Our skin transforms ultraviolet light from the sun into vitamin D, and vitamin D helps our bodies absorb calcium.
Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to rickets, osteoporosis, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, and a new study adds cancer and autoimmune disease to the list.
Published in the journal Genome Research, experts mapped out more than 200 genes directly influenced by vitamin D and found vitamin D deficiency is linked to autoimmune diseases like type-1 diabetes and Crohn’s disease, and cancers such as leukemia and colon cancer.
The researchers say vitamin D is essential in triggering the immune system’s T cells, which fight infections in the body. So a vitamin D deficiency leaves the body more vulnerable to sickness and disease.
While the optimal dose of vitamin D is still unclear, the scientists recommend people get at least 25 to 50 micrograms each day.
Food sources of vitamin D include fatty fish – like salmon, mackerel, sardines, and tuna – eggs, liver, mushrooms, and foods fortified with vitamins and minerals, such as milk, yogurt, bread, margarine, and some breakfast cereal.
Image credit: mommamia
Fish is a staple in many parts of the world, especially countries near the ocean, like Japan, the Philippines, and Mediterranean nations, such as Italy and Greece.
Consuming fish has been linked to a myriad of health benefits, mostly due to omega-3 fatty acids, which have been associated with 
A lot of people don’t enough 
People love meat, double cheeseburgers, fried chicken, Canadian bacon, all of it! We love our meat, but meat has a dicey reputation.
The traditional Mediterranean Diet – rich in fruits, vegetables, olive oil, wine, and fish, and low in meat and dairy – has long been associated with good health, especially for the heart.
No one wants to go nuts in their old age – unless you think it’s funny to poop in a diaper.
Not only does omega-3 sound like an X-Men, but omega-3 fatty acids are constantly being linked to improved health.
