eileen

I'm not sure if he visits here anymore but I do see Ted Hutchinson is still active with me in the Vitamin D research. Great to notice him in the comments section at the end of this article.

The Sunshine Vitamin


March 3, 11:09 AM · 2 comments

BY: Kim GibsonWhen asked, “What is the sunshine vitamin?” many people respond that it is vitamin C. The correct answer, however, is vitamin D. That is because just 10 minutes of sunlight exposure (sans sunscreen) a day is believed to help prevent deficiencies. I remember when I was pregnant I would go outside at lunchtime and pull my shirt up over my belly to try and absorb as much vitamin D right where my baby lived, so to speak. Nowadays exposing a pregnant belly isn’t such a rare sight, but it wasn’t always that way. Suffice it to say, I did get some weird looks, but I didn’t care since I was doing it for my baby. (After the baby is born, nursing mothers need to make sure their babies get plenty of vitamin D since levels in breast milk may not be sufficient, especially if the mother is deficient.)
Deficiencies of vitamin D can cause rickets in children, which can lead to skeletal deformities; in adults a lack of the vitamin can cause osteomalacia, or weak muscles and bones. This is important for women approaching or experiencing menopause, since bone loss is a risk factor for osteoporosis. Others at risk for vitamin D deficiencies are people who suffer from fat malabsorption syndromes, such as cystic fibrosis, and people with inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn’s disease. African Americans are also at risk for deficiency in vitamin D since the darker skin with its higher melanin content reduces the skin’s ability to produce the vitamin from sunlight.
There are foods that have vitamin D: salmon, shrimp, cod, sardines, milk and eggs. Many foods are fortified with vitamin D, as well, especially the breakfast cereals you may be feeding your children. And since cheeses and yogurts are made with vitamin D-fortified milk, they are too good sources.
Getting enough vitamin D can help maintain proper calcium and phosphorus levels in the blood, and aids in the regulation of immune system activity. This means vitamin D may help prevent many chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and breast, colon and ovarian cancers.
Rather than staying inside that break room at lunch, try stepping outside for a few minutes each day and get a dose of the sunshine vitamin. You don’t have to lift your shirt over your belly, unless you just like getting weird looks.

SOURCE LINKS & FULL CREDITS: http://www.examiner.com/x-3697-Charlotte-Nutrition-Examiner~y2009m3d3-The-Sunshine-Vitamin

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"under exposure to UV rays is as dangerous as overexposure....this is D life" eileen

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Let's get him on here!