Over the past three years on my blog and on SFGate I have written about vitamin D several times. We are just beginning to scratch the surface of how valuable and important it has been to our health all along and why it is important that we maintain the right level even if our modern lifestyles have us hide away from the sun in concrete caves.
Now that Summer is here at last and the sun is shining brightly, it is time to revisit the issues around getting enough – and not too much – vitamin D from the sun.
Two years ago I wrote about why vitamin D is the greatest free drug. At the time the RDA dosage was still 400 units – just two years ago. Fortunately it has been updated since then and the new RDA is 600 units. That is quite likely still not enough, but even more troubling is that we still treat vitamin RDAs as a one-size-fits-all approach when the real requirements vary widely depending on your age, size and lifestyle (how much sun exposure you get).
I also wrote about six vitamin D facts (or on the flip side myths, if you prefer) that people should know. The most important lesson here is that you should pay attention to your vitamin D levels and not fall for common misperceptions.
Why is this important? Over the past three years all kinds of new research has shown the value of vitamin D. From helping prevent melanoma to avoiding an increased risk of heart disease. Or helping prevent colon cancer, helping ward off depression and fatigue. Even warding off colds and the flu.
So be smart. Balance your sun exposure against skin damage but for the best source of vitamin D there is and have a healthy, vitamin D appropriate Summer…