Day 3.4: The Sun & Vitamin D

It's going to be a beautiful day today, sort of sunny and creeping toward 50.  What!?  I'm going to try to get outside today and exercise in the clean air...finally.

Are you having a cheat meal today?  I know I am!  All I've been wanting is a McDonald's single cheeseburger.  I even turned down a cookie yesterday.  I did not turn down caramel popcorn I made for a friend party.  It's my mom's recipe and it is so delicious!  It's more like Cracker Jacks, buttery and salty.  It was worth it.

Get outside and let what sun there is bathe you in warmth, lift your spirits, and boost your Vitamin D. 

Vitamin D can decrease your risk of cancer, developing type 1 diabetes, osteoporosis.  It stimulates your pancreas to produce insulin, regulates your immune system, and is an inhibitor to cancer cell growth.  

In the summer we get plenty because we spend so much time outside, but in the winter we typically find ourselves deficient, particularly at our latitude and above.  Studies suggest that we need 1000 IU of Vitamin D daily for the maximum cancer fighting & immune system boosting results.  

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin which means it is stored in our bodies.  If you take supplements and get over the recommended dose you can get a toxic effect, leading to kidney stones or failure.  Don't worry, stay under 2000 IU daily to avoid overdose.  For women, guidelines suggest 200-400 IU daily.  Get 400 IU between age 50 & 70, and 600 IU after 70 to really combat osteoporosis.

Food Sources of Vitamin D From WebMD:

"So how can you get enough of this overlooked vitamin? Most foods aren't filled to the brim with vitamin D -- far from it. You can get 425 IU in a 3-ounce serving of salmon, and 270 IU in 3.5 ounces of canned sardines. But most foods provide much more modest amounts of vitamin D, from egg yolks (25 IU per egg) to cheddar cheese (2.8 IU per ounce).

"You'll get 200 IUs of vitamin D by drinking two glasses of fortified milk," says Sandon,"

The sun stimulates human skin to produce Vitamin D beyond your daily requirements.  If you have been in the sun in a bathing suit long enough to make your skin slightly red, you've produced 10,000-25,000 IU of Vitamin D!  No wonder we're happier in summer.  Be cautious, however.  Prolonged sun exposure has is negative side effects, as can taking too many supplements.  Be balanced.

Point being, the sun is your best source of Vitamin D.  Get out in it every chance you get in the winter months.

Have a Sunny Winter Day!