11:00am | We live in sunny California, so how could anyone not have adequate Vitamin D you ask? With the lifestyle of today it’s a definite possibility. With many people working long hours or commuting to and from work to Long Beach, it can be hard to get proper sunlight exposure. Add to that the increased cancer warning linked with sunlight exposure and we have what many researchers are beginning to title an “epidemic” of Vitamin D deficiency.
Vitamin D has been linked with immunity, heart health, cancer prevention, bone density, mood, and blood sugar regulation in the research.(1) So how can we get more Vitamin D? Although supplements and food sources are available the best source is still the sun, and it’s not as much exposure as you might think. One article has reported it takes as little as 5-10 minutes of exposure on the arms and legs or face, three times a week, between the hours of 11:00am-2:00pm.(2)
So all that means is a little extra time at lunch in direct sunlight, just tell your coworkers you’re taking a Vitamin D break. Tune in next week to find out how to get more D from food sources as well.
Sources
1.) Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University: http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/vitamins/vitaminD/
2.) 37. Holick MF. Vitamin D deficiency: what a pain it is. Mayo Clin Proc. 2003;78(12):1457-1459.