| The scientific community has become increasing | | | | moderate exposure to the sun. The key word |
| more interested in the role that vitamin D plays in | | | | here is moderate. Those of you, who walk around |
| maintaining health. I have been following nutritional | | | | brown as a berry all year long, are far beyond |
| research for the past thirty five years, but I have | | | | the moderate level. We may have evolved |
| never seen such a deluge of research on any | | | | enough to live in peaceful coexistence with the |
| nutrient as I have with vitamin D. This | | | | sun, but all bets are off when the exposure |
| hormone-like vitamin, once thought to be useful | | | | becomes excessive. |
| only for proper bone development, has of late | | | | According to prominent researcher Dr. Marc |
| received serious scientific investigation. Much of | | | | Sorrenson, the misguided policies of governmental |
| the research has centered on the vitamin D's | | | | agencies, the medical community and the |
| extensive health benefits. This hormone-like | | | | pharmaceutical industry have compromised the |
| vitamin is essential to the functioning of more | | | | health of the Americans. His latest book, Vitamin |
| than 2,000 of our 20,000+ genes. There is a | | | | D3 and Solar Power for Optimal Health, is a |
| growing body of evidence that suggests your | | | | comprehensive review of the health benefits of |
| chance for optimal health is far greater if you | | | | solar UVB exposure and vitamin D. |
| have adequate levels of vitamin D. | | | | We have been programmed to believe that sun |
| A considerable amount of the vitamin D research | | | | exposure causes skin cancer and melanoma. In his |
| focuses on how this key vitamin influences overall | | | | book, Dr. Sorenson convincingly explains, that by |
| health. However, these epidemiological studies | | | | avoiding exposure to the sun, you will significantly |
| have uncovered a torrent of vitamin D deficiency. | | | | increase your risk for all types of cancers, |
| Depending on which report you see, somewhere | | | | including melanomas. If you want the truth about |
| between 50% and 75% of Americans do not | | | | the importance of solar UVB and vitamin D to |
| have adequate levels of vitamin D. In these times, | | | | optimal health, you must read Vitamin D3 and |
| with all of the breakthrough technology and | | | | Solar Power for Optimal Health. |
| nutritional information we possess, could it be | | | | Because of the emerging research on vitamin D, |
| possible that a large portion of the population is | | | | the importance of dietary supplements is finally |
| lacking in this nutrient? The answer is yes. | | | | taking a well-deserved spotlight. Taking |
| The statistics are shocking, but understandably | | | | supplemental vitamin D is a safe and effective |
| true. There are few foods that have significant | | | | way to enhance your vitamin D serum levels. |
| amounts of naturally occurring vitamin D. Unless | | | | Remember, you cannot eat your way out of |
| you are eating salmon, mackerel, sardines, or tuna | | | | vitamin D deficiency, but if you are like me and |
| daily, you are not getting adequate amounts of | | | | take a tablespoon of cod liver oil daily and spend |
| vitamin D. You will receive vitamin D in fortified | | | | some time outdoors sans sun-block, you are well |
| foods like milk, cheese and cereals. One eight | | | | on your way to maintaining adequate levels of this |
| ounce glass of milk will contain about 100 IU of | | | | essential nutrient. |
| vitamin. You could get a similar amount of vitamin | | | | Vitamin D is fast becoming known as a |
| D in a bowl of fortified cereal. So now your | | | | super-nutrient. The importance of adequate levels |
| vitamin D intake is 200 IU. That is half of the | | | | of vitamin D has grown exponentially within the |
| RDA, and a measly 1% of the vitamin D your | | | | past several years. Recent studies have produced |
| body will make on a thirty minute walk in the | | | | convincing evidence that insufficient vitamin D has |
| mid-day sun. It is physically impossible to eat your | | | | serious, widespread health consequences. Studies |
| way out of a vitamin D deficiency. | | | | reveal that having adequate levels of vitamin D |
| Unlike most vitamins, your the human body can | | | | could cut your risk for most age-related diseases, |
| produce vitamin D. Within 15-30 minutes, with | | | | even the common cold and influenza. In fact, |
| 40% of your skin exposed to the ultra violet B | | | | current research shows that 75% of all colon and |
| (UVB) rays of the sun, your body will produce | | | | breast cancer deaths could be prevented by |
| 20,000 IU of vitamin D. This seems like a | | | | maintaining adequate serums levels of vitamin D. |
| staggering figure when you consider that the RDA | | | | Recommendations: |
| for vitamin D is a scant 400 IU. However, studies | | | | There is no doubt that vitamin D has the |
| confirm that somewhere between 50-75% of | | | | research spotlight right now. The buzz has been |
| Americans are deficient in Vitamin D, and if you | | | | so intense even the traditional medical community |
| have dark skin, the chances of vitamin D | | | | has taken notice. It is now quite possible that your |
| deficiency are even greater. Several studies | | | | doctor will include vitamin D levels when ordering |
| reveal that more than 90% of African-Americans | | | | blood tests for your scheduled physical |
| and Hispanic-Americans are lacking in vitamin D. | | | | examination. Imagine an MD checking for vitamin |
| There are several reasons for this widespread | | | | levels in his patient. |
| deficiency. Geographic location is a fundamental | | | | Check your current serum level of vitamin D. Tell |
| principle for vitamin D production. Not all | | | | your doctor to check your blood for 25 Hydroxy |
| geographic locations receive the same amount of | | | | Vitamin D, [25(OH)D]. You can also request a |
| UVB radiation. For example, if I take a thirty | | | | home test kit from the Vitamin D Council that will |
| minute walk on this beautiful November day, | | | | accurately measure 25(OH) D. For more |
| dressed in shorts and a t-shirt, my body will | | | | information on the home test, and an excellent |
| produce 20,000 IU of vitamin D; however, I live in | | | | source for the most current research on vitamin |
| Florida, and my geographic location receives far | | | | D, visit the Vitamin D Council. |
| more UVB radiation than New York, Denver or | | | | I suggest that you start supplementing with |
| Seattle. In these cities, a thirty-minute walk will | | | | vitamin D before waiting for a blood test result. |
| provide a fraction of the vitamin D. If you are not | | | | There is a strong likelihood that the blood test will |
| sure about the latitude of your hometown, you | | | | confirm that you are not within the optimal range |
| can find it on the internet in the InfoPlease | | | | of 50-80 ng/ml. Do not be fooled by the |
| Latitude database. | | | | Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of 400 IU. |
| Most people believe that exposure to the sun | | | | Reaching the optimal zone will require that your |
| causes cancer. This is a controversial issue and | | | | vitamin D intake be significantly higher. I currently |
| there is strong evidence that it is not the sun that | | | | take 8,000 IU, twenty times the RDA, of |
| causes skin cancer. There is a growing body of | | | | supplemental Vitamin D daily. |
| evidence suggesting the lack of vitamin D | | | | Considering we are in the midst of what could be |
| production will inhibit the immune system function | | | | an extreme flu season, I recommend that healthy |
| and open the door to a variety of diseases. If | | | | adults take 5,000 IU - 10, 000 IU of supplemental |
| you use a sun block lotion with an SPF rating | | | | vitamin D daily. Healthy children under the age of |
| greater than eight, your vitamin D production is | | | | two should take 1,000 IU. Children over the age |
| effectively reduced by 95% or greater. | | | | of two should take 2, 000 IU of supplemental |
| I do not use sun-blockers. I think the synthetic | | | | vitamin D daily. |
| chemicals found in most commercially available | | | | Spend some time outdoors. Don't be afraid of |
| sun-blockers constitute a greater health risk than | | | | moderate sun-exposure. |