Vitamin
D in
the Winter
Article by Smart
Tan Network
November Starts 'Vitamin D Winter'
Public health officials are becoming increasingly concerned
about "Vitamin D Winter" -- the period from November
through February in most of North America where sunlight is
too weak to initiate the natural production of "the sunshine
vitamin" in the skin.
Because healthy vitamin D levels are now suspected to lower
your risk of many forms of cancer, heart disease, multiple
sclerosis, osteoporosis and many other disorders, you need
to know:
. Humans make 90 percent of their vitamin D naturally when
skin is exposed to UVB in sunlight.
. Sunlight isn't strong enough during "Vitamin D Winter"
in most of North America for any vitamin D to be made.
. The farther north you live, the longer "Vitamin D
Winter" lasts. In parts of Canada, Vitamin D Winter lasts
6 months.
. More than half of Americans and up to 97 percent of Canadians
will be vitamin D deficient this winter!
. According to the Vitamin D Council, everyone needs to have
their vitamin D blood level checked - a test called a calcidiol
test.
. Healthy blood levels of vitamin D are 125 nmol/L (or 50
ng/mL), according to the Vitamin D Council.
If you live in a place where you absolutely cannot get UVB
from sunlight in a non-burning fashion, you may need to consider
taking a vitamin D supplement to prevent vitamin D deficiency.
But UVB exposure to the skin is the body's natural, intended
and most productive way to make vitamin D.
Find out more at these web sites:
www.SunshineVitamin.org
www.VitaminDsociety.org
www.VitaminDcouncil.org
Thank you.
Solar Escape, LLC
Sunshine Vitamin Alliance Volunteer
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