Live Well Clinic

Living in one of the sunniest places in the world doesn’t protect us from Vitamin D deficiency. As summer comes to the desert we tend to migrate indoors spending as much time as we can away from the scorching sun, meanwhile depriving our bodies of the most important hormone in our body: Vitamin D. Believe it or not, you can get vitamin D from sunshine. The skin produces vitamin D when hit by ultraviolet light from the sun. Vitamin D deficiency is increasing nationwide at a staggering rate. Experts estimate that more than half of adults and 30 percent of children and teens in the United States are vitamin D deficient, according to the report in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. So why do I need Vitamin D? According to the Vitamin D Council Current research has implicated vitamin D deficiency as a major factor in “the pathology of at least 17 varieties of cancer as well as heart disease, stroke, hypertension, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, depression, chroni...

1.     I’m having a difficult time deciding what to pack for my kid’s school lunches. What are some healthy, easy options? When packing lunches include a protein, veggie, fruit and carbohydrate. Proteins can come in more sources than just lunch meat. Peanut butter and jelly can be made many different ways. Try using different kinds of nut butters and different jellies. Hard boiled eggs, chicken, cheese, yogurt, tofu are all other good protein choices. Noodles, tortillas, spelt crackers and whole wheat breads are good carbohydrate choices. Cutting up fruits into different shapes will make it more appealing. Get your kids involved in choosing the fruits and veggies they want to eat. Dipping veggies into hummus will make eating them more fun. Water is always the best option but, it can be difficult to get kids to drink it. Try adding oranges or berries and it will make water appealing. 2.     How do I know if my 2 nd grade daughter is gett...