VITAMIN D IS FREE

Most Americans work indoors, drive to stores to shop indoors, study indoors and spend free time in front of their television or computers. We are spending less and less time outdoors unless we happen to be our own weekend gardeners. Even when we do get outside we coat ourselves with sunscreen fearing sun damage or worse skin cancer. It is no wonder that our unhealthy lifestyles have created an epidemic of deficiencies. Vitamin D deficiency is becoming more and more prevalent in America, even teenagers are afflicted with it today. The Health Research Forum insists that healthy sun bathing is good for people and that not getting enough sunshine is what is harmful. Without sunshine plants cannot grow and people cannot thrive.

If we really understood the importance of spending time out of doors, we would try to find opportunities to catch a few deep breaths and some of those healthy sun rays. Sciencebase.com states that there is a safe way to sunbathe. Start with only a few minutes per day and gradually increase your time to 15-20 minutes per day. Avoid using sunblock or sunscreen so that your skin can take in its daily dose of free D. It is important to keep hydrated and go out in the morning or some other time when the sun is not blazing hot.

Inadequate levels of Vitamin D can increase the risk of cancer and osteoporosis. Vitamin D is crucial for bone mineralization and a healthy immune system. Absorption of calcium depends on blood levels of D. According to PubMed.gov, a study conducted on March 17, 2010 by The Commonwealth Medical College in Pennsylvania, 74% of the 160 cancer patients were found to be low in Vitamin D. The Creighton University School of Medicine in Nebraska found that adequate levels of Vitamin D3 and calcium can cut the risk of cancer by 77%!

The amount of Vitamin D required depends on many factors. Your age, gender, health, skin color and location. An average, healthy person needs 15-30 minutes of sun per day. An elderly Caucasian woman, who lives in a northern latitude with health issues, would require more. If you think you might have a Vitamin D deficiency, ask your doctor to have your D levels checked. If you choose to supplement, you might want to consider the more natural and readily absorption D3 instead of  D2 which is a synthetic form.

Foods which offer Vitamin D include fish, fish oil, egg yolk, liver and mushrooms.

In my opinion, the most natural way is the best so I'm off to catch my 15 minutes in the sun!