Another Reason To Go Wild Over Wild Salmon

Too many doctors have bought into the hyperbole regarding vitamins and other dietary supplements, often recommending them without all the facts. Some even go so far as to sell them without regard to consequences. Don't even get me started again about Dr. Oz.

For example, there has been such a preponderance of media coverage about Vitamin D deficiencies that you would think that everyone has a Vitamin D deficiency. It's simply not true. We often search without success.

Nevertheless, by now, unless you have been living in a cave, you've most likely heard the Vitamin D Story. If not, it goes like this. We need Vitamin D and we can get from 15 minutes a day of sun exposure. However, because some people don't get much some exposure for good parts of the year based on their geographic location, or because of they are afraid of sun exposure due to skin cancer, or because as people age they produce less Vitamin D from sun exposure, we need to supplement with Vitamin D.

Although products like Almond milk and regular milk are fortified with Vitamin D, as are a number of other processed foods like cereals, many still recommend supplementation in case we are not getting enough.  I do not recommend supplementation in the absence of known deficiency and because there is a viable alternative.

There is a great source of Vitamin D that also offers other potent nutrients and that is Wild Salmon. I sing the praise of Wild Salmon so much you'd think I owned a fish company. Well, I don't. But I am a huge fan because of the medicinal benefits of Wild Salmon. First, the wild variety has 4 times the Vitamin D than the farm raised variety. A 3.5 ounce Wild Salmon steak also has over 200% of the recommended daily allowance of Vitamin D.  In addition, Wild Salmon also has the omega-3s (EPA and DPH) which have cholesterol lowering, anti-inflammatory, and apparent pro-brain health effects. Finally, Wild Salmon is a great source of protein for your diet.

Cod liver oil is another great source of Vitamin D, but it has its own set of issues so I recommend Wild Salmon any day over it. In fact, consuming Wild Salmon 3 to 4 times a week would be wise.

So isn't it time you got rid of your Vitamin D pills and consumed a natural source of it?