National Light Shed on Vitamin D Deficiency

(Homer) - The Council of State Governments recently adopted a resolution mimicking Rep. Paul Seaton's House Concurrent Resolution 5 that unanimously passed the legislature in April.

The data shows that the daily supplementation of vitamin D can have important and life-saving impacts on a person's health.
~ Rep. Paul Seaton

HCR 5 looks to raise awareness of the chronic, and sometimes debilitating, effects vitamin D deficiency carries. The resolution also points out that Alaska has the lowest rates in the nation in resident's comparative blood tests according to numerous studies and data provided as back-up to testimony on the resolution.

"It is encouraging to know that Alaska is ahead of other states in addressing the health of our population on some very critical diseases," Seaton, R-Homer, said. "I am pleased that CSG has seen fit to propose to other states that they investigate adoption of prevention of disease as a primary model of health care and recognize vitamin D supplements as a first step toward prevention."

Seaton presented a nation-wide version of HCR 5 to the Health Taskforce within CSG which then recommended the adoption of the resolution to the full committee.

Seaton says the benefits of supplementation heavily outweigh the costs. "A year-and-a-half supply of five-thousand IU (dose) tablets costs only around nine dollars," Seaton said. "Compare that with a flu shot, which can cost around $30 or a trip to the hospital or clinic to diagnose the flu, which can cost hundreds of dollars. The data shows that the daily supplementation of vitamin D can have important and life-saving impacts on a person's health."

The resolution that CSG adopted can be viewed on Rep. Seaton's web-page at http://housemajority.org/seaton/pdfs/27/CSG_Resolution_Vitamin_D.pdf