We all know how important it is to protect our skin from the sun’s damaging UV rays. After all, who wants leathery skin and wrinkles earlier? Oh, and there’s the risk of skin cancer also. But did you know that not getting enough sunlight is just as harmful? …. I KNOW, RIGHT?!

Vitamin D and its sources

Basically, Vitamin D is a group of fat-soluble prohormones that aids our body in absorbing calcium thereby strengthening our bones. According to studies lack of Vitamin D can result in:

• breast cancer
• colorectal cancer
• rickets
• heart disease
• autoimmune diseases (ie. multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, etc.)

The question now is, how exactly do we get Vitamin D and how much of it do we really need? Well, acccording to several studies, we need anywhere from 200 IU (International Unit) to 1000 IU. Though the suggestions vary, there is one major consensus: many lack sufficient amounts of Vitamin D to ward off health risks associated with Vitamin D deficiency.

Naturally, we first think of the sun as a source of Vitamin D. However, Vitamin D is also present in some foods:

• Cod liver oil
• Fatty fish (salmon, herring, tuna, eel…mmMMm UNAGI!)
• eggs
• liver
• radiated mushrooms (whaa?? mushrooms can be radiated?)

If you find none of those appealing, then you can take Vitamin D supplements which are widely available. As far as sun exposure goes those with lighter skin need at least 15 minutes per day while those with much darker skin should get 1 hour without SPF. To keep on the safe side, try to avoid getting your sunlight from 11-4 pm during which the sun is at its strongest. This, of course, changes during the winter time with shorter days and daylight savings time (which I absolutely dread!).

-Mary