The Sioux City (Iowa) Journal this week published a column urging readers to “Be all you can be with Vitamin D” because most of us don’t get enough of the sunshine vitamin.

The column — penned by health-wellness educator Deb Twyford, RN, is a response to epidemic level vitamin D deficiency in Sioux City.

“At Mercy Business Health Services, vitamin D testing is offered with Wellness Screenings, and according to Dr. Rodney Cassens, Occupational Health Physician, more than 90 percent of vitamin D blood testing comes back as insufficient or deficient,” Twyford wrote. “This is concerning in that shortages of vitamin D can contribute to heart disease, diabetes, some cancers, and high blood pressure. Your bones may not grow strong without vitamin D because it used to improve calcium absorption.”

“The importance of vitamin D cannot be overemphasized. Whatever source vitamin D comes from, whether it be from the sun or dietary intake, studies prove most of us are lacking this important vitamin.”

To read the column, click here