Vitamin D is known to most people as the Sunshine Vitamin. Our bodies actually produce it when our skin is exposed to the sun, which is pretty incredible when you stop to think about it. It is involved in many processes in the body including bone health, immune function, and many, many more.
It seems that most people dramatically underestimate the necessary sun exposure to produce sufficient amounts of this vitamin. There are many factors that play into how much sun a human needs to produce adequate Vitamin D but the rough rule of the thumb is: 80% of your body exposed for 40 minutes per day. This recommendation doesn’t take into consideration many variables such as; skin color, latitude, the presence of sunscreen, the UV index, or the time of year. There have even been clinical observations that suggest getting into a pool or shower after sun exposure impairs your skin’s role in Vitamin D synthesis.
Here in Virginia the UV index drops below the level necessary to make the vitamin sometime in fall and persists as too low through winter. What this means is that even if you were out in the sun for hours in December you wouldn’t be able to make sufficient vitamin D. Why hasn’t anyone told you this? And what do you do about it? Contacting your local naturopath is a good place to start.
The vast majority of Americans are deficient in Vitamin D and proper testing can show you exactly how deficient you are, which helps determine a safe dose of supplementation. Naturopaths are very comfortable helping you to decide what an optimal Vitamin D level is and also how much has to be taken to arrive at that level safely. If you are deficient a daily recommended dose might not be enough to replenish your system and if you aren’t careful you can end up with too much Vitamin D. Please do not try to treat yourself without consulting with a doctor.
It used to be believed that Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) was linked to the decreased amount of light in the colder seasons and patients who suffered from it were treated with light boxes. More recently it has been noted that treatment with Vitamin D is the most effective way to prevent and even treat those winter-time-blues. If you are affected by SAD yearly you may want to consider talking to your doctor about Vitamin D. Testing and supplementation tend to be very affordable so don’t let that worry stop you from being happy all winter long.
NOVA Family Health 