Vitamin D, Vitamin K and Your Heart

          If I had to guess, I would say that you are deficient in vitamin K and Vitamin D.  Almost everyone is.  These are extremely important to have in your diet.  They both provide so many health benefits. 

          One of Vitamin K's main benefits is blood clotting, but did you know that it has many other benefits, such as heart health.  It can reduce coronary calcification, which will decrease your risk of heart disease.

          There are two forms of Vitamin K - K1 and K2.  K1 is found in green leafy vegetables and helps you maintain your blood clotting ability.  K2 is found in fermented foods, especially cheese.  This form of K2 will go straight to your bones, tissues and blood vessels.   K2 is probably the most important form for your heart health.

          Vitamin D helps you to absorb calcium and K2 directs it to your bones.  If the calcium is not properly directed it can go to your arteries (causing hardening of the arteries), to your kidneys (kidney stones), to your gallbladder (gall stones), or somewhere else it is not needed.    Without K2 the calcium that you absorb can very easily be working against you.  Going to work in your arteries and not your bones.  If you are going to supplement Vitamin D, you MUST also supplement Vitamin K2.  Never take calcium in isolation.  In order for it to be directed to your bones, you need other nutrients.

          Vitamin K also offers other benefits such as fighting cancer and lowering your risk of diabetes.  It can also help prevent varicose veins. 

          Where do I get this Vitamin?   Vitamin K1 is abundant in dark green leafy vegetables, such as broccoli, kale and spinach.  K2 is available in cheese  and especially cheese curd.  You would probably need about 150 mcg daily.