Vitamin D Deficiency and Sunscreen

Vitamin D is essential for building healthy bones. Scientists are also discovering that vitamin D may play a role in preventing other diseases like:

• preventing breast cancer
• lowering risk in developing multiple sclerosis
• preventing other kinds of cancers including: colon, prostate, ovarian, pancreas, kidney
  
• preventing diseases including: heart disease, Alzheimer's, diabetes, arthritis, etc.

The problem is that we are chronically deficient in vitamin D. The body synthesizes vitamin D from exposure to the ultraviolet rays. Naturally, those of us who live in the northern climes have less exposure to vitamin D.

Also, the sunscreen we slather on our skin limits the UV absorption by our skin.

What to do?

• eat foods high in vitamin D (salmon, tuna, eggs, fortified milk)
• supplement with a high-quality multivitamin, high-quality calcium, high-quality fish oil
• go outside without sunscreen, for very brief times. Do not get sunburned - NEVER between 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
• use a high-quality sunscreen product for days at the beach, the pool, or working outside for extended periods of time. Don't forget to protect your lips too.

partially sourced from "Packing a Punch", Daily Herald, Monday June 25, 2007