The Sunshine Vitamin - A Doctor's Thoughts

Over the past decade there has been a lot of debate on the topic of vitamin D, with much emphasis on its health benefits and the increasing number of people testing positive for low levels of this vital vitamin in their blood. So why could this be?

Well, being dubbed the “sunshine vitamin”, you need sunlight on your skin to allow vitamin D to be produced photochemically and then absorbed into your body. It enhances the absorption of calcium and phosphate in our gut and boosts our immune system function. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to heart disease, Diabetes, osteoporosis and some forms of cancer. A condition called Rickets can develop in children with severe vitamin D deficiency affecting their bone growth, poor strength and delayed motor milestones.

If you avoid the sun, always work and live indoors, wear sunscreen often and/or cover-up the majority of your skin then chances are you may be low yourself. We all know that the sun can cause burning and that is never a good thing, but you can safely be in the sun for short periods of time regularly, say 20 mins, without getting burnt. The more of your skin exposed to the light the better and this in turn will allow vitamin D to be absorbed and used by the body.
,
Some other sources of vitamin D include fatty fish, organ meats, dairy and egg yolks. Supplements are also relatively inexpensive, however I would recommend one that is naturally sourced rather than a synthetic form.

For more information have a chat to your health professional.  Remember to always eat healthy, move often and get outside and play a little more....perhaps in the sunshine!

Dr Harley Rushton
Chiropractor