Don’t forget your daily dose of D -- vitamin D
Written by Michelle Albert
Now that February is almost over, it’s natural for thoughts to start to turn toward spring and sunshine. The inhabitants of the Blue Zones are familiar with the sun: Okinawans, Sardinians, and Nicoyans spend time outdoors, gardening, walking, and visiting. Plus geography helps them maximize their exposure. They live closer to the equator than residents of New York City, Seattle, or Minneapolis.
Their bodies may benefit from the sunshine, since new research has shed light on the many benefits of vitamin D – a vitamin our bodies produce in the presence of UV light. During the Okinawa expedition, Dr. Greg Plotnikoff explained:
In addition to good bones, good strength and good balance, vitamin D plays a very important role in almost every organ in the body, including the brain. Worldwide, millions of people, including school children, do not have enough vitamin D for either healthy bones or the prevention of chronic adult illnesses. For example, in Manitoba along the U.S.-Canadian border, 43% of children were found to be significantly deficient.
You can read more: http://www.bluezones.com/zone-1-okinawa-japan/day-3-nov-2-2005/daily-dispatch.html.
Of course sun exposure can lead to skin cancer, so be smart when you go out. This fact sheet from the National Institutes of Health can help answer questions about how to get a safe amount of sunshine and how to make sure you are getting enough vitamin D.
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