Now is the time to start taking your Vitamin D supplement
Vitamin D is one of the few universally recommended vitamins.
As the days grow shorter, so does your skin’s ability to make vitamin D naturally from the sun.
Vitamin D deficiency, previously eradicated in the United States in the mid-1900s, has now reared its ugly head. Children and adults both suffer from this deficiency that can have wide-ranging health consequences. ~The Journal of Clinical Investigation
Vitamin D deficiency is associated with many chronic diseases, most commonly:
- Weight gain
- Bone disease
- Cardiac disease
- Cancer
The positive effects of adequate Vitamin D are:
Our skin has an amazing ability to create vitamin D just by being exposed to ultraviolet (UVB) radiation, so why are vitamin D deficiency rates on the rise?
The main reason for the deficiency is that the skin is not exposed to enough ultraviolet (UVB) radiation from the sun.
Why aren’t we getting enough exposure?
- More time spent indoors
- both adults and children are spending less time outdoors; instead they are inside working, watching television and/or playing
- windows decrease the intensity of the UVB rays; even if you are sitting in a sunny spot indoors, your skin isn’t able to produce as much vitamin D as if you were outside in the sun
Winter:
- the angle of the sun effects the intensity of the UVB rays; less intense UVB rays equals less vitamin D production
- there is more cloud cover in the winter, decreasing the UVB rays coming into the atmosphere
- clothing: in the cold months we are more covered up, with less skin exposed to the sun
- Sunscreen:
- sunscreen blocks the beneficial UVB rays
- expose your skin for at least 20 minutes before applying sunscreen
- Darker skin
- people with darker skin need to spend longer periods of time in the sun to produce an effective amount of vitamin D (up to 2 hours)
What to do about it:
- Get outdoors all year-round
- mid-day is the peak time to expose your skin for vitamin D production
- practice yoga outdoors like this Sun Salutation
Eat vitamin D rich foods
- egg yolks
- fatty fish
- fortified foods like cereals, dairy, and margarines (check the labels to make sure the vitamin D is in there)
- Take a vitamin D supplement
- vitamin D2 (made from plants) and D3 (made from lanolin) are both readily absorbed by the body
- Recommended Daily Intake:
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- adults 600 IU
- children 200 IU
- upper limits as reported on several websites is 4,500 IU, but anecdotally many of my friend’s doctors are recommending 5,000 IU
- have your vitamin D levels tested
- speak with your doctor about dose of supplement
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Adequate vitamin D is an important component of a happy, healthy life. If you are still uncertain about whether or not you need to worry about vitamin D for yourself, do not hesitate to call 207-594-0707 or email tara@monheganwellness.com with questions.
I am a yogi, nutritionist and chef living on a beautiful island 12 miles out to sea, Monhegan Island where I live with my husband and 19 year-old cat.
I get my kicks from making delicious recipes from what I have on hand. Living on an island, a well stocked pantry, freezer and kitchen garden are necessities. I look to recipes for inspiration and then get creative with what I have on hand.
I counsel busy, career-oriented people on how to lose weight and prevent disease using virtual formats including Skype and phone. Initial 1 hour health assessments are FREE, make your appointment today. Contact US
From May through October, you can find me leading yoga retreats on the backside of the island. Yoga outdoors is truly transforming.
