In recent years, we’ve all been conditioned to avoid the sun. There are countless reports about how bad the sun is and mere seconds exposed to it without SPF 150 sunscreen will cause irreparable damage to your skin in the form of wrinkles, age spots and that most dreaded of all, skin cancer. The trouble is, the sun does have it’s benefits.
Our bodies make Vitamin D naturally through sunlight exposure. The recommended daily reference intake for Vitamin D is 200 IU for those under 50, 400 IU for those ages 51 – 70, and 600 IU for those above age 70. If your body isn’t getting enough sunlight, and you aren’t taking any kind of
vitamin D supplement, chances are you are deficient.
You might be thinking, “Big deal, so I’m not sporting the hot body tan. At least I won’t end up with skin cancer and wrinkles.” But let’s weigh the risks here. Yes, over-exposure to the sun can cause these problems, but did you know that vitamin D deficiency could increase your risk for a heart attack by 250%? In recent studies it was confirmed that low blood levels of vitamin D increased the risk of death from cardiovascular issues. Given that cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the United States, and 50% to 60% of the population is vitamin D deficient, there seems to be a definite correlation between the two. Low levels of vitamin D have also been linked to inflammation and oxygen-related damage to the cells of the body.
Do yourself a favor. Make sure you are getting at least 15 minutes of sun exposure daily or start taking a
vitamin D supplement. Your heart will thank you for it!
