Mental Illness–and the sexy new hormone, Vitamin D

Unfortunately, vitamin D deficiency is rampant. Up to one-third of the population may be clinically deficient, including pregnant moms, and the rates of deficiency continue to rise. The elderly are specifically at risk since they may spend less time outside, and their skin isn’t as able to make vitamin D as is the skin of younger people. Some studies are still inconclusive, but with its ability to prevent other conditions, such as multiple sclerosis and colon cancer, be sure to keep your levels up. Get your levels checked, supplement, and enjoy the outdoor beauty of Bucks County and beyond. Although it’s only one piece of the mental health puzzle, maintaining healthy vitamin D levels (over 40ng/ml on a blood test) is an important step in keeping your family’s mental and physical health up to par. So vitamin D has been a factor in healthy brain development; what about all the other nutrients that the Appleton High kids started getting after the food changes?

So prenatal nutrition is critical, but as Appleton Central Alternative Charter High School students demonstrated, good nutrition at any age can produce dramatic changes for the better. Because violent children are more likely to become violent adults, making these changes now can actually prevent some aspects of criminality. Not only is the diet changing the brains of the kids at Appleton, but also their minds and their hearts. And, this is one step in the mental health of our children, and therefore in the safety of our nation.