The Sunshine Vitamin - Vitamin D
Hello Everyone and welcome back to another post from the HealFast Health and Wellness Series. Today we are going to be covering Vitamin D (the "Sunshine" Vitamin) and why it is so important to ensure you are getting enough. Either from food, pills, or hopefully and more commonly: the Sun!
As my guest, Dr. Andrea Poon explains, "Over 90% of the vitamin D received actually comes from the Sun in the form of UV-B rays, and after being absorbed through one's skin creates a chemical reaction that allows the build up of Vitamin D in the body."
This is the primary method for which our bodies create Vitamin D and absorb it for use. This process does not work by merely standing in front of a window or from simply a healthy diet (supplements excluded). A window will block the critical UV-B rays from making it to your skin so the best option is to really make time outside and enjoy the Sun directly.
With such a seemingly simple solution, it is astonishing to note that over "80% of people in the USA today are Vitamin D deficient". This is disconcerting because as mentioned in the video, Vitamin D helps improve your immune system and calcium regulation, prevents different types of cancer and osteoporosis, and has been shown to reduce the risk of heart attacks and heart disease. If that isn't enough, it even helps with weight loss efforts!
So get outside, expose some skin to the sun for at least 30 mins a day! The surface area exposed needs to be more than sticking a simple hand out the window of a moving car. You should have your face, arms and legs (if possible) exposed. In those hot Southern/Equatorial location ensure you have some proper sun screen on for prolonged exposure. For those in cold Northern climates - especially around winter when the Sun is at its weakest, a vitamin D supplement can also be taken to help ensure consistent levels within the body.
We hope you found our video simple yet helpful and invite you to comment or post questions you would like our doctors to answer! Don't forget to follow our blog channel and like us on Facebook and Twitter for new updates!
As always, until next time stay informed and be healthy!
