Vitamin D Deficiency can be Painful

We talked a while back about Vitamin D and important it is to overall health.

A deficiency can lead to brittle bones, joint pain, stiffness, and fatigue - and that makes it a real hazard for older folks, who are already candidates for broken hips, etc.

An article I read recently told about a gentleman who had so much shoulder pain that he could not raise his arm - his range of motion was so limited that it was difficult to put on a shirt or a jacket.

Fortunately for him, he had an endocrinologist who understood about vitamins, and he was tested for Vitamin D deficiency. After about 10 days on 2,000 units per day, his shoulder pain completely disappeared and he once again had full range of motion. The wife who wrote about it considered it a miracle, especially since the orthopedic doctors had been talking about surgery.

This time of year those of us in the Northern climes are especially likely to be low on Vitamin D and should be taking a supplement. When Spring comes we can instead make it a point to get out in the sun for about 15 minutes per day. But, for those who don't get outdoors at all, a supplement is called for year-round.

Joint pain can, of course, be a symptom of arthritis. That's the case for two members of my family: One husband, and one dog. Because I had lost a dog to the prescription drug Rimadyl, I was very careful when the vet prescribed it for this dog. And sure enough, after 2 pills he was throwing up. So we stopped that. The vet gave him a different pill with the same effect. That's when I became determined to find something to help him that wouldn't harm him.

I found it in a product called ArthroIonx - which is nothing more than all natural minerals. When he started on it he couldn't get up into "his" chair and my husband had to lift him into his pickup when they went anywhere. Now, although he is 2 years older, he runs and plays with the other dogs as if he'd never had a broken leg or a torn ligament - or arthritis.

But it gets better. After we saw how this product helped the dog I started wondering if it was safe for human consumption, so I called the company. They said "Absolutely, we just can't advertise it that way because of the FDA rules."

So, I started giving it to my husband. He teased and grumbled about it, so after a couple of months I stopped. A few days later he said "Where's my dog medicine?" I told him I'd quit because he complained and he informed me that he wanted it - he could tell the difference in how his knees felt when he took it.

And that's why I give my husband "dog medicine."