SOURCE:http://www.athloneadvertiser.ie/index.php?aid=5625
This summer the sun hasn’t been spotted much in Ireland. Many of us have been wrapped up in our winter woollies, and summer clothes have hung sadly in the back of our wardrobes. So what has this lack of sunshine got to do with our diet and our health?
Vitamin D is known as the sunshine vitamin as our bodies make it when sun shines on our skin. Past studies have shown that we Irish have poor vitamin D intakes and that we rely on sunshine to make lots of vitamin D for us, which then helps our bodies absorb calcium, vital for our bones and teeth.
Many health professionals are concerned that infants, children, and pregnant women are not getting enough Vitamin D. The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) recently published a report recommending that there should be a national policy of vitamin D supplementation in all infants aged 0-12 months in Ireland. A lack of vitamin D in childhood can lead to the development of Rickets. This is a condition where bone does not grow properly as there is not enough vitamin D, therefore the body cannot absorb the calcium that builds strong, healthy bones. Although it was thought that Rickets had been consigned to the history books, many doctors are now seeing a growing number of cases in their clinics.
10-04-2007, 11:01 PM
