The Most Important Vitamin

...is Vitamin D. Studies have been showing for years that this vitamin (which is really a "precursor hormone") may be vital to staving off everything from heart disease to various cancers. And yet, because of our media-driven fear of skin cancer (which occurs in much lower incidence than the diseases prevented by Vitamin D), up to half of adults and 30% of children in the U.S. show a deficiency of this vitamin.

This Vitamin is generally produced when skin is exposed to sun. It doesn't take much, only 10 minutes per day between 10am and 2pm, to produce enough to keep you healthy - but that's only if you're Caucasian and if you're not wearing sunscreen. Those with darker skin need more exposure, or supplements, to keep them at optimal levels.

This article is a great overview of how Vitamin D is being associated with increased risks for heart disease.

Please think about Vitamin D - this may be one of the most important health factors you can pay attention to. The payoffs could be enormous later in life when you consider how many of us are affected by the diseases this substance helps us prevent.