By Joan O’Keefe, RD
Summer is unofficially here and now is the time to make a choice. How are you going to spend it? Are you going to sit indoors watching reality television or are you going to improve your health by getting outside?
That’s right. Sunshine will actually improve your health. When you’re outdoors on a sunny day, not only do you get to breathe fresh air, relax, take a break from stress, and enjoy the landscape, you’re improving your vitamin D levels as well. Unlike other vitamins and nutrients, Vitamin D is actually made inside our bodies in response to sunlight. It turns out, humans are solar-powered. Our mood, immunity and risk for major diseases are all affected by our Vitamin D levels. Vitamin D deficiency is linked to diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, weaker bones, higher risk of heart attacks, increased asthma risk, increased chances of developing the metabolic syndrome and increased risk for certain cancers, particularly breast and colon. Vitamin D affects our cognitive performance and is indicated in dementia. Everyday aches and pains are oftentimes symptoms of inadequate Vitamin D.
Vitamin D boosts immunity. Our ancestors were hunter-gatherers; they were outside all day with no sunscreen and were physically active. Now we’re hunkered down in houses and offices all day. Now, we need antibiotics for everything. It is against human nature to be inside all day. When we lived and worked outside, the sunshine was our natural immunity booster.
The choice is yours. All it takes is about 20 minutes of sunshine (no sunscreen) per day to soak up the vitamin D. If your skin is very dark, you are obese, or elderly, you may need more time. I recommend you visit your doctor and KNOW YOUR NUMBERS. Vitamin D levels are easily checked with a simple blood test. Ideally, vitamin D levels should be between 50 and 70. Keeping your levels in this range is tricky. Lifestyle plays a role in our vitamin D levels. You have to be vigilant about sun exposure (during the summer months – it is impossible to make vitamin D in the winter months above 37 degrees latitude – around Atlanta, GA). I recommend a supplement with 2,000 IU Vitamin D3 daily, especially if you are not getting adequate sun exposure every day.
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