It's winter. That means less hours of daylight. That means less exposure to the sun. That means many of us are walking around with low Vitamin D. Many many Americans have low vitamin D regardless of the season, but this deficiency can heighten in the winter months.
But, many of us are confused as to how the sun has any relationship with our vitamin levels. We can intake some forms of vitamin D through food such, as fatty fishes. Dairy products are even becoming fortified with vitamin D since many of us don't get enough. However, the majority of our vitamin D is actually produced from exposure to sunlight! This occurs by a reaction between sunlight and a substance in the layers of the skin.
The best and safest way for your body to produce vitamin D from sunlight is to go outside and expose your skin to the sun with no protection (no sunscreen, no shirts, etc.) until you are just barely pink. This exposure time will be different for different individuals.
It is important to remember that exposure longer than the "barely pink" mark does not improve your vitamin D synthesis. So after that point you should either remove yourself from the sun or take protective measures to prevent damage.
So try to take a quick break today and head outside. Roll up your sleeves and let the sun do the work!
But, many of us are confused as to how the sun has any relationship with our vitamin levels. We can intake some forms of vitamin D through food such, as fatty fishes. Dairy products are even becoming fortified with vitamin D since many of us don't get enough. However, the majority of our vitamin D is actually produced from exposure to sunlight! This occurs by a reaction between sunlight and a substance in the layers of the skin.
The best and safest way for your body to produce vitamin D from sunlight is to go outside and expose your skin to the sun with no protection (no sunscreen, no shirts, etc.) until you are just barely pink. This exposure time will be different for different individuals.
It is important to remember that exposure longer than the "barely pink" mark does not improve your vitamin D synthesis. So after that point you should either remove yourself from the sun or take protective measures to prevent damage.
So try to take a quick break today and head outside. Roll up your sleeves and let the sun do the work!