A Function of Promoting Vitamin D - Case Study Example

Section/# Vitamin D: Deficiency and the Case for Health in Saudi Arabia Whereas most vitamins and minerals are readily available through a litany of different types of foods, vitamin D is something of an anomaly due to the fact that it’s representation within commonly consumed foods is relatively low. In most cases, this does not create a direct problem as individuals are able to achieve high vitamin D levels from exposure to sunlight. However, three distinct groups of people are impacted negatively by the degree and extent to which they are able to be exposed to healthful levels of Sun each and every day. The first of these is of course individuals that live in far northern latitudes where temperature concern requires these individuals to remain thoroughly covered so that frostbite and/or exposure to inclement weather is not affected. A secondary group of individuals that is negatively impacted by the degree and extent to which they are able to gain healthful level of exposure to the sun, in order to encourage the body to create vitamin D naturally, are those individuals within societies that are relatively wealthy and spend the majority of their time indoors. However, there is a third contingent of individuals that must be considered with respect to low vitamin D levels and the impact this on out. These are with regards to women that live within conservative Muslim nations in and around the equator; specifically Saudi Arabia. Accordingly, the following analysis will focus specifically upon the difficulties in achieving sufficient levels of vitamin D for female stakeholders within Saudi Arabia, some of the means by which diet can be leveraged as a function of promoting vitamin D levels within the human body, the effects of vitamin D deficiency, and ways to raise awareness with regard to the impacts of low vitamin D levels. Firstly, with respect to low vitamin D levels that are represented within the female population of conservative Muslim societies, this is oftentimes the result of the fact that strict norms of morality prevent women from showing anything more than their hands or a brief space around the eyes. Whereas it is not the goal of this particular paper to discuss whether or not the niqab is ethical or moral, in a universal standpoint, it must be noted that these moral restrictions create a situation through which vitamin D creation from the sun is nearly impossible (Vanni et al., 2014). As women remain cloistered behind layers of dark fabric, the overall amount of time that they are able to spend outside, or in public in general, is restricted. Furthermore, the extreme heat of Saudi Arabia discourages anyone wishing to spend more time outdoors than is absolutely required. Additionally, you must also be noted that Saudi Arabia and culture places a premium upon individuals being fair collected and white skin. Because of this, exposure to the sun and/or gaining a healthful level of vitamin D exposure to each and every day is something that is not culturally represented or appreciated. Another unique situation that presents difficulty with respect to Saudi Arabia in society has to do with the fact that the nation itself is becoming increasingly wealthy. Because of this level of wealth and sophistication, life indoors and air-conditioning has become something that is mostly expected throughout many parts of the nation. As this trend continues to be represented, the overall level of comfort that is achieved indoors causes a situation in which individuals are discouraged from participating in activities are exposing themselves to direct sunlight in be less than hospitable outdoors (Nwosu & Maranda, L 2014). As one can see from the discussion which has taken place, exposure to sunlight at regular and healthy intervals is the primary way in which vitamin D is created within the human body. However, notwithstanding this, it is necessary to understand the fact that vitamin D is also represented elsewhere within certain foods. Such an understanding is essential due to the fact that certain individuals are not able to gain appropriate levels of vitamin D as a result of sun exposure but must seek to supplements within diet as a function of achieving normative vitamin D levels that would promote healthful living (Ritterhouse et al., 2014). And analysis of vitamin D levels within food reveals the fact that one of the best means of achieving vitamin D from a dietary standpoint is to engage in an increased intake of fish; especially fatty fish such as tuna, mackerel, and/or salmon. Additionally, fish liver oil and other fish supplements can provide significant levels of vitamin D that one might not be able to achieve merely by eating a high level of fish within one’s diet. In addition to the vitamin D levels that are found within the fatty fish that have been mentioned previously, the traditionalists have come to understand that smaller amounts of vitamin D are also found within liver, cheese, egg yolks, and other less common foods (Skheel ALjebory & Hamdy, 2014). The overall level of vitamin D that is represented within this particular group of foods is the result of sunlight creating vitamin D within an animal that in turn produces a product for its flesh for consumption. As such, the reader can adequately note that thus far plants have not been listed as a viable source of vitamin D that can be included within one’s diet as a means of boosting this particular vitamin’s representation (Kongsbak et al., 2014). A noted hardship that must be understood with respect to the information that has been represented thus far has to do with the fact that none of the foods which are listed are necessarily inexpensive. A trip to the local market or grocery store quickly reveals the fact that fresh fatty fish oftentimes is some of the most expensive meat pound for pound that can be purchased. Additionally, beef liver, cheese, and even eggs are sometimes expensive depending upon the environment or logistics of the place in question. As for the case of Saudi Arabia, there are certain price controls that are put in place by the government and food is somewhat subsidize so that poor individuals can afford it. However, the representation of foods that are subsidize are limited to more basic levels of nutrition and do not oftentimes include what is understood as a luxury item. Because of this, fatty fish is oftentimes out of reach for the average individual that is merely attempting to maintain a level of nutritional health. As with any mineral or vitamin deficiency within the body, vitamin D deficiency is especially negative as it impacts upon the degree and extent to which the body can continue to function and promote high levels of good health. One of the reasons that vitamin D is so essential within an individual’s diet and/or regimen, has to do with the fact that vitamin D is used as a type of catalyst which allows the body to utilize the calcium that it ingests. Because of this, vitamin D is absolutely essential for the creation and maintenance of strong bones as it utilizes this enzyme to strengthen the body against the effects of old age and atrophy. The link between vitamin D and bone health has been understood as far back as the early 1900s. This is as a result of the fact that vitamin D deficiency was tagged as a primary catalyst that is associated with rickets; a disease in which bone tissue does not properly mineralized and leads to skeletal deformity and soft bones. However, even though rickets is largely understood within the current context, it is increasingly true that vitamin D serves a more fundamental role that medical researchers have begun to appreciate. Recent scholarship has suggested that vitamin D deficiency can be definitively linked to increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease, high levels of cognitive impairment within an older adults, severe asthma in children, and increased risk of cancers for individuals of all ages. As one can appropriately see from the list of risks and hardships that the effective vitamin D deficiency causes, it is an essential complement towards maintaining overall health boosting the quality of life an individual might otherwise realize. Whereas it is true that vitamin D deficiency is oftentimes associated with symptoms, such as weakness or bone pain, hypertension and other symptoms are often times not recognized until it is too late (Castro et al., 2014). Essentially, many healthcare professionals have understood vitamin D deficiency as being one of the catalysts that is least recognized in terms of causing a litany of different health problems. Even though the health issues that have been listed previously are not specific to any one gender, it must be understood that the risk of bone density loss is especially profound within women (Faghih et al., 2014). The underlying reason for this has to do with the fact that women traditionally have lower levels of bone density as compared to their male counterparts. This is partially caused due to the fact that estrogen does not encourage bone thickness/density to the same level as does testosterone. However, rather than understanding this as the end of the problem, researchers and medical scholars have indicated that vitamin D deficiency is an especially profound issue for women; due in part to the fact that women are at an increased risk of osteoporosis and already have a lower level of bone density as compared to their male counterparts (Oscar, 2014). As such, vitamin D deficiency can cause an increased risk of fracture and early death for individuals that are of an advanced or elderly age (Jingyang et al., 2014). As one can relevantly note, the core issue that exists for stakeholders within Saudi Arabia has to do with ways of encouraging levels of vitamin D within its population (Vierucci, et al., 2014). One of the most effective means of performing such a task is to utilize the Ministry of Health in order to raise awareness and spread information concerning the negative impact vitamin D deficiency has been in the individual’s supplement foods that are high in vitamin D within their regular diet. In addition, healthful levels of exposure to sunlight can also be beneficial and must be promoted (Smolders et al., 2014). Furthermore, it is also the understanding of this particular analyst that even though many approaches can be utilized towards improving the representation of vitamin D within the diet of individuals within Saudi Arabia, specifically women (Alshamsan et al., 2014). Another effective means would be to improve the overall subsidized nation structure that currently exists with respect to nutrition within the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Accordingly, rather than merely subsidizing basic staple foods, certain foods that might otherwise be considered as a luxury should be reconsidered based upon the overall representation of vitamin D that is exhibited within. However, this in and of itself does not solve the problem. The reason for this has to do with the fact that many of these high in vitamin D foods are not traditionally included within Saudi Arabia and cuisine or cultural culinary dishes (Ellam et al., 2014). Accordingly, subsidization of “luxury” foods that are high in vitamin D is not sufficient in and of itself. Instead, this must be integrated hand in glove with the aforementioned Ministry of Health program that would seek to promote awareness and information concerning the risks of vitamin D deficiency and the need to integrate with foods that are high in vitamin D as well as activities outdoors. From the information that has thus far been presented, it is the hope of this particular analyst that the reader has gained a more full and complete understanding concerning the relevance of vitamin D deficiency towards the female population of Saudi Arabia. Whereas it may seem that vitamin D deficiency is not a particularly important aspect of maintaining societal health, the litany of different associated health drawbacks and disorders that are associated with vitamin D deficiency begs to differ. The unique cultural dynamics and geographic representation of Saudi Arabia causes a unique situation to develop; one in which vitamin D deficiency comes to be understood in a far more impactful manner that it might otherwise be represented in another region of the globe that abides by different moral standards. Bibliography Alshamsan, F, Elgabry, E, & Bin-Abbas, B 2014, Vitamin D Deficiency: A Risk Analysis’, Middle East Journal Of Family Medicine, 12, 3, pp. 30-36, Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 22 July 2014. Castro, M, King, T, Kunselman, S, Cabana, M, Denlinger, L, Holguin, F, Kazani, S, Moore, W, Moy, J, Sorkness, C, Avila, P, Bacharier, L, Bleecker, E, Boushey, H, Chmiel, J, Fitzpatrick, A, Gentile, D, Hundal, M, Israel, E, & Kraft, M 2014, Effect of Vitamin D on Adults Lower Vitamin D Levels, JAMA: Journal Of The American Medical Association, 311, 20, pp. 2083-2091, Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 22 July 2014. 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