the skin. Sunscreens with a sun protection factor of 8 or greater will block UV rays that produce vitamin D, but it is still important to routinely use sunscreen whenever sun exposure is longer than 10 to 15 minutes. It is especially important for individuals with limited sun exposure to include good sources of vitamin D in their diet.

Warnings:
There is a high health risk associated with consuming too much vitamin D. Vitamin D toxicity can cause nausea, vomiting, poor appetite, constipation, weakness, and weight loss. It can also raise blood levels of calcium, causing mental status changes such as confusion. High blood levels of calcium also can cause heart rhythm abnormalities. Calcinosis, the deposition of calcium and phosphate in soft tissues like the kidney can be caused by vitamin D toxicity.
Consuming too much vitamin D through diet alone is not likely unless you routinely consume large amounts of cod liver oil. It is much more likely to occur from high intakes of vitamin D in supplements. The Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine considers an intake of 1,000 IU for infants up to 12 months of age and 2,000 IU for children, adults, pregnant, and lactating women to be the tolerable upper intake level. Daily intake above this level increases the risk of adverse health effects and is not advised.

(information retrieved from Healthlink )