The days of summer are upon us.  This means days spent outdoor enjoying the weather, fresh air and exposure to the rays of the sun.  Most of us can benefit from sun.  The sun provides us with the ability to synthesize Vitamin D. Our skin can produce vitamin D when it is exposed to the ultraviolet B (UVB) rays of the sun.  There are two ways to obtain Vitamin D- skin exposure and by the ingestion of supplements.  We are unable to obtain enough Vitamin D from food. Vitamin D is found in fatty fish like salmon, tuna mackerel, eggs, fortified milk, beef liver, cheese, and orange juice.

 

There are a number of factors that affect how much vitamin D your body produces when your skin is exposed to sunlight.  These include the time of year and time of day, where you live in the world and the type of skin you have.

The amount of vitamin D you get from exposing your bare skin to the sun depends on:

The time of day – your skin produces more vitamin D if you expose it during the middle of the day.

Where you live – the closer to the equator you live, the easier it is for you to produce vitamin D from sunlight all year round.

The color of your skin – pale skins make vitamin D more quickly than darker skins.

The amount of skin you expose – the more skin your expose the more vitamin D your body will produce.

It is strongly recommended that we wear Sun Protection Factor (SPF) to protect our skin from the harmful affects of the sun and we limit our time in the sun.

 

Vitamin D is important for maintaining a healthy heart, bones and preventing ailments such as the flu.   Enjoy the days of summer !