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For years we have been told to stay out of the sun due to the risk of skin cancer. Stay indoors between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. If you have to be out, wear long sleeves, a hat, and sunscreen. Many people followed that advice, and then suddenly a new problem was revealed.Health care researchers have discovered that many people have vitamin D deficiency, which may be a contributing factor to osteoporosis, fibromyalgia, depression, lowered immune system, and asthma. Vitamin D is manufactured by the body from sunlight. You can also get vitamin D from foods like fortified milk, wild salmon, almonds, eggs, and mushrooms as part of a healthy diet.
The question, then, is how do you get enough vitamin D without getting skin cancer? Is moderation enough? It only takes 10-15 minutes a day in the sun to manufacture the vitamin D needed by the average human body. Is this amount of sun going to contribute to skin cancer? Most people will not get sunburned in 10-15 minutes, but will the gradual, repeated exposure cause the same problems? More research is needed on this.
If you use sunshine as health care, how much of your body needs to be exposed? The articles say 10-15 minutes a day without sunscreen. Does that mean without clothing either? Well, your neighbors might object! If you are deficient, do you need to spend more than the 10-15 minutes a day?
Many people are turning to vitamin D supplements, but are they safe? And how do you know if you need them? Your health care providers can order a simple blood test to screen for deficiency. If your vitamin D level is very low, they should give you guidelines for correcting the condition. You might be asked to take supplements, but it may turn out that time in the sun and simple diet corrections are all that you need. And you don’t even have to worry about whether your health insurance will pay for it!
